Recommendations for Communicating Sustainable Landscaping Initiatives

Sustainable landscaping practices are increasingly being implemented on publicly viewed landscapes.  However, visible attributes of sustainable landscaping practices may conflict with preferences and expectations of stakeholders, and environmental benefits may not be inherently recognizable.  Making benefits explicit through communication can help garner acceptance of and support for sustainable landscaping initiatives, and this research proposed strategies to do so in the Mid-Atlantic region.  Methodologies included a targeted survey of green industry professionals, selective interviews, and a corporate campus case study.  Two expert interviews were also conducted, one in sustainable landscaping and interpretation, and one in green industry marketing. The findings illuminated a range of considerations when planning communication initiatives, including management, market, and mechanics factors; desired messages; and potential communication strategies.  For each organization, the considerations combine to create communication opportunities reflective of desired outcomes, operational capacity, and target audiences.  When resources are limited, both internal and external collaborations can enhance capacity for communications.  Translating the implicit desire for communications into an explicit plan of action is needed to prioritize communication efforts, and to recognize their role as an essential component of sustainable landscaping itself. A set of recommendations for green industry professionals will be presented.  Potential opportunities for public horticulture institutions are also highlighted.