Field Report: 10th Arlington fix-up most ambitious yet

ARLINGTON, VA — It started as an acorn of an idea. But like the 70-ft.-tall willow oaks that arborist Ron Haymaker and his teenage son were cabling in the late morning heat, the Arlington Renewal & Remembrance service project has grown into something grand and spreading.

On Monday, July 24, more than 250 landscapers, lawn care pros, grounds managers, irrigation specialists, arborists and product suppliers (shoulder to shoulder with more than a few of their spouses, sons and daughters) pitched in to spruce up Arlington National and Old Congressional Cemeteries. Volunteers came from 27 states. Many closed their businesses to help out.

This year’s effort marked a milestone. It was just 10 years ago that a small group of lawn care company owners, feeding off of the enthusiasm of Cleveland-area businessman Phil Fogarty, gathered on a steamy July day to fertilize and lime the grounds at the 600-acre Arlington National Cemetery.

This year’s project, sponsored by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), again included fertilizing and applying lime to more than 260 acres of turfgrass. But volunteers keep bringing more skills to the annual fix up. This year, for instance, a dozen specialists installed an irrigation system under the banner of the Irrigation Association, and at least half a dozen arborist companies worked in hi-boys to trim and repair some of huge and ancient trees in Arlington, which was designated as a military cemetery in 1864.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Guitierrez at the ceremony

Ron Haymaker, owner of Haymaker Enterprises Complete Tree Services, worked hand in hand with his son and his father.

Suppliers donated equipment, fertilizer, lime, trees and shrubs. PLANET President John Gibson said the Green Industry provided more than $204,000 in products and services to this year’s project and more than $1 million over the past 10 years.

The volunteers, who started the day at 8:30 a.m. after a simple but sincere ceremony, then split into 20 pre-determined work teams, military style. And, like the military, there were the usual unexpected equipment breakdowns and miscommunications.

But work continued even as the humidity (more so than the temperature) climbed uncomfortably. The most welcome sight to many of the workers (apart from the box lunches from Subway) were several volunteers wheeling around the grounds in John Deere Gators loaded with bottles of cold water.

Many volunteers have been returning for years, such as Dan Cheslock, owner of Mountaineer Lawn Care,  Morgantown, WV. Cheslock, who like many of the volunteers, brought his whole crew. This year, like last year, it was spiffed out in team colors. This was the eighth consecutive year for the West Virginia crew and they came in a new, beautifully detailed Dodge Sprint service vehicle.

For others it was a chance to share a day of service with family members, such as Ron Haymaker, owner of Haymaker Enterprises Complete Tree Services, who worked hand in hand with his son and his father.

Most of the volunteers finished their pre-assigned duties by early afternoon and headed back to downtown hotels for much-needed showers and to prepare for the next day’s visits to legislators and staffers on Capitol Hill.

Arlington by the numbers

• 27 — Burials the day of ’06 Renewal & Remembrance
• 6,400 — Number of burials each year
• 300,000 — Nuimber of people buried at Arlington National
• 240,000 — Number of service people and family members buried there
• June 15, 1864 — Arlington Mansion and 200 acres of ground surrounding it designated a military cemetery
• 612 acres — Present size of Arlington National
• 130 — The number of “national” cemeteries, the largest being Calverton National on Long Island