Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Quiet Communities and the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) celebrated a significant milestone, with the first botanic garden in New York state, and the second in the nation, becoming AGZA Green Zone Certified. An AGZA Certified Green Zone is an area of land on which routine landscape maintenance is performed with low-impact, battery-powered equipment instead of traditional gas-powered tools, which produce harmful exhaust, toxic waste and noise pollution. The garden celebrated this significant milestone with a special ceremony on July 10 that brought together green industry professionals, local municipal leaders and elected officials.
The recognition marks the culmination of a multi-year effort by Brooklyn Botanic Garden to evaluate and reduce the environmental impact of its horticultural and maintenance operations. The garden has systematically transitioned away from gas-powered landscaping equipment in favor of quieter, emissions-free tools that support a more sustainable and serene environment across its 52 acres and the surrounding neighborhood.
“Sustainability is at the forefront of our mission at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and now more than ever we are committed to practices that help combat climate change and support our environment and community,” said Adrian Benepe, president of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “We are honored to be recognized for this work and certified as a Level 1 AGZA Green Zone by AGZA and Quiet Communities. We hope to be a resource to botanic gardens, parks and other organizations looking to move toward greener, cleaner, quieter operations.”
AGZA, in partnership with the nonprofit Quiet Communities, implements the certification program nationwide for parks, municipalities, institutions and businesses. The program includes education, training, certification and metrics reporting to ensure a lasting reduction in emissions and noise, with the goal of delivering financial savings as early as possible. Its four-level program starts with phasing out gas-powered handheld tools, followed by mowers and other large equipment used for routine maintenance, and culminates in adopting broader best practices for sustainable landscape care.
“This milestone demonstrates Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s leadership and vision in prioritizing both environmental and human health,” said Dan Mabe, founder and president of AGZA. “They’ve shown that even large, complex landscapes can make this shift — and we congratulate them on this well-earned achievement. We hope their example will inspire other institutions across New York and beyond to pursue cleaner, quieter and more sustainable maintenance practices.”
To achieve this certification, the Garden phased out gas-powered handheld tools and significantly reduced the use of gas-powered vehicles and equipment. This shift aligns with the garden’s broader sustainability initiatives — including stormwater management in the Shelby White and Leon Levy Water Garden and the green roof atop the Diane H. and Joseph S. Steinberg Visitor Center — serving as a model for how urban institutions can make incremental, tangible improvements to foster environmental health.
“Brooklyn Botanic Garden is setting the bar for sustainable landscape management in urban environments,” said Jamie Banks, Ph.D., founder and president of Quiet Communities. “By embracing quieter, cleaner equipment and committing to best practices, they’re protecting the health of their staff, visitors and neighbors while reducing their carbon footprint. We’re proud to work with AGZA to support these meaningful changes.”
Kubota contributes to Texas flood relief efforts
In response to the devastating floods that swept through Kerrville and surrounding areas of Central Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Kubota North America (KNA) is launching a contribution to assist in clean-up and restoration efforts with the donation of construction equipment, generators and $100,000 to help the affected communities recover from this disaster.
Working in partnership with local Kubota dealers Ewald Kubota and Texas Ag Equipment closest to the hardest-hit areas, with locations in Fredericksburg and Alpine, Texas, respectively, Kubota will direct the funding to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country’s Kerr County Flood Relief Fund to ensure immediate aid reaches those who need it most.
“We’re all heartbroken by what happened in Kerr County and the surrounding communities,” said Alex Woods, president of Kubota Tractor Corporation. “The scale of the devastation and the loss experienced by so many families is difficult to comprehend. Our thoughts are with everyone affected, especially those still waiting for news about loved ones. We hope that our assistance can offer meaningful support to first responders, recovery teams and local residents as they work through the difficult and ongoing process of debris removal, clean-up and recovery. Kubota stands with these communities as they face the challenging days ahead.”
Kubota North America remains committed to supporting the communities where its employees, customers and dealers live and work, especially during times of crisis. In addition to the company’s direct support, Kubota is launching a matching gifts campaign for employees wishing to contribute to the relief effort. Throughout July, Kubota will match employee donations to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund up to a total of $25,000 in additional funding.
For more information about how to help, please visit Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.
National Garden Bureau releases annual organization report
The National Garden Bureau (NGB) has just released their Annual Report that highlights the many programs and promotions the organization has accomplished over the past year.
The NGB-AAS Annual Report is designed to give insights on the organization’s trial activities, marketing and promotional efforts, accomplishments as well as the current financial standing.
A few highlights from this year’s report are:
- A successful merger.
- Taking over management and marketing of the CA Spring Trials.
- National Garden Bureau’s 2026 “Year of the” crops.
- An invitation to the 2025 International Plant Trialing Conference.
- Reports from each program committee.
- AAS trials.
- AAS display gardens.
- AAS combined judges.
- Marketing and communications.
- Membership and member benefits.
Any questions and comments can be directed to AAS executive director Diane Blazek
The report, in PDF format, can be found here.
Waterloo Turf to enter the Colorado and Idaho markets
Waterloo Turf, a turf and synthetic grass franchise, stated it has started 2025 on a high note following rigorous franchise growth and entries into several new states.
Having only launched its franchise opportunity in December 2024, the brand has garnered noticeable franchise interest with a current total of 32 territories under development. With an established presence in Austin, Scottsdale, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Nashville, the brand continues to target major metropolitan areas in the Sunbelt to expand its franchise footprint, according to the company.
This year, Waterloo Turf entered two new states for the first time, with new franchisees now serving Scottsdale, Ariz., and Nashville, Tenn. The brand will now be stepping into Idaho and Colorado for the first time, with locations set to open in Boise, Boulder and Fort Collins by the end of the summer.
Additionally, Waterloo Turf will be doubling down on building a presence within its home state of Texas, with new franchise agreements signed in Waco and College Station.
“We’ve experienced tremendous momentum so far this year as more communities are recognizing the need for, and benefits of, sustainable landscaping solutions such as artificial turf,” said Tim Lovett, co-owner and CEO of Waterloo Turf. “I look forward to teaming up with driven franchise partners who want to bring lush, green and water-conscious lawns to their local communities as we step into the remainder of 2025.”
Waterloo Turf is currently seeking franchisees with a “team captain” mindset, offering a 10-percent discount to owners who are ex-NCAA athletes and ex-military.
