Sustainability Practices and Community Engagement Efforts
Bailey Nurseries has assembled a dedicated team to refine its sustainability practices and community engagement efforts. The team’s goals include adopting local environmental programs, participating in community cleanups, and implementing strategies to address energy and water conservation, waste management, and material recycling. With members spanning across Bailey Nurseries sites from coast-to-coast, the team collaborates to promote environmentally responsible practices and contribute to community beautification.
A Fresh Start for a Meaningful Program
Starting in March, the Sustainability Team relaunched Bailey Nurseries’ participation in the Adopt-A-Highway program. They gathered groups of volunteers to clean up trash along several stretches of popular highways. Georgia started off strong with the Bailey Innovations™ team kicking off round one with two roads that lead into Athens, Georgia. In April, the Sunnyside, Washington team removed 50 bags worth of garbage closely followed by the Dayton, Oregon team cleaning two more stretches of highway over the span of two days and over 32 participants!
Reflections From Our Amazing Volunteers
These events were a resounding success with sunny weather and a “git-er-done” attitude. Most recently, we had 22 volunteers from our Minnesota locations come together to clean 3.5 miles of highway. Here’s what they have to say about their experience.
Zach Brown – Department Head of Plant Health & Sustainability Team Member
“I think the event went well overall. It took some work to get things lined up but between Ryan Goodmanson and me, we pulled it together. Ryan was really the rockstar and kept things on track. Huge shout out to him! Since the project hadn’t been done for a few years, we had to start from square one. The county contact was super helpful throughout, even arranging supplies right across from our Container East Farm, which made pickup easy.
In total, we collected 22 bags of trash along our route. We had perfect weather and an amazing team to get it done with. It was a great reminder of how diverse, yet unified, our workforce is. That’s one of the reasons I love working here.
As for interesting finds, Antonio found a fake $100 bill so that was exciting for a few minutes until they realized it wasn’t real. We’ll be doing this again in September for the second cleanup, and we’ll use everything we learned to make it another success!”
Gail Soens – Plant Trial Coordinator & Sustainability Team Member
“It was great to be out there. I even found a dollar!
It’s fantastic that Bailey Nurseries continues to support this program. It speaks volumes about our values. What a great crew of people to work alongside!”
Ryan Goodmanson – Container East Potting Foreperson & Sustainability Team Member
“After our safety talk, we spent about three hours cleaning our route. Honestly, I had way too much fun!
It felt amazing to be part of a team giving back to the community. I’m proud of what we accomplished and excited for round two!”
Emily Kocon – Trade Communications Specialist
“I’ve always wanted to participate in the Adopt-A-Highway program, and I was excited to see Bailey Nurseries organize one. Keeping trash off the roads is important for the health of both people and wildlife.
I was thrilled with the turnout, more people showed up to help than I expected. We made quick work of the cleanup. One of the highlights for me was finding a baby turtle and safely relocating it to a better spot. All around great success and I’m already looking forward to the next one!”
Looking Towards the Future of Sustainability
From thoughtful planning to hands-on action, the Adopt-A-Highway cleanup showcased a big part of Bailey Nurseries; the dedicated people working toward a greener, cleaner future. We’re grateful to all the volunteers who stepped up and made this effort such a success. With this strong start, the Sustainability Team is already making plans for the next cleanup in the fall and beyond as we continue to build a lasting legacy of environmental stewardship and community care.
