TreeTown USA made a donation to the University of California, Davis’ California Center for Urban Horticulture (CCUH) to help develop water-conserving landscapes under its SmartLandscape initiative. It is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to support the horticulture industry in providing resource conservation and sustainable urban landscapes.
The SmartLandscape is designed to:
- Demonstrate how water conservation and efficient landscapes work with the latest irrigation technology,
- Connect industry professionals with academic researchers and students,
- Conduct science-based research,
- Leverage cutting-edge technology (robotics, UAVs, imaging, etc.), and
- Provide policymakers with landscape water conservation and water efficiency information.
According to David Fujino, Ph.D., executive director, UC Davis CCUH, there is great potential for reducing water waste while creating beautiful landscapes. As a hub for research, teaching and outreach, SmartLandscape will help bridge the knowledge gap and make this vision a reality.
“Students will be at the forefront of SmartLandscape,” Fujino added. “Working alongside horticultural experts and faculty, students will gain valuable hands-on experience that will prepare them to enter the horticulture industry as leaders in resource conservation and sustainable urban landscapes. We are pleased to have TreeTown USA as one of our SmartLandscape partners, educating students on climate-appropriate plants for low-water-use landscapes in California.”
Mark Marriott, senior vice president for TreeTown USA’s northwest operations added that the donation keeps with the company’s overarching mission to provide the best plants to landscape architects, designers and contractors.
“Whenever we have an opportunity to get involved in demonstrating water conservation and efficient landscapes within a public/private partnership, we want to participate,” he said. “Plus, we get to see how our plants perform in that environment through the prism of academic researchers and students who are an essential part of the horticulture ecosystem.”
