Edmonds Landscape and Construction Services Ltd. :: Total System Organic Management

Changing Perspectives

Changing from conventional to organic management required changes in our landscape practices, and in the way we perceive and think about the landscape.

This page outlines the differences between organic and conventional approaches, and what's involved in "Total System Organic Management" (TSOM).

A minimally disturbed area in this landscape provides a refuge for birds and insects, and absorbs runoff from hard surfaces.

The Organic Approach

Organic agriculture and horticulture can be described as:

"...an approach to management that achieves high productivity or esthetic quality and control of pests by enhancing natural processes."

The underlying assumption of the organic approach is that by mimicking natural processes as closely as possible, we can achieve our goals with minimal needs for inputs such as fertilizers and pest control agents, and at the same time maintain "ecosystem services". Those are functions such as purification of groundwater and maintenance of a high level of biodiversity that natural systems provide free of charge.

The Conventional Approach

Under the "conventional" or "industrial" approach that has developed over the last 50 years, we achieve our goals by suppressing, bypassing or using substitutes for natural processes as necessary in order to achieve a quick response and a high level of control. For example, manufactured urea is used in place of legumes to put nitrogen into a system; pests are dealt with by killing them with pesticides, rather than by maintaining habitat for natural enemies of the pests.

The main benefit of the conventional approach is that it has a highly predictable short term response and is relatively simple to implement. However, by ignoring the complexity of other factors that operate in the real world, it results inadvertently but inevitably in disruptions over the long term or in other systems. In turn more inputs are required just to maintain the status quo. So, for example, we get caught in a "pesticide treadmill" and fertilizers cause deterioration of lakes and contaminate groundwater.

Applying the Organic Approach: TSOM

The general principles of the organic approach were elaborated during the first half of the 20th century. A formal science of organic agriculture has been slower to develop, but an organized body of knowledge, and a system for certifying farms as organic, was available by the 1990s.

When Edmonds embarked on the organic route in 1989, there was a lot of detailed information that applied to agriculture, but there was very little to go on that applied specifically to landscaping - and especially to lawncare. As well as educating ourselves in the organic approach, we soon found that we had to conduct our own research to answer many of the questions that came up.

In 1991-92, with the collaboration of Dr. David Patriquin at Dalhousie University, we developed and began to implement a program of "Total System Organic Management" (TSOM).

There are five "umbrella concepts " to TSOM. These are general practices or strategies that ,if followed, ensure that "a lot goes right" with the system, even if we do not understand all of the underlying processes. They are:

Diversify species and habitats within the landscape (for pest control, nutrient input and retention, moderating climatic extremes)
Use well adapted species and varieties, including native species as much as possible (to minimize needs for inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers).
Feed the soil (to create good structure and high biological activity which provide for plant health, pest control, water retention).
Practice Total System Recycling (TSR) (to minimize needs for inputs, & process wastes naturally).
Monitor water and soil (health of the ecosystem and changes over time are reflected in soil and water).

The umbrella concepts form a framework around which we organize our factual information, education, practices, and research on organic landscaping.

Involving the employees

Biweekly meetings, attended by all foremen, are held at which we discuss the application of TSOM, share observations, brainstorm on particular problems, develop long term strategies and identify areas needing training and research.

Employees are encouraged to develop their observational skills, experiment with new solutions to problems and share their knowledge. Many of our employees hold a BSc in agriculture or horticulture.

Involving Researchers

From the beginning, our development of the organic approach in landscaping has relied on a high level of in-house and collaborative research. Currently, Brice Walsh, MSc, organizes much of the in-house research; he has worked with us since 1994. Since 1990, Professor David Patriquin at Dalhousie University has been an important collaborator. See Research and Environmental Initiatives for more information about our research activities.

Involving the Clients

Under the organic approach, management, options vary according to the specific characteristics of individual sites, thus involvement of the clients is very important in the application of TSOM. Clients receive newsletters with information about the organic approach and new initiatives. We listen to our clients' concerns and wishes, discuss the principles of the organic approach and consider with them options for their particular properties.

Edmonds' success in developing the organic approach has been recognized through provincial and national awards and certification

TSOM Services

Landscape Assessments: an assessment of the current state of your property with recommendations of changes appropriate for pesticide-free, organic management. Please contact us.
Consultation packages for businesses, institutions, municipalities wishing to change to pesticide-free practices. Please contact us.

This page loaded in 0.33844 seconds.

390020 hits since August 27, 2003