Moving Forward

by Tom Sweeney, CWM, 2024 President

How do members of the California Landscape Contractors Association want to move forward as an association? Where do we want to be in 10 years?

These were questions posed during Green Sky Visioning sessions at the association’s 2024 Leadership Conference. The feedback from both sessions was both engaging and encouraging and has spurred thoughtful conversations at state and chapter levels.

Here are a few highlights of the sessions:

• CLCA needs more presence on social media to engage with the public. The public needs to see CLCA members’ great works.
• The association needs more educational events that engage with the public.
• CLCA should promote sustainability and acknowledge how climate change impacts our industry. How do we create public recognition that CLCA members are stewards of the planet?
• The association should encourage gender diversity.
• There is a need to promote landscaping as a sustainable career.
• How does CLCA attract more Spanish-speaking members?

CLCA Moving Forward

State and chapter leaders are hard at work developing programs to implement these highlights.

Some programs are already underway or completed. Examples include the recent water symposiums in Santa Cruz, presented by K&D Landscape and the Central Coast Chapter, and in the Bay Area, presented by Allied Landscape and the East Bay Chapter. Both events were well attended and offered a variety of speakers and topics for professionals and the public.

CLCA has also become more active on social media. Check us out on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Engagement with — and feedback from — all members are critical to the success of these programs and the association.

I invite your participation. Talk to the leaders of your chapter or members of the state Board of Directors. Better yet, support the future of your professional association and volunteer with CLCA. Serving on a board or committee at the chapter or state level is a great opportunity to develop your leadership ability. You’ll gain contacts and different skill sets in decision making, governance, group process, financial management and more. See clca.org/volunteer.