Required:

means that Certified Organic Land Care Professionals must employ these practices in the provision of Organic Land Care.

Preferred:

means that Certified Organic Land Care Professionals should prefer these practices over others available at this time for the provision of Organic Land Care.

Prohibited:

means that Certified Organic Land Care Professionals must not employ these practices under any circumstances in the provision of Organic Land Care.

Required:

• Employing practices in order of preference for their ability to:

• enhance and support natural processes within healthy ecosystems

• minimize damage to the environment or any part thereof

• Preparing and / or working to a landscape management plan

• Minimizing all forms of pollution in the establishment and care of landscapes

• Maintaining tools and machinery in optimal working condition

Prohibited:

• Using, introducing, propagating or producing genetically modified organisms in any form

Required:

• Providing the appropriate quantity and quality of water to maintain the health of the landscape

Preferred:

• Conserving water in the landscape through appropriate grades, structures, soil management, vegetation and water use

Prohibited:

• Creating grades and drainage patterns that result in water being discharged onto neighbouring property without prior consent

• Using water in a manner that results in the degradation of the soil

• Draining or filling wetland habitat

• Using, handling, storing or disposing of any substance or product in a manner that results in the contamination of water

Required:

• Optimizing the circulation of air throughout the environment

Preferred:

• Minimizing emissions into the air

• Minimizing noise

Prohibited:

• Using, handling, storing or disposing of any substance or product in a manner that result in the contamination of air

Required:

• Maintaining or increasing soil organic matter content

• Preventing soil erosion

• Preventing and / or relieving soil compaction in planted areas

• Applying nutrient specific fertilizers and pH altering products based on soil or tissue analysis.

Preferred:

• Recycling organic matter in place

• Composting and reusing organic matter on site

• Increasing diversity of soil life

Prohibited:

• Applying materials that inhibit the cycling of organic matter, air and water in planted areas

• Applying materials, or using practices that result in the degradation of soil fertility or soil structure in planted areas

• Applying materials, or using practices that result in the degradation of soil biodiversity in planted areas

• Using, handling, storing or disposing of any substance or product in a manner that results in the contamination of soil

• Disposing of organic matter in waste disposal facilities where composting alternatives exist

Required:

• Enhancing and protecting biodiversity

Preferred:

• Leaving native ecosystems intact

• Creating ecosystems that are sustainable with minimum human intervention

• Using native plants

• Using disease and pest resistant plant varieties

• Using plants whose characteristics and cultural requirements are appropriate for the site

• Modifying the site to create an appropriate environment for the desired plants

• Creating appropriate barriers or buffer zones to protect organically managed landscapes from contamination through neighbouring non-organic practices

• Creating or maintaining natural buffers along watercourses and wetland habitat

• Communicating with neighbouring land owners about landscape modifications that may cause environmental changes beyond the landscape boundary.

Prohibited:

• Introducing plants known to be invasive in the area or in similar environments

Required:

• Using the most appropriate materials in optimal quantities to create ideal habitat for the chosen plants and the organisms associated with them

• Avoiding or minimizing injury to plants, above and below ground

• Limiting soil compaction to areas required for structural support

• Disposing of waste materials in the most environmentally sound manner available.

Preferred:

• Using or modifying the existing soil

• Using the least invasive construction methods and tools to achieve the landscape design objectives

• Using the most environmentally benign building materials available

• Using renewable, biodegradable and recycled resources from local sources

• Using plants and seeds from certified organic sources

• Minimizing and recycling waste

• Sourcing plants and seeds that have been cultivated rather than removed from the wild, except where salvaged from an area where the vegetation will be destroyed for other reasons

Prohibited:

• Causing disturbance beyond the landscape boundary

Required:

• Working to a landscape management plan

• Maintaining or increasing ecosystem biodiversity

• Modifying the environment to increase the overall health of the ecosystem

• Avoiding or minimizing injury to plants, above and below ground

Preferred:

• Preventing the introduction or spread of undesired organisms

• Employing biological, physical and mechanical methods to control undesired organisms

• Removing or replacing plants that are poorly suited for the environmental conditions

• Composting diseased plant parts

Preferred:

• Establishing appropriate symbiotic microorganisms in the growing medium before sale or transplanting of plant material

• Using growing media that do not compromise the sustainability of the source

Prohibited:

• Reducing the humus content of the soil