(publication date: May 8th, 2025)

The organization of their workforce is one of the biggest challenges of landscape garden companies throughout Europe. That is why this topic is high on the agenda of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA). Vocational training is a key to the solution for finding sufficient and well-trained employees. In a letter to Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu, EU-Commissioner for Skills, Education, Quality Jobs and Social Rights, ELCA has launched its ambition to initiate a European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE’s) for landscape gardening. A CoVE is a regional cluster of schools and landscape garden companies, that work together on the promotion of the profession, the development of innovative curricula and the exchange of students and workers for traineeships in other EU-countries. ELCA wants to establish a strong network that contains CoVE’s in every EU- state. By bringing them together, the aim is to enhance the development of high standard vocational training for landscape gardening throughout the EU. ELCA wishes to discuss this ambition with Commissioner Mînzatu as part of her Union of Skills initiative and the upcoming Strategy on Vocational Education.

The landscape garden sector is vital for the green transition of the urban area. With greenery and nature-based solutions the sector adds to a better climate, biodiversity and public health. The European Commission has taken different initiatives, amongst others the Nature Restoration Regulation, to make our urban living environment sustainable and a healthy place to live. The landscape garden sector wants to take up its role in making the aims of these initiatives come true. One key element of success is a well skilled workforce, supported by vocational education.

ELCA works now on an introduction plan that focusses on having an operational European wide network of Centres for Vocational Excellence for landscape gardening by the end of 2028. The position paper, in which ELCA describes its ambition for this European CoVE-network and that is sent to EU-Commissioner Mînzatu, can be downloaded by using the following link: 

Position paper ELCA initiative European network of CoVEs

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Note for the editor, not for publication:

The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has representation in 23 EU-member states and in different countries outside of the EU (Canada, Japan, Norway, Saudi-Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom). Contact for more information about this press release and initiative: Egbert Roozen, secretary general of ELCA Phone: (+32) 468 35 11 91 Mail: contact@elca.info

The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has sent a letter of support to EU-Commissioner Hoekstra about the upcoming Climate Change Conference on the 28th United Nations COP in Dubai. As Commissioner on Climate Action on behalf of the European Union, there is a great task on the shoulders of Hoekstra to reach concrete results to stop global warming at this COP. ELCA states in its letter, that the landscape and gardening sector supports him in his assignment and wants to play a proactive role in offering green and nature-based solutions for a better climate in the urban area. ELCA wishes Hoekstra a fruitful COP and hopes to exchange afterwards on common actions.

The era that greenery was considered as decoration, has definitely passed now. ELCA Secretary General Egbert Roozen: “We are convinced about the fact, that we can be part of the solution when it comes to the societal challenges that we face right now on climate, biodiversity and public health. Our focus is on greening cities and urban areas to make them resilient and a better place to live. Greenery and nature-based solutions contribute to prevention, adaptation, mitigation and quality. With the knowledge and experience about the right green solution at the right place and with the right maintenance, our sector is able to act right now. There is, from our point of view, no reason why we should delay or hesitate the application of these green solutions in the private garden, public spaces, on the roof, facades and even indoors. To be successful in the green approach, it is vital that greenery and nature-based solutions are already involved at the beginning of the policy and design process and that the green professionals are early at the table to present green solutions and bring in their knowledge about greenery, creation and maintenance.”

Green movement ELCA refers in the letter to the EU Nature Restoration Law, which is now in a final stage. Roozen: ‘This new law as part of the EU Green Deal is very important and should be ambitious when it comes to the urban part. We understand the translation that must be made to national and local level and offer our support in defining practical instruments for implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Our perspective is also focused on that and we take initiative to make the green movement even bigger. For example, together with our associate member Canada we work on an approach to link to the UN sustainable development goals and to align to global climate initiatives. At the same time this approach leads to tools for our companies to reinforce their sustainable actions and report on them. Another example is the SoGreen Alliance (www.onthegreenmove.com), in which eight European associations of urban green professionals cooperate in raising awareness about the benefits of greenery and nature-based solutions.”

Think Green First Roozen concludes in his letter on behalf of ELCA to Hoekstra: “Our principle is ‘Think Green First’. It would be wonderful if this principle would be supported by you. Our wish for the COP would be, that you keep the role and work of landscapers and gardeners as part of the solution in climate change in mind. We feel this challenge as much on our shoulders as it is on yours. Let’s open this partnership and look where we can reinforce in order to create a green and liveable future for us, our children, our grandchildren and generations to come.”

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 Note for the editors, not for publication: If you might have questions, you can contact Mr. Egbert Roozen (secretary general of the ELCA) by sending an email to contact@elca.info.

On October 10th, 2023, the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) celebrates its 60st anniversary with the jubilee seminar ‘Think Green First’. With this theme, ELCA makes a link to the current trialogue between the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission about the Nature Restoration Law. The actual compromise text on the negotiations table indicates a green development in the urban area ‘till a satisfactory level’ is reached. The original text of the law contained a no net loss of green spaces in the urban area by 2030 and a growth of green spaces with 5% and tree canopy with 10% by 2050. What is a satisfactory level? This is the main question behind the theme of the jubilee seminar. ELCA is very delighted about the fact that speakers Sirpa Pietikäinen (member of the European Parliament), Hélène Cruypenninck (Environment and Nature in the city at the municipality of Angérs, France), Ranja Hautamäki (associate professor of the University of Aalto, Finland), Jan Henk Tigelaar (director of Rooftop Revolution, Amsterdam) and Henrik Bos (ELCA-president) will share their thoughts about how we are going to make urban areas greener, liveable and sustainable for future generations to come. The outcome of the exchange at the seminar will contribute to the input of ELCA on the EU-Nature Restoration Law. The jubilee seminar will take place at the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts in Brussels.

ELCA is very proud about the 60 years milestone. In this period the landscape and gardening branch has made a tremendous development. We have reached the point in which greenery is directly linked as a solution for better climate, enhancement of biodiversity and improvement of health of people. The role of greenery within the context of nature-based solutions is now more and more recognized. No longer is greenery a luxury, but a basic need in the quality of life. Looking at the current societal challenges related to climate, biodiversity and health of people, greening the urban area will gain even more importance in the coming years. In the European Green Deal, there are several links to greenery and nature based solutions. There is a plan of planting 3 billion trees to absorb Co2 in the Climate Law, green roofs and green facades are options within the Renovation Wave, the EU-Taxonomy promotes green investments and the Skills Agenda focusses on developing skills to make the green move. High on the political agenda in the EU now, is the Nature Restoration Law that also aims on greening urban areas. In the coming period the law will be negotiated in a trialogue between the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission. ELCA calls on the participants in these negotiations to define clear targets that benefit a successful implementation of the Nature Restoration Law in urban areas and to involve the green professionals.

It is possible to join the jubilee seminar online. The Zoom-link will be provided after sending an email to contact@elca.info. The link will be send soon afterwards.

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Note for the editors, not for publication: If you might have questions, you can contact mr Egbert Roozen (secretary general of the ELCA) by sending an email to contact@elca.info.

The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has send in positive feedback on the EU-consultation on the variables for studying European living conditions (green spaces). ELCA is welcoming the fact that the variables ‘walking distance to the nearest public green space’ (HEE01) and ‘satisfaction with public green spaces in the local area’ (PW201) are added to the 2025 list of ad hoc subject Energy and the Environment.

Based on the Vitamin-G research, done by the Dutch scientist Jolanda Maas, greenery is of great importance in the neighbourhood. People who are living in an area with much greenery (90% in a radius of 1 kilometre around the house) do not only feel more healthy, but appear to go less to the doctor. Especially anxiety neuroses and depressions occur less. The same counts for infections on respiratory tracts, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart failure. On the list of 24 medical diseases that were on the research list, 15 of them occur significantly less by people living in a green area. In areas with less greenery there are 33% more people coming at the doctor with complaints linked to depression in comparison with people living in more green areas. According to Jolanda Maas there is a lot to gain with greening areas specifically for children, youngsters, elderly people and people with a lower social economic status. Looking from this point of view a green neighbourhood is a nature based solution that has great importance for public health.

ELCA recommends to consider a more frequent monitoring of the variables HEE01 and PW201, possibly linked to other EU-initiatives that focus on greening urban areas such as the Nature Restoration Law, in the future.

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Note for the editors, not for publication: If you might have any questions, you can contact Mr Egbert Roozen (secretary general of the ELCA) by sending an email to contact@elca.info.

Public consultation on EU Climate Goals 2040:

SoGreen Alliance points at role greenery and nature based solutions in CO2 absorption

The European Commission has held recently a public consultation on the definition of suitable climate targets for 2040 and what is needed to achieve climate neutrality in 2050. EU citizens and all kind of stakeholders had the opportunity to bring in their suggestions. The SoGreen Alliance, in which eight European associations of urban green professionals (www.onthegreenmove.com) cooperate, pleaded in its contribution for an even important approach in the Climate Goals 2040 for the absorption of CO2 as for measures focused on the reduction of emissions. Greenery and nature based solutions in the urban area can play an important role in the absorption of CO2 and add to economic, social and environmental goals at the same time.

Europe must be a climate neutral continent in 2050. That is the aim of the European Commission and must be achieved by different initiatives within the EU Green Deal. By setting climate goals for 2040, the Commission wants to have a clear vision on being on the right track and what is needed to realize further reductions of CO2. The SoGreen Alliance is of the opinion that options for absorption of CO2 should have the same attention in the approach of the Climate Goals 2040 as measures focused on the reduction of emissions. The Alliance points at the role of greenery and nature based solutions in the urban area in the absorption of CO2. Greenery in an urban setting (for example gardens, parcs, urban forestry and green buildings) can offer good opportunities and contributes to the by the EU targeted economic, social and environmental effects at the same time. For this it is necessary to include greenery as early as possible in the policy, planning and design process, to pay attention to healthy permeable soils and to make sure that long term maintenance is taken care for. The SoGreen Alliance advises also to assess the investment options in the EU Taxonomy in order to enhance the creation of more green solutions and more green spaces in the urban area. Possibly public – private partnerships will help in creating extra chances for financing green projects and support mutual acceptance of the stated goals and actions.

The SoGreen Alliance keeps itself recommended to the EU to help in the further elaboration of the Climate Goals 2040.

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Note for the editors, not for publication: If you might have any questions, you can contact mr Egbert Roozen (secretary general of the ELCA) by sending an email to contact@elca.info. 

Partners in the SoGreen Alliance (www.onthegreenmove.com) are: European Arboricultural Council, European Federation Green Roofs and Living Walls associations, European Interior Landscaping Organization, European Landscape Contractors Association, European Nurserystock Association, International Federation of Landscape Architects Europe, International Organization of Natural Bathing Waters, World Urban Parks Europe.

 Brussels, May 25th 2023

Press release

ELCA calls for nominations ELCA Green School Yard Award 2023

The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) calls its member-associations to nominate a project that can compete for the ELCA Green Award 2023. With this award, that is presented every two years, ELCA wants to highlight the innovation in green projects made by professional gardeners and landscapers. Besides that, it supports the ever-growing network of the ELCA Committee of Firms. In 2021 the Award was handed over for the first time. Theme of that year was Green Park. The Green Award was won by Brouwers Groenaannemers for their Spoorpark-project in Tilburg (The Netherlands). This year the theme is Green School Yards.

Greenery can no longer be considered as decoration anymore. Today we are aware of its benefits for climate, biodiversity and health of people. With these benefits in mind, professional gardeners and landscapers design, create and maintain private gardens, public parcs and buildings with green roofs and facades. Nowadays we see more and more interest in the creation of green school yards, where children can play with and learn about nature. Scientific research has shown that children, after playing at a green school yard, can concentrate better on their learnings in the classroom, are more creative, have a better physical development and are more sociable towards other children. Besides these positive effects, the green schoolyard is also a place where there is room for biodiversity and that contributes to social cohesion in the residential area where the school yard is located. ELCA wants to highlights these benefits by showcasing innovative and state of the art projects. These projects are a good example of what greenery can do and what our professional gardeners and landscapers are able to deliver.

The ELCA member-associations are asked to nominate one green school yard project for the competition. Members of the ELCA Committee of Firms can vote in September on their favourites, which will be presented then on the ELCA-website. The ceremony of the announcement of the results and the hand-over of the trophy, in cooperation with the French association UNEP, will take place at Paysalia 2023 in Lyon.

Excursions abroad sound nice, but can they help business?

Some 200 landscapers from 22 countries are members of the Committee of Firms that is part of the European umbrella organization ELCA. The firms, ranging from small family businesses to large internationals, make excursions and meet at green conferences all over the world. Making such trips sounds rather nice, but do they a positive impact on your business? We asked three members of Dutch landscapers’ association VHG.

‘SoGreen unites the green world’ Henrik Bos (president of ELCA)

On 20 November 2020, Henrik Bos, president of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA), has launched the SoGreen movement, a global stakeholder group that unites all green industries. ‘To start this international sector organization for the global green industries has been one of the biggest goals during my time as president of ELCA.’

ELCA, European Landscape Contractors Association starts European platform for urban greening

Together with partners in Denmark, Finland, Romania, Spain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, ELCA will be building a European Platform for Urban Greening in the coming years.

Increase knowledge and skills of green professionals.

The European Platform for Urban Greening aims to increase the knowledge and skills required to address biodiversity, climate adaptation and well-being in the urban, green living environment, and to broaden the expertise among professionals in Europe. The educational institutions from the mentioned countries work closely with business partners and governments in order to match the educational offer with regional needs.

Press release 20200914_New European platform for urban greening_press_release

Need for extraordinary measures to support the flower & live plants sector survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Joint letter to Mr Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Union Fleurs – International Flower Trade Association

ENA - European Nurserystock Association

ARELFH - Assembly of European Horticultural Regions

VAL’HOR - the inter-branch organisation for ornamental horticulture in France

VBN - the Association of Dutch Flower Auctions

CIOPORA - the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Horticultural Varieties

ANTHOS - the Royal Trade Association for Nursery Stock and Flower Bulbs

ELCA - the European Association of Landscape Professionals.

“We take care for a green and liveable Europe”

At this moment we are facing big challenges in keeping our world liveable. Climate is changing. Heavy rain and drought will lead to all kinds of damage. More and more plants and animals are disappearing. This will affect  in the end also our food chain. It is to be expected that in future the majority of people will live in cities. How do we keep cities a sustainable place to live and work in? All this kind of topics are related to greenery. The time that greenery was decoration, is over. Greenery offers important benefits for the quality of our lives.

ELCA stand - A greener environment with ELCA

Henrik Bos has been elected as the new ELCA-President

The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) is continuing its successful expansion course with its new President Henrik Bos at the top.

Henrik Bos zum neuen ELCA-Präsidenten gewählt

Die European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) setzt ihren erfolgreichen Expansionskurs mit ihrem neuen Präsidenten Henrik Bos an der Spitze fort.

Henrik Bos a été élu au poste de président de l´ELCA

L’European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) continue sa voie d´expansion et de succès avec, à sa tête son nouveau président Henrik Bos.

Green Dream’ and ‘Circl’ win ELCA Trend Award 2018
The international professional judges committee has decided to pick two Dutch projects as the richly deserved joint winners of the ELCA Trend Award 2018 from the four nominees, all of which were Dutch projects. The winners were announced at the festive award ceremony at the international GaLaBau trade fair in Nuremberg, Germany, on Wednesday 12 September. The joint winners are ‘Circl’, developed by the landscaping company Donkergroen on behalf of ABN AMRO Bank in Amsterdam, and ‘Green Dream’, developed by the designer Iverna Zaalberg and the gardening and landscaping company Herman Vaessen Tuin Boom Groen on behalf of Geelen Counterflow in Haelen (Dutch province of Limburg).