BORDENTOWN, N.J. — The New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association honored Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman with the “Green Industry Advocate of the Year” award last week at the NJNLA Annual Awards Dinner, held at The Boathouse at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. The Senator has been a long-time advocate of the green industry, as demonstrated by his commitment to issues affecting the nursery and landscape industry:
- Water conservation & water quality
- Invasive plants/native vegetation
- Snowplow & de-icing limited liability legislation
- Horticultural Therapy Week
- NJ Agriculture Day
- NJ Public Gardens and Arboretum Day
- and more
Sen. Bateman is a ranking member of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and sponsored the 2014 constitutional amendment to establish a long-term funding source for open space, farmland and historic preservation. He has solidified that commitment by championing efforts to secure funding for green and blue acres in subsequent years as well.
His commitment and dedication to our industry was acknowledged and celebrated at the NJNLA Annual Awards Dinner.
Other awards were part of this annual celebration and included Nurseryman of the Year, Keith MacIndoe (Johnson Farms), Distinguished Service Award, John Patten (PBI Gordon), Hall of Fame Inductee Roger Ruske (Cumberland Farms), Retailer of the Year (Sickles Market) and Young Professional of the Year, Bob Blew (Centerdon Nursery). Each recipient received an award plaque during the ceremony.
The annual Landscape Awards were announced, proceeded by a video presentation of the fine work of these highly-regarded landscape firms. To establish the recipients of the awards, a jury of five professionals from various segments of the design industry are assembled to judge the award entries. Judges rate the projects in several categories including overall design or maintenance, use of/maintenance of plant material, use of hardscape/built structure, quality of plan/presentation, quality of workmanship and the use of design principles and elements.
This year, the Grand Award winner was Scenic Landscape for a project in Ridgewood, N.J. Certificates of Excellence and Certificates of Merit were awarded to the following companies: Beechwood Landscape Architecture and Construction LLC, Bergen Landscaping, CLC Landscape Design, Thomas Lee Fisher Landscaping, Horizon Landscape Company, Central Jersey Landscaping, Inc., Landscape Marshal, Scenic Landscaping, Siciliano Landscape Company, Young’s Landscape Design Team and Artisan Landscapes and Pools, Inc.
— New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association
