Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

09/03/2026

Reminder!!
Grant Opens Soon! WSDA begins accepting applications for our Climate Smart Farm Equipment Grant on September 4th. More details below.

Grant Opens Soon!

We'll begin accepting applications for our Climate Smart Farm Equipment Grant on September 4th.

💚With this grant, eligible Washington producers may receive reimbursement to help purchase equipment that improves soil health, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthens resilience of Washington agriculture.

‼️Funding for this grant is first come, first served, so we recommend applicants start preparing now.

👉Visit the grant webpage to learn about the grant and get tips on how to prepare your application: www.agr.wa.gov/ClimateGrant

09/02/2026

Your clients notice the difference. So do employers.

ecoPRO Certification demonstrates your commitment to professional excellence and sustainable landscape management.

You'll build expertise in more than 200 science-based best practices covering:
✔ Soil health
✔ Water conservation
✔ Plant health
✔ Wildlife habitat
✔ Energy conservation
✔ Human health & well-being
…and more.

Invest in yourself—and the landscapes you'll help shape.

📅 November 2–5
💲 $200

Register here: https://www.wsnla.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2032672&group=

08/27/2026

As the school year begins across Washington, there is one “first-year” that should be sent straight to the principal’s office—the Emerald ash borer.

This invasive insect has bounced around districts all across the nation, killing millions of ash trees and solidifying its troublemaker reputation.

It likes to hide in firewood to avoid detection and get a fresh start at a new location when people move the infested firewood from one place to another.

Unfortunately, the first Emerald ash borer sighting in Washington was recently confirmed.

YOU can help stop this pest from becoming a forest bully by buying or gathering wood in the same place you will burn it and checking your outdoor gear for any invasive hitchhikers.

Learn more about the emerald ash borer and report any sightings to help stop the spread: https://invasivespecies.wa.gov/priorityspecies/emerald-ash-borer/

Credit: David Cappaert

08/27/2026

Certified Professional Horticulture Plant ID Exam: 29 Tested. 24 Passed!

What a day for the CPH program! Last Wednesday, **29 horticulture professionals and students took the CPH Plant ID Exam—the largest Plant ID testing group since 2022. And they brought their A-game: 24 of the 29 test takers successfully passed! 🎉

The day was about more than identifying plants—it was about maintaining the high standards of knowledge and professionalism that make the CPH designation meaningful. We’re especially proud to see students from Lake Washington Institute of Technology and Edmonds Community College participate, along with four employees from Squak Mountain Nursery, who all passed as a group!

08/27/2026

Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH) Plant ID Exam: 29 Tested. 24 Passed!

What a day for the CPH program! Last Wednesday, **29 horticulture professionals and students took the CPH Plant ID Exam—the largest Plant ID testing group since 2022. And they brought their A-game: 24 of the 29 test takers successfully passed! 🎉

The day was about more than identifying plants—it was about maintaining the high standards of knowledge and professionalism that make the CPH designation meaningful. We’re especially proud to see students from Lake Washington Institute of Technology and Edmonds Community College participate, along with four employees from Squak Mountain Nursery, who all passed as a group!

A tremendous THANK YOU goes to the many people who gave their time, expertise, energy, and even their offices to make the exam possible. It truly takes a team to set up, administer, monitor, and grade an exam of this size:

👏 Andrew Barker, CPH — for his long-standing leadership, thoughtful support, and commitment to maintaining the caliber of the CPH program and exam.

👏 Chris Smith, CPH — for championing the CPH program and helping connect students and professionals with this opportunity.

👏 Stacey Thorne, CPH and Alice Harriott, CPH — for jumping in and helping every step of the way with enthusiasm and fresh eyes.

👏 Stacy Smith, CPH, EPC, Anju Neilju, CPH and Tim Gray — for stepping in to help monitor the large testing group and tackle the grading. And thank you, Tim, for remembering to capture photos along the way!

👏 Gretchen Tayler, CPH, EPC and Annabelle Nielsen — for helping coordinate the many behind-the-scenes details and welcoming students and test takers into the space for final studying.

👏 Elsa and the JB staff — for generously supporting the exam logistics, including Elsa giving up her office for the day!

And, of course, congratulations to all 29 candidates who put in the time to prepare and take the exam. Plant knowledge matters. Professional standards matter. And the people who invest their time to build both matter, too. Thank you to everyone who continues to strengthen the CPH program and help grow the next generation of horticultural professionals across Washington.

08/19/2026

Sustainable landscapes don't happen by accident. They happen by design.

The best landscape professionals know that sustainability isn't a trend—it's the future of our industry.

Become an ecoPRO Certified Sustainable Landscape Professional and gain practical, science-based knowledge and best practices that help you create healthier landscapes, conserve natural resources, and deliver lasting value to your clients.

🌿 Virtual Training: November 2–5
📝 Optional Certification Exam: November 6
💲 Cost: $200

Raise the bar. Lead by example. Become ecoPRO Certified.

Register here: https://www.wsnla.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2032672&group=

08/05/2026

♻️ ecoPRO Certification | Fall 2026
📅 November 2–5, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM–Noon

The ecoPRO Certified Sustainable Landscape Professional credential positions you as a leader in sustainable landscape practices—backed by education, accountability, and industry respect.
Stand out in a competitive marketplace.

👉 Save your seat for ecoPRO today: https://www.wsnla.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2032672&group= See less

08/05/2026

08/05/2026

If you are, or you have customers in the treatment area, please be aware August 16 is the last day to sign up!

Japanese beetles are an invasive insect that attacks more than 300 plants.

07/29/2026

It was a wild + wonderful Learning Lab!

Last week's Landscape Learning Lab took 40 nursery, landscape and horticulture professionals behind the scenes at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium for an unforgettable look at the incredible role plants play in animal care, conservation and immersive habitats.

From discovering rare plant species and sustainable landscape practices to hearing how horticulture supports animal diets and habitats, every stop offered something new. And the grand finale? A behind-the-scenes look at an agave that's getting ready to bloom—a once-in-a-lifetime sight! 🌸

A huge thank you to the amazing horticulture team—Lo Holahan, CPH, Justin Pfeiffer, and Brooke Pertile—for sharing your expertise, stories and passion. And thank you to the entire Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium team for opening your gates and giving us such a unique learning experience for industry professionals!

📅 Don't miss what's next! Keep an eye on the WSNLA calendar for upcoming PROseries programs and Landscape Learning Labs. We can't wait to learn with you again!