Presenting to industry!

Tom was invited to speak at this year’s Scotland AGM of the British Association of Landscape Industries.

The well-recieved presentation was based on Tom’s MHort (RHS) research, and stemming from many years experience working as a landscape maintenance contractor. The thrust of the discussion was why quality green infrastructure is so important, why ignoring our more utilitarian, functional spaces creates an equalities issue, and why allowing the landscape maintenance sector to continue to be held in low regard is a threat to everybody’s day-to-day quality of life. It's too important an issue to be letting people complain about lazy operatives with leafblowers, when in fact a multitude of nuanced issues make it extremely challenging to operate as an effective landscape contractor.

Tom delivered a call for action - saying that the landscape maintenance sector needs to stand up and be recognised as the experts in how our landscapes are maintained and what they should look like. We need to educate clients that the aim of good maintenance is not preserve static pictures of sterile landscapes, but to provide adaptive care to dynamic systems, helping plants establish, mature, and also allow for successional planning. The answer lies in reaching out to the property managers and facilities managers to collaborate on a shared goal - improved quality of green infrastracture leading to improved and increased benefits for everyone interacting with it.
    

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Tom Angel is a Chartered Horticulturist, Master of Horticulture (RHS), former branch chairman of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, and worked previously as a landscape maintenance contractor. For a copy of the full dissertation please email tom@tomangel.co.uk.

To discuss any aspect of landscape management consultancy or biodiversity-focused planting design, give Tom a call on 0141 432 1141 or email on tom@tomangel.co.uk