Hoffman Nursery Recognized for Environmental Stewardship

Hoffman Nursery received the 2016 Blue-Green Innovator of the Year Award from the North Carolina Green Industry Council (NCGIC).

It was presented at the 6th Annual Green Industry Water Symposium in Raleigh, North Carolina in June.

The award recognizes outstanding leadership and innovation in environmental stewardship in regard to water conservation, water use efficiency, and the development and implementation of green infrastructure (GI) by an individual, organization, or government entity.

In keeping with this year’s conference theme of green infrastructure, NCGIC Board Member Doug Chapman noted that Hoffman Nursery has positioned itself as a supplier to GI markets nationwide. The nursery team works with other wholesale growers to help them see the potential of grasses, sedges, and other plant species in meeting the needs of local and regional governments for GI projects, the nursery said in a press release. In addition, Hoffman Nursery is working to develop more demonstration areas on site. They want to show customers and visitors how the plants work and provide feedback for selecting new species and cultivars for GI.

The award also addresses water conservation and efficiency. Hoffman Nursery handles water on site with a series of bioswales and wetland areas to increase infiltration and clean the water. The system can treat the first inch of stormwater, and runoff is stored in ponds to be reused for irrigation. Buffer zones around ponds and waterways within the nursery also help ensure runoff is treated.

Jill and John Hoffman accepted the award and thanked both the employees of Hoffman Nursery and the North Carolina Green Industry Council for their hard work and dedication to improving the environment.

“We’re happy to be increasing awareness of plants for green infrastructure, and we love seeing the market expand. The most fun, though, is implementing GI projects at the nursery. Seeing the plants in action and knowing they’re creating a better environment is pretty exciting,” John Hoffman said.