Outdoor festivities at the 2023 FNGLA Annual Convention included a cocktail reception amid the balmy breeze. | FNGLA PHOTO
President's Letter: April is here
April 3, 2024
It seems hard to believe but three-fourths of my year as FNGLA President is behind me. April is here, Easter has passed, March Madness is almost over and our weather has been pretty nice. Ideal conditions for the spring growth are flush, and just about everything has returned from dormancy.
For arborists and landscape maintenance businesses, April is normally the first month of our busy season and work loads are picking up. FNGLA has a lot going on, too, this month.
The annual FNGLA/SHARE Golf Tournament was held at Candler Hills Golf Club in Ocala. The event featured a $50,000 hole-in-one contest sponsored by Nextran. Proceeds from the event go toward promoting agricultural/horticultural research and education at the University of Florida.
Another FNGLA premiere event planned for April 10 - 11 is the Palm Quest Conference. Organized by FNGLA staff, this two-day event will take place at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, and the UF/IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center. Despite the weather, last year’s event was a success. This year promises to be no different. Attendees will receive up-to-date information on advances in palm production, installation, and management techniques. A host of CEUs will also be available.
Also coming up in April is the 2024 Urban Landscape Summit at the University of Florida in Gainesville, slated for April 23 - 24. The sessions, hosted by UF/IFAS Center for Land Use Efficiency Director Michael Dukes, Ph.D.. Dukes will focus on water and water-related issues as they pertain to Florida landscapes. This topic is going to be extremely important and critical to the green industry as our state's rapid growth and water demands continue to increase.
FNGLA membership renewals have gone out for the 2024-2025 year, and it is also time to register for FNGLA Annual Convention. This year's Convention will be held at the Naples Grande Beach Resort, a beautiful resort on the back bay off the Gulf of Mexico in Naples. The Convention, themed, “Making Waves and Moving Forward,” will include a slightly different format this year. The usual Saturday evening gala will now be replaced by an afternoon luncheon, set to immediately follow the Saturday morning's Annual Business Meeting. The hope is that attendees will have more free time to enjoy the amenities of the resort and surrounding area.
It is my hope and those of FNGLA's Royal Palm Chapter that you will join us in Naples to celebrate our association, and share in the festivities. I’m looking forward to raising a glass with you all as we celebrate another successful year!
Phil Buck
Crawford Landscaping (Yellowstone Landscape)
FNGLA 2023-24 President
