There are only two days to go until the first ever Grow West Coast Conference. The event, which is organized by the British Columbia Landscape and Nursery Association (BCLNA), is open to horticulturalists that are interested in exchanging knowledge and ideas. We spoke to Hannah Nicolle, Communications and Marketing Coordinator at BCLNA, to learn more about this conference.
From trade show to conference
The name Grow West Coast may sound familiar to you. Until recently it was the name of the BCLNA's annual trade show, to be precise the Grow West Coast Horticultural Trade Show. As the industry has evolved over the years, the event has come to have different formats. This year, the BCLNA decided to have a conference rather than a trade show in their efforts to meet industry needs.
Hannah comments: "We rebranded the Grow West Coast into a conference as we recognized that the industry is changing. We found that trade show attendance is going down, and that the selling aspect is not as emphasized anymore while there is more attention paid to education. To focus on this educational component, we opted for a conference format."
Seminars for growers, retailers, and landscape professionals
The upcoming conference will consist of a series of seminars. Some of them are specifically designed for growers, retail garden centers, or landscape professionals while others have a more general audience. The seminar agenda ranges from topics such as crime prevention, greenhouse chemicals to attracting the next generation to garden centers. "The program focuses on the entire green industry, but the grower program is pretty robust," Hannah says.
She also highlights that the program is designed in cooperation with BCLNA members, saying: "Our program coordinator talked to our members, and what they wanted to learn about, so the program is pretty much based on industry feedback. There is a lot about labor, succession planning, and the environment.
So far, it seems that especially the 'Quality Water for Quality Plants' seminar by Ann Huber and Jeanine West, and the 'Temporary Foreign Workers' seminar by Veronica Moreno and Mayrena Patko are high in demand. Further, three of our courses, 'Keeping Access to Greenhouse Chemicals,' the 'Pesticide Panel', and 'Sprayer Calibration' are eligible for continuing education credits so you can keep your certifications up."
Click here to see the full seminar agenda
Networking opportunities
At the BCLNA they believe that apart from the education aspect, the conference is also a networking opportunity. "It's so nice when you can go to in-person events like this. It applies to multiple sectors at one time, so you can really learn from the industry. There is a lot of value here."
Examples of these networking opportunities are the panels such as the Grower-to-Grower Panel, the Energy Transition Panel, the Pesticide Panel, and the PAS Program Panel. Hannah describes these panels as "moderated networking opportunities." After the seminars, there are more moments that allow for a good chat. There will be the BCLNA Annual General Meeting and after that there is a picnic party with live music and food.
Currently, the event organizers expect about 150 people. Although most of the attendees will come from British Colombia, the event is open to anyone, with virtual attendance opportunities available. "We really want to spread the opportunity to attend this conference. We really want to bring value to the industry, members and non-members alike," Hannah concludes.
Click here to register for the event
For more information:
The British Columbia Landscape and Nursery Association
www.bclna.com
www.growwestcoast.com