Landscaping company plans service project
April is National Lawn Care Month, and the month in which National Arbor Day and Earth Day occur. April is also the time of year when many people start thinking about getting outside again. It is important for all of us to take the time to think about the positive impact of a green environment — the aesthetic impact, as well as the environmental and economic. Trees and plants in open green spaces — yards, parks, fields, etc., provide a mechanism for cleaning air and purifying water. The National Association of Landscape Professionals reports a 15 percent to 20 percent increase in property values. It is critical that we take care of our green spaces and protect them so that everyone in the community can benefit.
This month, my company, Countryside Landscaping LLC, will take part in a nationwide volunteer event, the Day of Service, which will be held on Earth Day, April 22. This Day of Service was created by the lawn care and landscape industry to draw attention to the importance of green spaces and so that its members could organize volunteer projects in their hometowns and also be part of an event with nationwide impact.
My company will spend the day enhancing the landscape at the Vernon PAL. We will remove the existing front walkway and replace it with pavers to enhance the look of the front entranceway. In previous years' Day of Service we added many planting areas so we will be tending to those areas by trimming shrubs and installing mulch. We are teaming up with Native Fields Landscaping and Adam Hayn Construction as we all have the same goal to give back and beautify our community at a great place like the PAL.
Currently, there are more than 30 million acres of lawn in the United States. These healthy lawns and landscapes provide a cooling effect in summer months; in winter months, well-placed trees and shrubs protect buildings from heat loss. Plants, trees, and grasses also convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, reduce our carbon footprint, absorb rainfall, and stop runoff.
It is incumbent on everyone in the community to find ways to enhance the green spaces around us and to consider their own personal responsibility as stewards of the environment.
Jay Meerendonk
President, Countryside Landscaping LLC