Sustainability Program

We have a world-class team of educated and accredited horticultural professionals. Our staff are highly trained through our internal education program ‘Para Space University’. Para Space University consists of 44 different seminars and workshops. We also encourage and sponsor our staff to pursue continuing education programs and courses through various outlets. You cannot be a crew Supervisor at our company without having a Landscape Diploma or being a Certified Horticulturist. All of this education is based on current sustainable and best management practices when it comes to horticulture, landscaping, and leadership. Examples of these are:

• Plant health would be maintained using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Early detection of plant health issues and pests/diseases would happen during the multiple walk arounds throughout the property that our various team members would have each week (managers, supervisors, technicians, field staff, executive etc.). Early detection is important because some pests and diseases can progress quickly. We monitor to determine the population of pests and their locations; Identify pest species and pest complexes to be managed; Determine the injury threshold for each pest and apply them to the decision of when to use a pesticide;  Identify and advise the owner/manager of the pest and treatment area as well as reasonable measures to prevent such pests; Evaluate, following each pesticide use, the effectiveness of that application.
• We prefer the use of cultural, physical, mechanical and biological controls over the use of chemical controls
• Pest treatment methods based on: Consideration of practical alternatives to pesticide use;  Protection of human health and the environment.
• We have done extensive research on alternatives to chemical treatments. e.g. We use entomopathogenic nematodes for the control of European chafer grubs, root weevils and leatherjackets. Aphids and other foliar pests are controlled with insecticidal soap sprays. The brand of insecticidal soap we use – KOPA – is listed with OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) as allowable in Organic production. KOPA does not persist in the environment, and in food production settings, can be used up to the day of harvest.
• Proper maintenance techniques such as horticulturally sound pruning practices would be applied. Our staff are internally certified by our team of certified arborists through attending a series of full day, hands on pruning workshops.
• Mulching of planted beds to retain soil moisture would be part of our maintenance program