AED Foundation & SkillsUSA Illinois Support Skilled Trades
Jessica Schwartz
Sustainable Initiatives Undertaken By Largest Box Tree Grower In U.S.
The largest box tree grower in the U.S., with over 40 retail locations across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas, has undertaken major sustainability initiatives over the past year involving water consumption, clean energy, carbon emissions, and waste reduction. Moon Valley Nurseries formed an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy in 2021 by creating a team of department representatives and executive leadership to guide and maintain the company’s commitment to positive corporate social responsibility. It published its first report in early August. Here are some highlights: Water. Throughout 2021, Moon Valley implemented automatic watering systems to reduce water usage, minimized water runoff through catching basins, and educated customers and employees about water-saving tips. By the end of 2022, the ESG team will quantify water consumption rates by installing sub-meters to 50% of all points of connection at all active sites and will reach 100% of all active sites by the end of 2023. Energy. Moon Valley installed its first on-site solar array in Escondido, CA, a feature that now powers 50% of that site’s operations. Additionally, all retail locations have been equipped with electric golf carts, and new delivery trucks were purchased, comprising approximately 36% of the fleet, that feature engines that automatically shut off after five minutes of idle time. Carbon Emissions. Moon Valley has calculated its carbon emissions output and identified strategies to reduce its carbon footprint. During 2021, 80% of Moon Valley Nurseries trees sold were grown on company farms, and all Moon Valley Nurseries trees sequestered 197,000 ...
Evolution Of The Tree
The times are a changin’, and so is the climate. Tree planting, then, must also change if urban forests are to adapt to the uncertainties of our future weather. Are you still specifying your favorite trees from years ago? Then maybe it’s time to revisit your current selections with an eye toward optimum resiliency. Developing such climate-resilient trees is a top priority of the plant development program at J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., a wholesale tree grower in Boring, OR. As a leading developer and introducer of new and improved cultivars of shade and flowering trees, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. must always look to the future in our efforts to select trees that will survive and thrive in challenging, changing environments. Successes over the past 50 years of plant development have included the introduction or co-introduction of more than 100 improved tree cultivars, most of which remain in the trade today. (The best known of these is Red Sunset® Maple, introduced in 1966 and still a top choice among red maples.) Growing Trends—Literally As J. Frank Schmidt prepares to celebrate 75 years in the tree business and plans for the future, our top goals for developing trees for modern landscapes include selecting varieties for heat, drought, and cold tolerance; low water requirements, low maintenance needs, and adaptability to varied soils and growing conditions. We are also always on the lookout for trees that are naturally pest and disease resistant in order to decrease, or hopefully eliminate, the ...
