20
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
|
September/October 2024
PERSEVERANCE
Commercial Landscape Services (CLS) and the Davey
Institute trained fi ve veterans enrolled in the inaugural
Veterans Green Careers Training Program this spring for one
month at The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Instructors from the Davey Institute taught topics such as
safety and fi rst aid, basic tree and shrub ID, tree and shrub
planting, pollinators, turf management, and basic irrigation
via video call each morning.
Josh Wilson, project manager, Evergreens Cemetery
territory, CLS, followed up on the lessons by taking the
students out to the fi eld to expand on what was presented
VETERANS GAIN GREEN CAREER SKILLS
by practicing the techniques that were discussed.
At the end of the program, three of the students were able
to secure employment with the cemetery.
"The least we can do for our veteran community to help
them out in any way we can," Wilson said. "It's been a great
partnership with Davey, Evergreens, and the community."
Karen Rosson, associate consultant,
Utility Vegetation Management (UVM)
services, Davey Resource Group
(DRG), Ploua Her, project manager,
UVM, DRG, and Amy Nichols, area
manager, UVM, DRG, were engaged
by renewable energy company MN8
Energy LLC to install a green screen
around the perimeter of their solar
fi eld in Elk Grove, California.
Over a two-year period, the DRG team
worked with the county, property
owner, and subcontractor to develop a
plan to restore the required screen of
shrubs. The original screen had largely
died off.
DRG TEAM RESTORES SOLAR FIELD GREEN SCREEN
"The fi eld is in a rural farming area
with many rabbits, gophers and mice,"
Karen Rosson said. "We installed
wire baskets around the roots of the
plants to protect them from being
eaten by gophers."
The planting area was prepared by
mowing it, followed by planting 533
plants, shrubs, and trees including blue-
blossom and toyon shrubs and California
buckeye and interior live oak trees,
among others. An irrigation system was
installed for watering purposes. The
restoration work spanned six weeks.
"It's been about four months since we
fi nished planting, and I'm amazed at
how well the plants have done. They've
taken off and grown," Rosson said. "The
irrigation system is being used for now,
but we're hoping after the second year
the plants will be established enough
that they won't need further irrigation."
VISION
Josh Wilson is third from right with the Veterans Green Careers Training
Program graduates, along with Evergreens Cemetery and New York
Safety and Training staff, and members of the New York City Council,
and New York City Mayor's offi ce.
