Aaron Majors - Who I am Started in Industry out of college in 1996, w/ C&D since 2003, became part of the 3rd Generation of Ownership in 2007 Find me on the web & connect – I’m an advocate of technology, software & social networking Who we are Cagwin & Dorward is a full service landscape provider specializing in landscape construction, maintenance, tree care, water management, and environmental restoration for commercial, municipal, and residential customers.We are locally positioned throughout Northern California in 13 service areas. This encompasses the greater San Francisco Bay Area, south to the Monterey Peninsula and east to the Sacramento and Central Valley regions. We serve our customers in a customer centric way.

Successful Landscape Experience Balance of Budget, Craftsmanship & Schedule… Built on a relationship. Relationship - By Listening, we build trust and personal connections for mutual success Schedule – Flexible and responsive to deadlines Craftsmanship – Quality meets expectations Budget – costs are complete and aligned with goals

Presentation Overview Case Studies Drakes Landing - Bay Friendly Rated, Sheet Mulching Process & Water Savings The Willows – Eco Gardens - Arboretum All-Stars & Community Event Harbor Bay Medians - Bay Friendly Rated, Largest Sheet Mulching Project in Bay Area & 75% projected water reduction Return on Investment – Paying for Renovations Water Use Reductions Maintenance Cost Reductions Sustainable Solutions in Design & Planning Soil Development & Management Fertigation Organic Installation & Maintenance Collaboration – Contractors & Architects

Drakes Landing – 1st Bay Friendly Certified Commercial project in Marin Owner/ Property Manager: Equity Office Properties Commerical Office Park in Larkspur Landscape Designer: Susie Dowd Markarian Completion Date: November 2009 Over 2 acres of lawn were sheet mulched and replaced with low water use plants More than 75% of the plant palette is low water use plants No turf was installed All shrub beds were converted from spray to drip irrigation

Typical Commercal Landscape

Shut off the water Cut the grade at the perimeter, and spread the waste material to sheet mulched over – Zero Waste Project Big Cut / Labor Intensive – a profile is 3” of compost and 3” of mulch, that is tapered back into the landscape.

2 layers of cardboard, overlapped and watered down. Then 3” of compost Cost – on our projects We have found it be only slightly more money to sheet mulch in lieu of the conventional herbicide, rototill w/ 6 cyd/1000sf of nitro.

Hydroseeding the wildflower mix Water Quality Protection Practices Sheet mulching eliminates the need for chemical preemergents and saved 10.45 lbs of Glyphosate herbicide AND 174,000 lbs of grass, roots and dirt from landfill. • Long term maintenance includes Integrated Pest Management • No additional impervious surfaces were added.

Planting and Drip irrigation in process

From the California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance Prior to Renovation MAWA – Maximum Applied Water Allowance – 2.6M Gallons ATWU – Actual Total Water Used – 2.5M Gallons After Renovation ETWU – Estimated Total Water Used - 2M Gallons ATWU – Actual Total Water Used – 1.2M Gallons 1.4M Gallons/Year or 53% savings after renovations

Wildflowers & Habit Show of hands, who was there? Who saw it? Community – 100’s of people taking their Easter pictures here.

Shopping Center – Concord Designed with UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars plant material Installed with BF Specs – drip, 3” compost & 3” mulch Compost Tea & Kelp – stress of planting natives in summer

Collaborative Partners UC Master Gardeners – Contra Costa CCUH – Missy Borel & Dave Fujino Colliers International – Property Manager Cagwin & Dorward – Owners, Operations & Sustainability Manager

Marketing through a community event - shared resources and reduced budget for all stakeholders UC Master Gardeners – plant sale Tours & Presentations

Eco Critter Farm - School Tours Worm bins – earth worms – naturally till clay soils Lacewings & Lady Bugs – Beneficial insect release. On-site composting - Compost Bins

Harbor Bay Medians City of Alameda Managed by Harbor Bay Business Association through Landscape & Lighting District (LLD) Property Tax Funds LA - APDW

create a sustainable, water conserving and habitat enhancing landscape that sets a new eco friendly image design intent is to replace the existing turf landscape with a green, eco landscape following the Bay Friendly Landscape Guidelines (BFL) Current estimated water usage for the medians is 3.6 million gallons per year which will be reduced approximately to +/- 1.2 million gallons per year, more than 65% water conservation savings through this design approach.

Sod cutting to cut grade – flop material into center and create mounding

Sheet Mulching process (describe steps) in progress

Another Community Event supporting our customers, the community & the environment Stakeholders: Harbor Bay Business Park Assoc, APDW, Bay-Friendly, GS Management, City of Alameda, East Bay MUD Learn about Bay-Friendly Landscaping Watch a sheet mulching demonstration

What does Value mean to you? Value Price is what you pay, value is what you get. Warren Buffet Not enough of our work is appreciated purely for aesthetics or environmental benefits.

ROI Quantifying savings in operating costs can sell projects – Water & Maintenance Installation of SMART / ET Controllers can reduce was use by up to 30% and pay for themselves in 1-5 years. Example 8 year old HOA, Altamar at the Ridge, in Brisbane (south of SF) Water is over $9/unit base rate with an average annual rate increase of 12% Install of 11 Hydropoint Controllers, over $50K, paid for in 1 year Typical Landscaping 10 years+ ROI Drakes Landing & Harbor Bay Medians as examples Too far out for many investors to value – similar to the challenge with Solar (17-20 years) Some customers, that don’t flip properties, see value… Community & Environment Education – water, energy, pollution Connecting the quantifiable changes with a project Make an emotional appeal – Polar Bears Saved Create community events

Community & Environment Education – water, energy, pollution Connecting to the quantifiable changes with a project – savings from landfill, water, etc Make an emotional appeal – Polar Bears Saved Create community events

Building Healthy Soils As I have recently learned about soil biology, I have become an advocate and created so many opportunities on our projects. Educating customers, employees and myself… Testing Soil Biology – levels of Bacteria, Funji, Protozoa, Nematodes & Mycorrnizal Colonization Re-specifying or substituting Organic Compost for Nitro (still the dominant spec) Promoting Sheet Mulching in lieu of traditional renovation methods – retain the soil life & Organic matter Applying Compost Tea & Bio-stimulants – regenerate soil biology Proposing Fertigation Systems to deliver organic fertilizer and bio-stimulant Applying compost to turf areas in lieu of fertilizer

The nitrogen-rich compounds found in fertilizer run-off is the primary cause of a serious depletion of oxygen in many parts of the ocean, especially in coastal zones; the resulting lack of dissolved oxygen is greatly reducing the ability of these areas to sustain oceanic fauna. About half of all the lakes in the United States are now eutrophic, while the number of oceanic dead zones near inhabited coastlines are increasing. Fertigation Nutrient Absorption 95% + compared to 10% with dry granular Labor to apply reduced by 90% - Reduces labor & material costs (ROI of 1 year) - Reduces Harmful fertilizer run-off - Reduces water use Healthier plant material also reduces insect and disease activity Why not?

Soil Foodweb Model – who has heard of it? #1 Tool for any landscape manager…. Healthy, living soils feed our landscapes without the need for synthetic fertilizer. Healthy soils reduce water use, reduce maintenance costs and transition us from hurting to healing.

Landscape Industry Paradigm Shift Feeding plants to Feeding soil Controlled to Diverse - AliveKnowers to Learners – what does that mean to you?Polluting to RegeneratingCost to Value – Service

“Respect the Roles” by Joe Runco at SWA Customer – Owner - $$ pays for the project Landscape Architect – Design vision, owners rep, project oversight Contractor – balance of schedule, budget & craftsmanship General Contractor Who is the most important?

A contractors perspective on Sustainable Landscape Renovations Aaron Majors Owner & Dept. Manager | Construction aaron.majors@cagwin.com 415.892.7710

Sustainable Landscape Renovations Case Studies Drakes Landing The Willows - Eco Gardens Harbor Bay Medians Return on Investment (ROI) Sustainable Solutions in Design & Construction Collaboration – Contractors & Architects

Drakes Landing

Case Studies

The Willows – Eco Gardens

The Willows – Eco Gardens

Harbor Bay Medians

Harbor Bay Medians

Harbor Bay Medians

Harbor Bay Medians

Return on Investment Value

Return on Investment Cost of Water Cost of Maintenance

Return on Investment Community & Environment

Sustainable Solutions In Design & Construction Soil Development & Management Sheet Mulching, Compost & Mulch Compost Tea & Bio-stimulants Organic & Pesticide Free (Hurt & Heal)

Sustainable Solutions In Design & Construction Feeding plants to Feeding soil Linear to Dynamic Controlled to Diverse –Alive Knowers to Learners Polluting to Regenerating Cost to Value - Service

Collaboration Respect the Roles Landscape Architect – Designer Customer – Owner Contractor

A contractors perspective on Sustainable Landscape Renovations Questions