January 17, 2025
Toward belonging: Building a diverse and healthy profession
By David Milne
Landscape Ontario DIB Committee Co-chair
Cultural historian Thomas Berry said, “The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection.” If we embraced this idea, we might solve some key issues facing the landscape profession today.
The landscape and horticultural trades have long struggled with finding and retaining staff. There are several reasons for this, but a significant one is that many in our society do not see themselves as being represented. They don’t see a place on our crews where they feel they belong.
This is a hurdle when trying to attract new talent into our trade. To continue to meet the needs of our clients and raise the perception of our profession, we need to create an environment that is inclusive, where individuals from all walks of life feel respected and treated as equals. Otherwise, we’re missing out on a gold mine of skills, perspectives and talents. Addressing this has never been more important for our industry to move forward and be seen as professional.
A few years ago, my sister attended the Landscape Ontario (LO) Congress trade show as she has a keen interest in gardening. Afterwards, she said, as a woman, she did not feel included. She felt like a foreigner in a male-dominated space. Similarly, Rohan Harrison, an LO provincial board member, has shared that, as a person of colour, there was a time when he did not see himself reflected in LO messaging. When I walk the floor at Congress now, I am pleased to see the makeup of attendees has become more diverse. Embracing this diversity is the only way for our trade to move forward, but we still have quite a distance to travel.
Monocultures have proven to be unhealthy and unsustainable. The most productive and sustainable ecosystems are those with the greatest diversity. Just look at a healthy coral reef system, a rainforest or the very landscapes we design, install and maintain. The number of different species existing together is incredible, and together they form a community that thrives. Recent research shows us that a healthy, productive soil is a profoundly diverse ecosystem with literally thousands of different organisms. This is the very foundation on which everything else we do flourishes. Small or large, both ecosystems and our businesses benefit when there is diversity.
The LO provincial board of directors and staff are committed to creating a profession that is inclusive, diverse and equitable. You might notice the images used in LO’s website, publications and social media now better reflect the diversity of our society in which we live and work. We’re working on eliminating exclusionary and colonial language in our messaging as we become aware of it. And a few years ago, we launched LO’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) Committee, which brings together both members and staff. Together, we are navigating a path toward becoming an organization that is, first and foremost (in my opinion), inclusive, while also promoting diversity and equity.
The DIB Committee will host a series of lunch and learn sessions over the upcoming year which will aim to educate, support and offer ways to help us all achieve these goals. We plan to kick off these sessions with a full-day hybrid event with guest speakers and panel discussions, so expect to hear more about this in the coming months. We know that this cannot be done without support from membership, so we hope you’ll be able to join us at these events. Let’s explore what it means to be equitable, diverse and inclusive together, and make space for those who want to be part of the quest for a greener tomorrow.
If you are interested in joining the DIB Committee, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
David Milne
dmilne@landscapeontario.com
Karina Sinclair
ksinclair@landscapeontario.com
Terry Childs
terry.childs@natureswaylandscaping.net
Landscape Ontario DIB Committee Co-chair
Cultural historian Thomas Berry said, “The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection.” If we embraced this idea, we might solve some key issues facing the landscape profession today.
The landscape and horticultural trades have long struggled with finding and retaining staff. There are several reasons for this, but a significant one is that many in our society do not see themselves as being represented. They don’t see a place on our crews where they feel they belong.
This is a hurdle when trying to attract new talent into our trade. To continue to meet the needs of our clients and raise the perception of our profession, we need to create an environment that is inclusive, where individuals from all walks of life feel respected and treated as equals. Otherwise, we’re missing out on a gold mine of skills, perspectives and talents. Addressing this has never been more important for our industry to move forward and be seen as professional.
A few years ago, my sister attended the Landscape Ontario (LO) Congress trade show as she has a keen interest in gardening. Afterwards, she said, as a woman, she did not feel included. She felt like a foreigner in a male-dominated space. Similarly, Rohan Harrison, an LO provincial board member, has shared that, as a person of colour, there was a time when he did not see himself reflected in LO messaging. When I walk the floor at Congress now, I am pleased to see the makeup of attendees has become more diverse. Embracing this diversity is the only way for our trade to move forward, but we still have quite a distance to travel.
Monocultures have proven to be unhealthy and unsustainable. The most productive and sustainable ecosystems are those with the greatest diversity. Just look at a healthy coral reef system, a rainforest or the very landscapes we design, install and maintain. The number of different species existing together is incredible, and together they form a community that thrives. Recent research shows us that a healthy, productive soil is a profoundly diverse ecosystem with literally thousands of different organisms. This is the very foundation on which everything else we do flourishes. Small or large, both ecosystems and our businesses benefit when there is diversity.
The LO provincial board of directors and staff are committed to creating a profession that is inclusive, diverse and equitable. You might notice the images used in LO’s website, publications and social media now better reflect the diversity of our society in which we live and work. We’re working on eliminating exclusionary and colonial language in our messaging as we become aware of it. And a few years ago, we launched LO’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) Committee, which brings together both members and staff. Together, we are navigating a path toward becoming an organization that is, first and foremost (in my opinion), inclusive, while also promoting diversity and equity.
The DIB Committee will host a series of lunch and learn sessions over the upcoming year which will aim to educate, support and offer ways to help us all achieve these goals. We plan to kick off these sessions with a full-day hybrid event with guest speakers and panel discussions, so expect to hear more about this in the coming months. We know that this cannot be done without support from membership, so we hope you’ll be able to join us at these events. Let’s explore what it means to be equitable, diverse and inclusive together, and make space for those who want to be part of the quest for a greener tomorrow.
If you are interested in joining the DIB Committee, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
David Milne
dmilne@landscapeontario.com
Karina Sinclair
ksinclair@landscapeontario.com
Terry Childs
terry.childs@natureswaylandscaping.net