On May 13, 25 employees from Ruppert Landscape’s Maryland and Washington D.C. branches came together for a day of service to help restore the grounds of the Long Branch Community Recreation and Senior Center in Silver Spring, Md. The cleanup and installation were part of Ruppert’s ongoing effort to partner with community organizations providing support and services for vulnerable populations.

The day of service involved an investment of both time and materials, totaling approximately $30,000 and consisting of 160 labor hours. To bring this project to fruition, crews cleaned and prepped the site, mowed turf, removed dead and aging plant material, pruned existing trees and shrubs and reframed and prepared community garden areas. Crews also installed more than 125 perennials and shrubs along with bed edging and mulch.

The recreation center and surrounding community are home to about 20,000 residents, including new immigrants from more than 120 countries.

“When we look for community service projects, we are looking for a project where we can utilize our landscaping skills and company resources to better our community,” said Craig Ruppert, CEO. “This project came to us through one of our employees whose friend is the Division Chief for Montgomery County Recreation and brought the opportunity to us seeking our partnership. We also have many customers we provide service to in this area and 50 employees who live within the community that’s serviced by this center. Our decision to get involved made sense on so many levels as it helps us our community, our customers, and our employees.”

During the early onset of the COVID-19, Long Branch Community Recreation Center became a shelter for homeless community members to have safe lodging and basic services. Due to the safe distancing and COVID-19 protocols, there was a critical need to provide people with a warm and safe place with sufficient shower/bathroom facilities. The center ensured that those in need had access to medical services throughout the pandemic.

SiteOne announces new Reel Pro Sweepstakes

SiteOne Landscape Supply gives customers opportunities to win prizes during its Reel Pro 2022 Sweepstakes.

The Reel Pro Sweepstakes gives customers the opportunity to win one of three fishing experiences. Sport Fishing Championship has been added as a prize sponsor and will continue to partner with B.A.S.S for the 2022 season, including the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite Tournament. The contest runs through June 30 and offers customers a chance to win one of three exclusive fishing-related prize packages.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Sport Fishing Championship to Reel Pro and to welcome back B.A.S.S.,” said Greg Kirksey, vice president of marketing for SiteOne. “Reel Pro 2022 will be bigger and better than ever. We are always looking for ways to deliver greater value to our customers, so, alongside our supplier partners, we are excited to offer them the chance at this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Stihl expands Hearts of Stihl program

Stihl announced the expansion of the Hearts of Stihl program, an initiative to care for the environment through preserving state parks. Inspired by the staff of America’s state parks, the mission of Hearts of Stihl is to help those people and programs that are caring for the national treasures that are America’s state parks and preserve them for all Americans, current and future.

The 2022 Hearts of Stihl program will provide a $20,000 grant to a park in each of the nation’s six regions for a total of $120,000 in 2022: the Northwest, North Central, Central, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast. The America’s State Parks Foundation will manage the grants and parks can apply for funds to help projects related to sustainability, recovery, conservation or environmental education programs.

Caterpillar expands service replacement engine program

Caterpillar is expanding its service replacement engine program for owners of equipment powered by Cat engines, giving new alternatives to major engine overhauls. These options allow users to replace engines in a timely and cost-effective manner compared to a complete machine replacement, according to the company.

The program consists of four options: new replacement engines, Cat Reman engines, short block engine replacements and heavy-duty long blocks.

Cat offers a broad range of replacement engines for equipment using engines up to a Cat C7.1 or 320 hp. The range provides quality results for various heavy-duty applications, such as chippers, grinders, pumps and compressors.

The program helps equipment owners reach their sustainability goals by utilizing remanufactured components that may otherwise be sent to landfills.

Davey Tree announces plans for SEED Campus

The Davey Tree SEED (Science, Employee Education and Development) Campus, the more than 170-acre property that formerly housed the Oak Knolls golf course and Franklin Elementary School on State Route 43 in Kent, Ohio, will be the new home to specialized training and research facilities for The Davey Tree Expert Co.

Planned facilities include a 25,000-square-foot training center and associated offices, a 10,700-square-foot indoor climbing center, 18 spans of non-energized utility right-of-way, laboratories and greenhouses, a container nursery and multiple research plots and fields. The training center classrooms will be more than double the size of the current classrooms at the Davey Institute across the street at Davey Tree’s corporate headquarters.

The classrooms are used to teach many of Davey’s educational and training programs, including the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (D.I.T.S.) classes, which is Davey’s flagship training program in biological sciences, safety, tree and plant care and management techniques.

Davey anticipates the completion of the SEED Campus in 2026. Research and training have started on the property, including tree and shrub plantings on research plots and utility and safety training.

Rain Bird launches new docuseries

Rain Bird celebrates the way trees enrich lives with a new docuseries, Tree Stories. Now streaming on YouTube and hosted by Emmy Award-winning personality Elliott Bambrough, the short films showcase some of the most iconic trees in the United States.

“Rain Bird has a long history of environmental education, and this series really captures our passion for trees and tree health,” said Whitney Braun, product manager for Rain Bird’s landscape drip division. “While many people may think of lawn sprinklers when they hear the name Rain Bird, we also manufacture unique products designed to help young trees thrive and grow – perhaps inspiring their own tree stories someday.” 

Bambrough travels the country in search of trees with unique histories and science.

Episode One highlights the thousand-year-old giant alligator juniper in the Prescott National Forest in Prescott, Ariz., where 19 firefighters tragically lost their lives battling the Doce Fire in 2013. In Episode Two, Bambrough visits the Monterey cypress near La Jolla, Calif.