localspotlight
Eco Logic Land Care
Making a Difference, One Landscape at a Time
by Nancy Kay
and president of Eco Logic Land Care, a division of Signature Tree Care, LLC, in Naples. Fond memories that lasted long after his teenage years, when his family relocated to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, nudged Orlikoff to return to the sunshine state, where he could practice his arboriculture skills year-round. He says, “After 9-11, when my business in North Carolina slowed down, I recognized that it was time to move back to where I could garden and practice landscaping 12 months a year.”
D
Always up for a landscaping or
horticultural challenge, arborist Or- likoff and his wife and business part- ner, Stephanie, travel domestically to continue their education and keep up-to-date on techniques and soil microbiology. Orlikoff shares what they learn with customers, as well as groups and conferences, where he participates as a guest speaker. “Few people even realize that the soil is abundant with life,” he points out, emphasizing that balanced soils produce the healthiest plants.
Orlikoff’s most recent learning
experience with the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA), a non- profit organization that adapts organic
uring his childhood, Florida’s warm winters left an indelible mark on Ian Orlikoff, founder
farming principles and methods to the care of lawns and landscapes, led to his accreditation as a NOFA Organic Land Care Professional. He is the first in Southwest Florida and the second in the state to receive this accreditation. Orlikoff’s work with the land has
made him sensitive to problematic en- vironmental issues that were less obvi- ous during his youth. While reminiscing about family snorkeling and scuba div- ing excursions among the coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Orlikoff points to the visible damage done by surface water runoff polluted with fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorous. “I grew up on a sailboat,” he explains, “and our backyard ad- ventures frequently included exploring coral reefs, estuaries and tributaries that were full of life and color. Because many reefs are now pallid and dying, and other sea life is being affected, I feel that each of us needs to become wiser and better educated about what we can do to prevent runoff. We also need to learn about natural methods for maintaining lawns and landscapes that don’t include toxic chemicals and syn- thetic fertilizers. These issues threaten our food supply, our health and our area’s tourist industry.” Orlikoff and Stephanie maintain a
garden at their home in Golden Gate Estates. “We have many rows of veg-
Ian Orlikoff tending one of his beehives
etables, where I test various compost teas and microbial soil foods,” notes Orlikoff, who savors the challenge of deciphering what works best for his plants so he can share the knowledge with customers. He also enjoys the education about his two beehives that he receives from a neighbor. “In the morning, before Stephanie and I leave for work, we sit and watch the bees, knowing that there will always be some new characteristic we’ll see and some- thing new to learn about them,” says Orlikoff. He also enjoys counting his bless-
ings each day. “Stephanie and I are on a great journey together, learning and working at the things we care about,” he muses. “We are making a difference in our local environment, one land- scape at a time, and we feel proud to be working towards a healthier future.”
Contact Ian Orlikoff of Eco Logic Land Care at 239-348-1302 or visit EcoLogicLandCare.com. See ad, page 47.
22 Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
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