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: ...

LICT tests got under way with the Ornamental Maintenance Test on Kauai, April 27th and 29th. Kona is up next, testing in Ornamental Maintenance, Irrigation and Softscape Installation on June 15th and 17th. Registration is closed for the Kona test. Classes on Oahu start this Thursday, June 7th and the Oahu test will be held on August 10th and 12th. Information about classes and tests for the 2017 season can be found on the Certifications/Training Page, and test information Registration Forms can be found by clicking here! ...

For Registration Forms for Kona, Maui or Oahu, go to www.hawaiiscape.com Certifications Page If you want to add Softscapoe Installation to your list of certifications, this year is your chance to make that happen. Questions? Call Garrett Webb, LICT State Administrator at 808 960-3650 Kona Ornamental Maintenance and Softscape Installation Written Tests: June 18th / Field Test: June 20th Maui Ornamental Maintenance TBA Oahu Ornamental and Turf Maintenance and Irrigation Written Test: August 13th / Field Test: August: 15th ...