Project Overview

Reports

Commodities

• Additional Plants: native plants, ornamentals, other

• Community and Urban Pest Management: commercial, institution/shelters/municipal buildings/public places, residential/housing, school & child care

• Natural Areas: forestry (conifer), forestry (hardwood)

• Pollinators: habitat, honey bees

Target Pests

Practices

• Pest Management: biological control, biorational pesticides, compost extracts, cultural control, decision support system, mechanical control, mulches - general, prevention, soil solarization, weed ecology

• Crop Production: irrigation, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, pollination/pollinator health/habitat

• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, drift/runoff buffers, grass waterways, soil stabilization, wetlands

• Production Systems: organic agriculture, transitioning to organic

• Soil Management: composting, earthworms, green manures, organic matter, soil microbiology, soil quality/health

• Sustainable Communities: public participation, public policy, quality of life, sustainability measures

The IPM Institute of North America, Inc. respectfully requests $19,995 from the North Central IPM Center to support the Midwest Grows Green (MGG) Lawn & Land Forum Working Group aspiration to develop formal, standardized and nationally accepted definitions for 'organic', 'natural', 'IPM' and/or 'sustainable landscaping'.  The Forum Working Group anticipates that demand for sustainable landscaping services and sustainable landscapes will increase once we remove the confusion surrounding non-standard lawn and garden terminology of 'organic-based', 'organic', 'natural', 'sustainable', 'eco-friendly', 'IPM' and more. 

This project will define sustainable landscaping by pursuing three objectives. First, each Forum Working Group member will help MGG introduce and pilot the "GREEN SHIELD CERTIFIED (GSC) for Landscapes" standards in 2022 by reviewing a section or sections of the "GSC: Program Guide & Evaluation for Professional Landscape Management Providers". 

Second, MGG will market the "GSC for Landscapes" standards and equip landscape managers with the knowledge base to achieve GSC recognition through hosting two Lawn & Land Forum webinars and one Forum in-person workshop. 

Finally, this project will help landscape providers and greenspaces receive "GSC for Landscapes" recognition by sharing action-oriented components of the MGG Lawn & Land Forum. These action-oriented components include (1) holding a minimum of 10 in-person or phone meetings with park districts, school districts and/or city governments regarding the implementation of IPM or NLC, (2) sharing LawnandLand.org, MGG’s Technical Assistance Program (see bit.ly/MGGassistance) and “GSC for Landscapes” at major trade association conferences or workshops such as the Professional Grounds Management Society’s Annual Conference and (3) onboarding at least three landscaping providers or greenspaces to “GSC for Landscapes”.

This effort to define 'organic', 'natural' and 'sustainable' landscaping will help individuals and communities easily find and pursue landscaping services that have limited impact on human health and the environment. Overall, this project will increase safe and healthy greenspaces for children, pets and pollinators to live, learn and play. 

Objective 1. The Lawn & Land Forum Working Group will review and approve the "GSC for Landscapes" standards.

Objective 2. The Lawn & Land Forum working group will organize workshops that equip landscape managers with the knowledge base to achieve GSC (two webinars, one in-person workshop).  

Objective 3. Increase action-oriented components of the MGG Lawn & Land Forum.