The world has become a scary and challenging place lately. Deemed “Essential” by the Dept. of Homeland Security, as well as most City and State governments, landscape and tree services are still running full-speed in most communities. With that, the support services for us also have to keep our supply chains stocked and readily available. But how are Hawaii businesses adjusting to keep their employees and clients as safe as possible? Here are some examples to look at. PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPES Landscape Maintenance Service   During the course of normal maintenance work, the staff is usually far from public. When loading, unloading, or traveling to jobsites, the crews do have to come in closer contact. Daily morning huddle requires face masks and no contact with each other Washable fabric masks are mandatory at those times.  New disinfecting procedures for vehicles, tools, fuel lockers and any high-touch surface are done daily or more. Simplot Hawaii Landscape and Agricultural Supplies  Demand is as busy as ever. Stay-at Home orders have encouraged homeowners to... ...

By Brandon Au The digital age has finally caught up to the Landscape Industry Certified Technician (LICT) program. December 31, 2019 was the last day to become certified using hand written Scantron forms and be tested during an all-day practical exam. After two written retakes and a practical exam, we have our final class of LICTs for Oahu. Although others may not have achieved their certification, they should continue to reach their goals of becoming certified online. On Saturday, December 7, 2019, the practical retake exam was spearheaded by Russell Galanti, Cooperative Extension Service Agent of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa, at the Waimanalo Research Station. We again thank the volunteers for their support as without them, the practical exam would have been very difficult to accomplish. We would like to recognize everyone who volunteered for the exam and the business they represent: Carlton Luka, LICT Darryl Dudoit, LICT, Lanakila Workforce Resources Kevin Mulkern, Mulkern Landscaping and Nursery Madeleine Shaw, Hawaii Landscape and Irrigation Contractors Association Michael Hao, Lanakila... ...

2019 LICH Green Industry Pre-Conference Tour 9 AM Sunday, October 13, 2019 Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden 45-680 Luluku Rd, Kaneohe, HI 96744      Van Pick Up at 8:15 AM at the Honolulu Airport and the Ala Moana Hotel if needed. Registration is $40 and lunch is included. Have baggage? A secure lock up will be available at the Visitor Center on arrival at the gardens. Tour Guide: Joshlyn Sand, Director Honolulu Botanical Gardens We will stroll and drive through the lush 400 acres of Ho’omaluhia and enjoy plantings from major tropical regions around the world grouped by geographic origin. Bring sun screen, good walking shoes, mosquito repellant and rain gear. The tree collection is awesome filled with trees many species of which might be considered for the 100,000 trees proposed by the Mayor Caldwell for planting on Oahu by 2025. A list of palms in the garden that would be viable for commercial use will be available. Come and explore Ho’omaluhia, “the place of refuge.”       ...

Our 2019 Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture (WCISA) Annual Conference is fast approaching. It will be held at the Sheraton Waikiki, April 29 – May 2, 2019. We have an exciting program, with world class speakers, including Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch, professor of Urban Forestry at the University of British Columbia and an ISA Board member, as our keynote speaker, talking about A Sinking Ship or Cruising Towards Bright Horizons: The Bigger Picture of Pests and Diseases in Urban Forestry. We also have speakers who are pest and disease experts from each of our Chapter States, including John Richardson and Ursula Schuch from Arizona, Igor Lacan and John Kabashima from California, Darcy Oishi and Zhiqiang Cheng from Hawaii, and Molly Sinnott and Dennis Swartzell from Nevada. Our Utility Foresters will have the opportunity to learn about controlling invasive vegetation in utility corridors with Vince Mikulanis, Don Akau and Michael Daleo, Utility TRA Best Management Practices with Kevin Eckert, updated ANSI A300 standards for Integrated Vegetation Management with Geoff... ...

Over 175 landscapers attended this year’s 2018 LICH Green Industry Conference and Tradeshow. The day started with an inspired look to our future as the Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Nicholas Comerford, explored the potential collaboration between the College and the landscape industry. Speakers Frank Sekiya and Dr. Joseph DeFrank broke new ground by providing talks with a strong hands-on component. Video feed (by Chris Dacus) allowed those attending their talks to see up close and personal the grafting techniques being taught in both these classes. J.B. Friday and Dr. Zhiqiang Cheng brought us up to date in Rapid O’hi’a Death and Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle. We also were able to vertually travel to Wake Atol with Heidi Bornhorst; investigate control of incipient invasive plants on Oahu with Erin Bishop; and ponder the conversion of prolific seed producing ornamental trees to seedless varieties with Ken Leonhardt. It was a day of fellowship and learning that challenged us to look differently at the work we perform for... ...

NALP PUTS AN END TO THE HANDS-ON LICT CERTIFICATION TEST This year the only Field Test will be held in Kona on September 8, 2018 NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) has announced that as of April 30, 2019, no organization may offer its hands-on Landscape Industry Certified Exterior exam. The hands-on LICT test will be ‘absorbed’ into a brand new written-only test that will be taken on a computer. The new test will be developed by Buck Chaffee, a testing expert/psychometrician. Any test candidate that has not completed his or her certification by April 30, 2019, will need to complete the new written-only test to become certified through NALP. As of May, 2018, I have not heard from or about any other State or Canadian Province that is in favor of this new test. The Certification Committee in Hawaii is strongly in favor of maintaining a meaningful landscape certification program and test that includes a hands-on component. NALP has informed us that “The hands -on portion of the exam... ...

LICH applauds the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of the eight new LICTs on Kauai. As you may know if you have ever taken “the test”—getting certified as a landscape technician is not simply attending classes and getting a certificate; it requires a landscaper to complete with a passing grade a combination of difficult written tests and hands-on field problems. Congratulations to: Clifton Cardenas, Kauai Nursery & Landscape, Inc. Dawson Okinaka, Kauai Nursery & Landscape, Inc. Devin McConnell, Kauai Nursery & Landscape, Inc. Nathan Keanini, Ka’aina Landscaping & Home Improvement Roscoe Fennell, Kauai Nursery & Landscaping, Inc. Ryan Sanchez, Kauai Nursery & Landscape Inc. Saundri Harris, Kauai Nursery & Landscaping, Inc. Theresa Hassinger, National Tropical Botanical Gardens LICH and the Kauai Landscape Industry Council (KLIC) want to thank these Sponsors for the LICT test on Kauai: ...