BALTIMORE, Md. – Georgia Tech was granted a 3-star Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation as awarded by the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS). It was announced by accreditation facilitator Joe Jackson, CGM. The PGMS Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program has four levels of accreditation (1, 2, 3 and 4–star.) It is designed to not only recognize excellence but to provide a means by which facilities can measure growth and improvements in meeting the goals of best practices.
The campus has a variety of spaces with natural features and elements that combine to deliver a landscape rich in diversity and ecological interest. Georgia Tech also possesses many of the typical complexities that test the effective functionality of the Landscape Services operations with its stewardship responsibilities. “The keen attention given to this challenge by the Institute was obvious and a factor during the Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation process,” said Joe Jackson, CGM.
Jackson also said, “The appropriate use and placement of necessary resources for the upkeep and maintenance of the grounds was clearly evident. Having the right personnel with the right skill sets performing correctly in critical areas contributed heavily to their success in the accreditation program.” Georgia Tech is demonstratively pursuing an intense approach to protecting and preserving its natural resources. The Landscape Services teams’ understanding and implementation of sound grounds management best practices is instrumental to their success. The mastering of these requirements is reflected in their accomplishment in the Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program.
Hyacinth Ide, associate director of Landscape Services and Vehicle Management at Georgia Tech, developed the accreditation submission and received the honor on behalf of the school.
The PGMS Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program is a dynamic evaluation tool designed to be used by facilities and organizations that have a landscape services or grounds component. Through peer expertise, the program evaluates strategic grounds management principles and practices that produce and guide the delivery of properties to an attractive, healthy, sustainable and high quality state, states PGMS. The accreditation focuses on three categories: environmental stewardship, economic performance, and social responsibilities. For more information on the accreditation program please visit http://pgms.org/accreditation/.
