The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) partnered with Environmental Science, a division of Bayer CropScience, to launch a multiyear initiative with the goal of shaping the future of the lawn care industry. It’s called FutureScape.
The inaugural FutureScape meeting, held Jan. 13-15 at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla., brought together top lawn care industry professionals in a strategic forum to discuss emerging trends and issues that could affect the industry, study the implications of those trends and issues on their ability to run a healthy business and identify strategies to help ensure a prosperous future.
“Our industry and customers are changing,” said Peter Farno, Bayer lawn and landscape business manager. “And that’s exactly why we’ve partnered with PLANET to support this multiyear initiative to create the best possible future for our industry.”
In addition to interactive sessions, networking and team presentations, the three-day meeting was facilitated by Glen Hiemstra, founder and CEO of Futurist.com and a recognized expert in preferred future planning. Hiemstra guided the group through five lawn care industry trend categories, including energy/environment, science/technology, regulation/politics, social/demographic and economy/markets. Hiemstra also oversaw breakout discussions that generated many ideas and insights. Some key outputs the team identified were the need to educate homeowners on the benefits of the industry, proactively recruit talent from different generations, combat regulatory pressures through public/private partnerships with universities and embrace new technologies that could transform turf management.
“This initial FutureScape meeting gave me a new perspective on how I think about the future of our industry,” said Jennifer Lemcke, COO of Weed Man USA. “After this meeting, it is clear that the only way we as lawn care professionals can accomplish our goals in a changing marketplace is to proactively work together as an industry to address priority trends and needs.”
Of the trends and implications discussed, the group identified one top priority: the need to promote among customers and communities why lawn care is an important industry. To help achieve this goal, the group suggested sharing positive environmental and economic data, which also would help attract qualified talent.
“Without the voice of lawn care professionals and their participation, FutureScape—and a bright future for our industry—would not be possible,” said Sabeena Hickman, PLANET CEO. “Their ongoing partnership and leadership plays a vital role in our ability to meet customers’ needs and positively shape the future of our industry for years to come.”
