Planting It Forward With “Scotty Scholars”

Blogger Shereen Hughes November 14th 2023     A year ago, in October 2022, we lost an amazing Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP), Scotty Guinn Dilworth. Scotty practiced what we preach at CCLC. She utilized the Eight Essential Elements of Conservation Landscaping long before becoming a certified CBLP. Scotty designed beautiful conservation landscapes and utilized…

Revitalizing Lodge Creek: A Community-Driven Buffer Project in Charlottesville, VA

Location: Lodge Creek Urban Buffer Partners Involved: Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District Type of Buffer: Urban Submitted by: Blair Blanchette   In Charlottesville, VA, a remarkable project has taken shape: a 1,500 square foot residential buffer aimed at revegetating 100 feet of Lodge Creek. This initiative not only addresses critical environmental concerns but…

From Agriculture to Stormwater: Soil and Water Conservation Districts Train on Green Infrastructure

July 1, 2024 By Blair Blanchette, Virginia Conservation Assistance Program Coordinator, Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts   “What we’re going to look for is the spread, right? And disappearance.” Dave Hirschman says as two technicians pour water over a paver-covered parking area.    Air bubbles up at the seams between pavers. The…

Smart Salting Enhanced Winter Maintenance Training: We Didn’t Know What We Didn’t Know

March 19th 2024 By Jason Swope     One of the most interesting aspects of landscape maintenance is that there is always something more to learn, and I think this is truer today than when I first started in the industry thirty years ago.  Conservation landscaping and green stormwater infrastructure wasn’t something that I was…