The ELCA-Board presents their new secretary-general Egbert Roozen (midst)

The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has appointed Egbert Roozen as secretary-general. His major task, besides managing the ELCA-office in Brussels, will be the pro-active agenda setting on the benefits of greenery in the urban area. This will link closely to for example initiatives and policies within the EU-Green Deal, such as the Nature Restoration Law, the EU Taxonomy and the Renovation Wave. Roozen will bring the green message in a strong cooperation between ELCA and the partners from the SoGreen Alliance in which eight European associations of urban green professionals are represented.

ELCA is delighted that Egbert Roozen will contribute to the further development of the green network in Europe and international coalitions together with the associated members of ELCA in Canada, Japan, United Kingdom en Switzerland. Roozen has a strong track record in the green sector and in European affairs. Amongst others he was expert for the European Commission on the ‘Nature Based Solutions in Renaturing the Cities’-strategy, director and president of the Royal Dutch Association of Landscapers and Gardeners, president of the EU-affairs committee of MKB-Nederland and member of the Board of SME United. Egbert Roozen himself is looking forward with great enthusiasm to his new task. For years he has been advocating that greenery can no longer be considered as decoration anymore, but must be valued for its benefits for a better living climate, biodiversity and health of people. With all efforts in scientific research, vocational training, policy making, coalition building and exchange of experiences done in the past decade, the time has come to make a big step ahead in creating green urban areas that are sustainable and healthy places to live in. Roozen wants to enhance the development towards a green future and align policy makers, stakeholders and branches to make this green move together.