Is Landscape Juice ready to start an association?

I have sensed a little restlessness of late..don't read me wrong, I view this as a good thing because it proves to me that members feel connected: it means we are maturing into a cohesive organisation and it probably means we are ready for change.

I maintain that LJN should always remain free to the user and I think that should continue. It is, essentially a privately owned forum and for that reason, maintaining political motion will always have a certain resistance - I don't intend to give up LJN or LJ and I don't intend to give it away....I will to continue finance it both sites through donations, advertising and private projects.

I am now proposing that we form a separate land-based association that is run by its members, for its members.

I would propose (not exhaustive):

Start a new website to act as the hub of the organisation (paper not to be used unless it is absolutely necessary) - this will be password protected and publicised via members' websites, blogs and Landscape Juice.

Shall register as a legal association and comply with whatever rules apply
Write a constitution
Conduct our business in a transparent and honest manner
Elect a 6-8 person committee who shall do the leg-work and represent members' interests
Appoint a treasurer, set up a company bank account and publish our accounts to our members through the site.
Hold at least one live committee meeting every week
Hold at least one members forum meeting a month
Set up training schemes for members
Set up a legal helpline
Create specific documents for all members to download
Lobby government and other organisations to help shape land-based industries
Encourage higher standards via educational advances
Represent everyone in our industry and discourage individualism.
Encourage knowledge sharing right down to the the newest entrants into the land-based sector
Create our own conference and annual show/exhibition

I personally will not agree to:

Discriminate against bona fide businesses and individuals
Impose unnecessary boundaries to membership or personal and professional development
Use the association as a personal vehicle to success

Membership and costs

This is a difficult one - we should not omit anyone because they cannot afford fees so I propose a joining fee to cover administration and a yearly fee set as a percentage of turnover.

I don't want to blow my own trumpet but I feel this will only work if the committee apply a great passion, move fast and remain extremely active.

I will be happy to work in a paid capacity to run any new association or acts as its communications officer. Landscape Juice is now an extremely strong media outlet and I am confident it will be an excellent platform with which to publish news of this fledgling organisation.

I will not act alone or autonomously and it is in our interests for all elected officers to remain transparent in their duties at all times.

We should all be reminded that we owe it to ourselves to conduct our business honestly and fairly and any bad publicity in this new organisation could have a long lasting negative effect.

Whilst anyone should be able to join....membership should not be taken lightly and only serious businesses and individuals should consider it as a route of industry and business development.

There's loads more I can add but it's time to put it out for discussion and, if this were to go ahead, I would expect everyone to pull their weight and work within strict timetables and keep to their promises.

Please add your thoughts, suggestions or disapprovals.

Hi Phil

I think it's a great idea in theory.

I personally do not wish to join the A.P.L. and the S.G.D. as I am not impressed by their member numbers, the standard of a lot of their members work I have witnessed via. websites etc. and the 'old boy's club' mentality they seem to have.

However, what does impress me is their ability to get their name mentioned in every newspaper article under the sun, their trade show presence and the 'block' adverts in the Yellow Pages directories for their members. If LJN was to form an association, I think it would also need such an 'off line' presence to make it work.

I don't think the membership fee should be based on turnover, but should be kept relatively low so that most members that want to join can afford to.

Several, well-known members of the garden design/academic fraternity have joined the network recently and I guess might be willing to be ambassadors for the new association.

Being honest, I really don't like the name 'Landscape Juice', I can see why you called your original blog this name and this forum network but I really think the proposed association needs a different brand to reflect it's potential global and predominately on-line membership. i.e. I don't think it should be called the British Association Of..... etc., more like 'The Open Association Of Landscape And Garden Specialists' if you get my drift.

Websitewise, you could set up another NING Network with private and publicly viewable pages (I suppose) so that each member gets their own profile page etc. Also, I think that members should be trusted to 'vet' their own skills and competences and there could even be a 'master list' of skills that could be used across the board for this purpose.

Checklistwise, I don't think the subjects of whether a member is a LTD company, VAT registered etc. should ever come into the equation and membership approval should be based solely on member's websites, photos, experience, qualifications, testimonials and peer-to-peer recommendations etc.

I think that the new association should try to reach out to as many land-based companies as possible as there are literally thousands of potential members out there, but at the same time there must be some kind of 'vetting' system to keep out the 'cowboys', 'rouge traders' and 'chancers'.

Jesus, that was a bit of a rant, but I suspect/expect there are longer ones to come from other forum participants in the not so distant future!

Replies

PRO

Gary RK February 11, 2010 at 12:33pm

My initial comment - At last, the framework for a landscaper's 'association' for the benefit of all....

You have my full support and that of my business.

There will be a lot of discussions, exchanges of views and posts on this I am sure....

Some will support it, some will not.

However it is the way forward.

Regards, Gary
affinity landscapes
Andy Cole February 11, 2010 at 12:52pm

I like the idea and have been please to see the level of discussion already achieved in some of the topics covered, we would like to support the association
Regards Andy Cole
Lifestyle Landscapes
PRO

Phil Voice February 11, 2010 at 1:30pm

Thanks for comments so far.....I will take everything on board and if this goes ahead, it will be YOU, and not me that has to collectively drive it forward.

I urge everyone to have a view and I will make a promise that if this turns out to be a bad idea and it doesn't get majority support, LJN will continue as it has been doing under my terms.
- Classic Gardens > Phil Voice February 11, 2010 at 1:41pm
  
  Sorry not for me at the moment.
  
  Philip Voice said:
  Thanks for comments so far.....I will take everything on board and if this goes ahead, it will be YOU, and not me that has to collectively drive it forward.I urge everyone to have a view and I will make a promise that if this turns out to be a bad idea and it doesn't get majority support, LJN will continue as it has been doing under my terms.
  - Classic Gardens > Classic Gardens February 12, 2010 at 9:58am
    
    I can't help but wonder if any other associations are Reading this thread waiting with crossed fingers to make the move.
    
    LJ is strong now and getting stronger by the day it's my opinion that associations are a dying breed, a boys club where only the strongest have a voice, and the little people are feeding them to keep them from dying.
    
    I think landscape juice as it is, is the way forward.
    
    martin said:
    Sorry not for me at the moment.
    
    Philip Voice said:
    Thanks for comments so far.....I will take everything on board and if this goes ahead, it will be YOU, and not me that has to collectively drive it forward. I urge everyone to have a view and I will make a promise that if this turns out to be a bad idea and it doesn't get majority support, LJN will continue as it has been doing under my terms.
Mark Bradley February 11, 2010 at 1:37pm

I have been actively involved in my trade organisation for ten years called Landscape Ontario, in Canada and I now reside on the Landscape Canada board of directors. I believe that your movement to create an association is fantastic - my thoughts are hard to gather as I know how much work and effort it takes to sustain as association. I will say one thing - if you want a non-profit association to succeed you need a VERY successful trade show to fund it, and a moderatley inexpensive annual membership. At Landscape Ontario we have 2000 member companies, and we could not survive without our two annual trade shows. Our focus is vey much aligned with the points you outlined as reasons for an association. Is there an association you are trying to replace? What geographical area are you planning to cover?
Robert Smale February 11, 2010 at 2:20pm

One of the great attractions to me for the current site is 'it's free'. I'm not sure how a new organisation would benefit my company or my staff and customers?

Basically I'd be happy to subscribe if it were proven that there is a reasonable chance of increased business and or training opportunity for my staff.

I guess what I would not want to see is a new organisation run by a few to the detriment of many. The current forum seems to me to work well, why fix what isn't broken?
David Beasley Garden Design February 11, 2010 at 4:51pm

Hi Phil

I think it's a great idea in theory.

I personally do not wish to join the A.P.L. and the S.G.D. as I am not impressed by their member numbers, the standard of a lot of their members work I have witnessed via. websites etc. and the 'old boy's club' mentality they seem to have.

However, what does impress me is their ability to get their name mentioned in every newspaper article under the sun, their trade show presence and the 'block' adverts in the Yellow Pages directories for their members. If LJN was to form an association, I think it would also need such an 'off line' presence to make it work.

I don't think the membership fee should be based on turnover, but should be kept relatively low so that most members that want to join can afford to.

Several, well-known members of the garden design/academic fraternity have joined the network recently and I guess might be willing to be ambassadors for the new association.

Being honest, I really don't like the name 'Landscape Juice', I can see why you called your original blog this name and this forum network but I really think the proposed association needs a different brand to reflect it's potential global and predominately on-line membership. i.e. I don't think it should be called the British Association Of..... etc., more like 'The Open Association Of Landscape And Garden Specialists' if you get my drift.

Websitewise, you could set up another NING Network with private and publicly viewable pages (I suppose) so that each member gets their own profile page etc. Also, I think that members should be trusted to 'vet' their own skills and competences and there could even be a 'master list' of skills that could be used across the board for this purpose.

Checklistwise, I don't think the subjects of whether a member is a LTD company, VAT registered etc. should ever come into the equation and membership approval should be based solely on member's websites, photos, experience, qualifications, testimonials and peer-to-peer recommendations etc.

I think that the new association should try to reach out to as many land-based companies as possible as there are literally thousands of potential members out there, but at the same time there must be some kind of 'vetting' system to keep out the 'cowboys', 'rouge traders' and 'chancers'.

Jesus, that was a bit of a rant, but I suspect/expect there are longer ones to come from other forum participants in the not so distant future!
Keith Barker February 11, 2010 at 7:43pm

Playing devil's advocate here...

One reason to join the existing trade associations is that it could give you a professional advantage, due to the vetting process. What professional advantage would be had from joining a new organisation which doesn't vet its members?
Graeme @ BGS February 11, 2010 at 7:53pm

Also playing the Devil's Advocate...........

Do we need an association? What would make us different and effective?

With regards to fee's - It should be a set amount regardless of size of turnover or status of the company however a reduced fee for students and the unwaged would be deemed acceptable.

I for one is currently sitting on the fence on this one - whilst I can see some benefit to forming an association it would ready be down to the aims and objectives and seeing a decent roadmap for the future.