R1109 - Landscaping, tree trimming, park development as a business, lawn sprinkler installation, tree thinning, compost, land reclaiming

Operational Details
Landscaping firms may provide architectural advice, design, or blueprint, to provide ground cover, shade trees, waterfalls, pools and general beautification of the property. Construction involves the use of earthmoving equipment such as bulldozers, turnapulls, gradalls, front end loaders, ditchers, etc. Additional dirt is used to contour the land to the desired shape and trees are brought in and planted at strategic or pre-planned positions.

Creek beds may be altered, new channels dug, sloughs drained or aquatic pools and plant life set up to enhance the looks of the property. Applications for this type of construction include the building of a golf course, beautifying commercial properties, and landscaping shopping mall complexes. Landscapers may also be contracted to construct or provide expertise in the building and/or maintaining our community and provincial parks.

Lawn sprinkling systems may also be installed in all these venues. Trenching machines are used to lay the piping in the ground. Automatic controls and sprinkler heads are installed so the grounds can be watered when required.

Tree trimming and pruning is accomplished by using a truck mounted telescopic manlift that can reach tree-top heights so the tops can be cut off. Some thinning or pruning of branches and shrubs may also be undertaken using power saws and hand tools. Tree removal is done by truck mounted spades that dig up around the roots of a tree and uses hydraulic power to lift the tree out of the ground so it can be transplanted elsewhere.

The construction of parklands is basically undertaken using the same approach as in the building of a golf course, with the exception that lawn and trees are planted to resemble natural setting.

Composting is a specialized service that involves treating soil, and using decayed organic matter to produce a specialized planting soil for flowerbeds, shrubs and trees, lawns and grasslands.

Land reclamation may include draining swamp lands, ditching to drain water off low lying areas, re- contouring the land to allow for better drainage, planting trees and grass to assist in stopping soil erosion, moving rock and weed growths to promote more grassland and parkland areas. The equipment used is typical of what is used in the landscaping business.

This industry does not include lawn maintenance one sees in suburban areas where electric or gas lawn mowers or riding mowers are used. A full line of equipment is used, except much of the equipment is lighter or smaller than a road builder’s equipment because it is often used in more confined areas and it is more labour intensified.

SIC Codes
000000634 - Landscaping
000000638 - Land reclaiming
000000635 - Park development
000000637 - Composting
000000636 - Lawn sprinkler inst.
000000880 - Tree Trimming