News
MAP live to hit the road this spring
New collaborative regional roadshows win support
A SERIES of six road shows will take place in the spring and summer this year under the banner of MAP Live. Standing for Manage Amenity & Pitch, the one day events incorporate demonstrations, conferencing and networking opportunities. The overall topic - how to achieve excellent results on amenity and sports pitches with reduced headcount and budget - has received high support from buyers in independent research and is aimed at local authorities, parish councils, contractors, dealers and sports venues.
It is devised by Clare Johnson, who has seven years of experience as sales director of SALTEX, and nearly twenty years of previous event experience, launching and running events all over the world. The idea for the events germinated when Clare was approached by various companies in autumn 2012 about running open days and road shows for them. Listening to
feedback and thinking about the vastly different market we are all operating in compared with even three years back, she realised that combining individual days and roadshows gave a whole new proposition that would be regional and relevant on many levels.
The MAP Live 2013 calendar is:
• Stoneleigh Park, Midlands 24th April 2013
• Ardingly, Sussex, South of England Showground 15th May 2013
• Haydock Park, North-West 5th June 2013
• Sedgefield Racecourse, North-East
19th June 2013
• Stirling, Scotland 3rd July 2013
• Chepstow Racecourse , Wales/South-West 17th July 2013
Full details can be found on the MAP Live website
www.mapliveltd.co.uk
The concept has really struck a chord and there is huge collaboration, with participants actively promoting it. A large range of companies has so far either confirmed their
involvement or are working out the details of how they get involved, which
dealers/distributors or sister companies should also participate, etc. Just a sample from both groups include Blec, Campey Turfcare, Complete Weed Control, Etesia , Martin Lishman, Muthing, New Holland, Reform, Simon Richard. MAP Live is also working with Lely/Toro to see how it fits with their existing road show programme. Roger Lane-Nott, CEO of the AEA, said: “The AEA views MAP Live as a very positive development and is actively promoting the series to its members.” The Technical Sports Surfaces Conference is also co-locating, and other collaborations will shortly be
HTA supports ban on sale
of invasive water plants Retailers could face a fine or six months in prison
HTA supports the announcement made by the Environment Minister, Richard Benyon, that the sale of five invasive non-native aquatic plant species will be banned in order to protect wildlife.
The banned plants are Water Fern, Parrot’s Feather, Floating Pennywort, Australian Swamp Stone-crop (New Zealand Pygmyweed) and Water Primrose.
HTA’s Director of Business Development, Tim Briercliffe, comments; “We have advised retailers for a long time now that these plants are far too invasive and we fully support this ban. In extreme cases like this, drastic action is required and we again advise all retailers to check that these species are not on sale.”
“Some pressure groups are calling for far more species to be banned; we are much less comfortable with that and believe that, in most cases, allegedly invasive plants should be managed locally in the area where they are causing a problem. We would encourage the industry to promote responsible handling and disposal of plants as outlined in the Defra Be Plant Wise campaign.”
Environment Minister Richard Benyon said; “Tough laws to curb the sale of these plants could save the country millions of pounds as well as protecting wildlife such as fish and native plants. But, as well as saving money and
8 PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 Floating Pennywort
protecting wildlife, the ban will also help maintain access to rivers and lakes for anglers and watersport fans.”
In the past, the plants have been sold and planted in garden ponds, but have escaped into the wild, taking over from native species and damaging some of our most sensitive habitats.
The plants form dense mats in water, depleting oxygen and light availability, causing declines in the numbers of fish and other aquatic species. They also reduce access to waterways for boating and angling and increase flood risk which, taken together, can cost millions of pounds per year.
The ban means that all retailers will now have to stop selling these plants or face a fine of up to £5,000 and possibly up to six months in prison. Retailers have a year to adjust to the ban.
announced.
The organisers see MAP Live as complementary to some very successful trade and road shows already running, and don’t describe MAP Live as an exhibition series because it consists of demo, conferencing and networking, with little if any static element. At one day long, they are short; to the point; local; and able to respond quickly to the needs of buyer and supplier.
The series is designed to be flexible; participants can collaborate with dealers and distributors; go solo or do both at different events; do all six days, just one or something in between. Visitors will enjoy a day that’s relevant; local; interesting; free; reflects current market conditions; and continues to make best use of their time and money months down the line.
Contact Clare Johnson on 01962 736989 or email
clare@mapliveltd.co.uk
PlantTracker App
New App launched to help track down invasive non-native plant species
The Environment Agency, the Nature Locator team at the University of Bristol and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology have joined forces to help combat the spread of the UK’s most problematic invasive, non-native plant species.
These plants present a large financial cost to the UK economy with the annual cost of all invasive, non-native species totalling some £2 billion.
The first step in tackling this problem is accurately determining where these plants are. In order to do that, your help is required! Use the app to help to build a comprehensive picture of the UK’s invasive, non-native plant species.
The PlantTracker app, available free from the iTunes App Store and Android Market, shows you how to identify each species and enables you to easily submit geo-located photos whenever you find one.
The app now features fourteen invasive plant species and also includes a “Confusion Species” gallery for each one, to help you separate some of the similar looking plants you might encounter.
http://planttracker.naturelocator.org
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