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In mid-March, more than 100 representatives of various government agencies, environmental groups, cooperative extension services, universities, industry writers and a variety of lawn care and landscaping businesses, associations, and suppliers met to discuss environmental issues and a draft set of environmental guidelines for responsible lawn care and landscaping. The three-day meeting took place in the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. At the conclusion of the conference, the Lawns & the Environment (L&E) steering committee presented a four-part action plan for future coalition activities:
1. Expand membership of the L&E steering committee and develop a strategic plan for the initiative.
2. Extend the review and comment period for the draft “Environmental Guidelines for Responsible Lawn Care and Landscaping” to June 30, 2004.
3. Identify and select three to five cities willing to partner in public education demonstration projects.
4. Convene 2nd National L&E conference in 2006 to evaluate demonstration projects and future actions.
Paul Parker, executive vice President of the Center for Resource Management (CRM) and co-chair of the conference, said a brief conference report and educational video also would be produced to highlight the guidelines and the collaborative process of the Lawns & the Environment Initiative. “The conference helped to broaden the support for a common set of environmental guidelines concerning the use of pesticides, fertilizers, water, and other landscape practices,” he observed. “There was a collective enthusiasm for different groups to use the guidelines in a common effort to educate the consumer.”
The San Antonio conference titled, “Environmental Lawn Care and Landscaping: Reaching the Consumer” was organized by the L&E coalition under the auspices of the Center for Resource Management.
The San Antonio conference included speakers and presentations from organizations that are involved in these issues and public outreach programs from across the country. Conference participants had the opportunity throughout the three-day meeting to voice their opinions and provide recommendations concerning the proposed environmental guidelines and how best to educate and motivate consumers to adopt these practices in their home yards and landscapes.