9/29/2016
Hoffman Nursery Wins Innovator Award
Jennifer Polanz
Hoffman Nursery in Rougemont, North Carolina, received the 2016 Blue-Green Innovator of the Year Award from the North Carolina Green Industry Council for its leadership and innovation in environmental stewardship in regard to water conservation, water use efficiency and the development of green infrastructure.
Specifically, Hoffman Nursery was recognized for its role as a supplier to green infrastructure markets nationwide, working with other wholesale growers to see the potential of grasses, sedges and other plant species in meeting the needs of local and regional governments for green infrastructure projects. Hoffman Nursery also is working to develop more demonstration areas onsite to show customers and visitors how the plants work and provide feedback for selecting new species and cultivars.
The award also recognizes the nursery for its use of handling water onsite with a series of bioswales and wetland areas to increase filtration 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.
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