Blog Elements - Turf Matters

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration

November 11, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration: Agrovista Amenity has played a pivotal role in one of the UK’s most sustainable highway planting projects, by supplying biodegradable alternatives for a large-scale landscaping effort led by Leicester City Council. The project, commissioned by Leicestershire County Council Highways, involved planting over 8,000 trees along a newly widened road, […]

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

November 8, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance: Roehampton Club, a prestigious multi-sports and social club in southwest London, has embraced sustainable practices with the introduction of two Dennis ES-860 battery-powered mowers. Head Groundsman Simon Bailey and the grounds team have welcomed these new additions, which have helped improve the club’s maintenance of its tennis grass courts and […]

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration

November 11, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

November 8, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration

November 11, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration: Agrovista Amenity has played a pivotal role in one of the UK’s most sustainable highway planting projects, by supplying biodegradable alternatives for a large-scale landscaping effort led by Leicester City Council. The project, commissioned by Leicestershire County Council Highways, involved planting over 8,000 trees along a newly widened road, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and plastic-free solutions.

The project, led by Tony Mason, Trees and Woodlands Officer at Leicester City Council, ran from January to March this year. It focused on restoring and stabilising the roadside with native plants while reducing the environmental impact of such large-scale work.

Sustainable Solutions with Agrovista Amenity’s Expertise

Agrovista Amenity provided a comprehensive package of sustainable products, including Tree Hugger guards, jute mulch mats, bamboo pegs, and locally sourced whips. These materials were carefully chosen to align with the project’s environmental goals, particularly the commitment to avoiding plastic.

Ed Smith, Landscape and IVM Manager at Agrovista Amenity, explained the motivation behind using biodegradable alternatives: “When Tony approached me about the project and we discussed using biodegradable options, it just made sense. It’s counterproductive to make a positive environmental impact by planting trees and shrubs, only to spoil it with plastic shelters that eventually become unsightly and a disposal burden. Tree Hugger guards, for instance, offer a long-term, cost-effective solution without the need for removal, and they blend seamlessly into the natural landscape.”

The Tree Hugger guards, made from organic cotton substrate coated in FSC-certified pine rosin, are fully biodegradable and designed to last a minimum of five years. Manufactured in Accrington by BMP Tree Hugger, a company with over a century of experience in cotton processing, these guards not only protect young trees from browsing animals but also promote healthy growth. “The cotton material is breathable, reducing the ‘greenhouse effect’ associated with plastic, which can stress the plant,” Ed added.

In addition to the guards, biodegradable jute mulch mats were used for weed suppression, anchored with bamboo pegs. This approach eliminated the need for chemical weed control, further reducing the environmental impact. “We talk about environmental sustainability, and this project is a perfect example of what that looks like in practice. By preventing future problems, such as the costly removal of plastic guards, we’re ensuring that this is likely the most sustainable highway planting job conducted in the UK,” Ed said.

A Significant Environmental Impact

The decision to go plastic-free has had a considerable positive effect on the environment. By opting for biodegradable materials, the project has prevented approximately 700kg of plastic from being introduced into the environment—the equivalent of around 35,000 plastic bottles (330ml). This achievement underlines the importance of sustainable practices in large-scale landscaping projects.

Challenges and Successes

Tony Mason, reflecting on the project, said, “The roadwork alterations were completed two years ago, but the landscape scheme wasn’t finished. When we took on the project, we needed a reliable supplier who could provide everything we required, and Agrovista Amenity was able to meet all our needs. Their products arrived on time and in excellent condition, allowing us to start the planting work in mid-January. Given the scale of the project, working on 60-70 mph roads was a new challenge for our team, but with the right training, we completed the work by early March, and the client was really pleased with the results.”

Despite the scale and complexity of the project, the Leicester City Council team managed to keep the environmental impact low by minimising travel and conducting all planting work manually using wheelbarrows.

This project sets a benchmark for sustainable practices in highway landscaping, demonstrating that with the right approach and materials, significant environmental benefits can be achieved without compromising on quality or effectiveness.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

November 8, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance: Roehampton Club, a prestigious multi-sports and social club in southwest London, has embraced sustainable practices with the introduction of two Dennis ES-860 battery-powered mowers.

Head Groundsman Simon Bailey and the grounds team have welcomed these new additions, which have helped improve the club’s maintenance of its tennis grass courts and croquet lawns.

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

Roehampton Club, with its vast range of facilities including an 18-hole parkland golf course, 28 tennis courts, croquet lawns, and other sports amenities, requires high standards of upkeep. The introduction of the ES-860 mowers has made a significant difference in the grounds team’s operations.

“We’ve been using Dennis mowers for over 15 years, and when it was time to upgrade, the move to electric felt like a natural step,” says Simon. “The Dennis ES-860 battery mowers are perfect for us. Being in London and surrounded by houses, we need to be mindful of any noise. These battery-powered mowers allow us to start working at 6am without disturbing our neighbours – that’s a big win for us.”

The ES-860 is a 34-inch battery-powered turf management system, designed to handle a variety of tasks using its 13 interchangeable cassettes, including cutting, scarifying, brushing, and verticutting. For Simon and the team, the flexibility of this system is one of its most valuable features.

“We use the ES-860 on our tennis courts and croquet lawns. On the tennis courts, we use them mainly for mowing, while on the croquet lawns, we use the verticutting and scarifying cassettes. The wide cutting width makes the job much quicker, and because we have two of them, we can cover a lot of ground fast,” Simon explains.

Environmental consciousness is a key focus at Roehampton Club. “We’ve got solar panels on all our roofs, and we’re committed to making our operations more sustainable, so switching to battery-powered mowers was the logical choice,” Simon says. “These mowers reduce our fuel costs, and with no hydraulics, there’s a reduced risk of spills and mechanical issues.”

Simon also highlights the impressive battery life. “We maintain 0.7 hectares of lawn tennis, and even after completing all the work, we’ve used less than 50% of the battery. What’s more, the battery performance remains consistent, whether we’re mowing, scarifying, or verticutting. It’s very reassuring.”

The adaptability of the Dennis ES-860 is a major advantage for Simon, allowing the team to change cassettes quickly and efficiently to suit the task at hand. “The best feature is the ability to swap the cassettes out in minutes. One minute, we’re verticutting, and the next, we’re mowing. This flexibility allows us to get more done in a day.”

Simon also praises the mowers for their quality of cut and ease of use. “The quality of cut is exceptional. We can control the speed and cassette speed easily, allowing for precise work without leaving marks when turning. The performance is always consistent, and we’re very happy with how they’ve enhanced our work.”

With the addition of the Dennis ES-860s, the grounds team at Roehampton Club have not only improved their day-to-day operations but have also taken a significant step toward greater sustainability. “If you’re looking to reduce costs, noise, and emissions, while maintaining a high-quality playing surface, the Dennis ES-860 is the perfect solution,” Simon concludes.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Agrovista Amenity Supports Eco-Friendly Roadside Restoration

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance: Roehampton Club, a prestigious multi-sports and social club in southwest London, has embraced sustainable practices with the introduction of two Dennis ES-860 battery-powered mowers.

RESOURCES

CONTACT

CONNECT