News & Blog
Earth Images Lays the Groundwork for Success with Horticulture Expertise
Those Behind Our Work: Earth Images’ Certified Horticulturist, Troy Durham
When Troy Durham joined Earth Images as a Horticulturist in July of 2019, we were excited to welcome him to our team. Troy is a certified horticulturist accredited by the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association. He’s been working in the landscaping industry for over 15 years where he’s managed retail and wholesale plant nurseries. The bulk of Troy’s experience comes from installing and maintaining gardens, where he learned how to apply horticulture to landscaping.
What started out as a summer job in college quickly turned into a blooming career for Troy once he discovered his passion for horticulture. Troy looks forward to growing his expertise with Earth Images, especially in the areas where his passion aligns with our specialty services of invasive species removal and wetlands and prairie restoration. Troy states that “few companies are ahead of the curve like Earth Images when it comes to this field,” which is one of the reasons why he joined our team.
Leading the Industry with a Horticulture Certification
Troy’s passion for his work and his extensive knowledge to support his passion really stood out to us when we were looking to add a horticulturist to our team. The horticulture certification demonstrates an individual’s knowledge about the intricacies of working with living materials according to industry-wide standards and best practices. To obtain the certification, one must be enrolled in the Indiana Accredited Horticulturist Program and will be expected to study materials given by the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association and pass a curriculum-based exam as well as a plant ID exam. In addition, the certification must be maintained once received, so individuals are required to stay current by earning education credits over a two-year period. These requirements ensure that horticulturists are operating at state-of-the-art standards and staying up to date with the latest in the industry.
By having a horticulturist on staff with Troy, we are more equipped to deliver quality services to our customers. We are grateful to work with people like Troy, who are passionate about the work that they do. Learn more about the quality services that we deliver and contact us for your next project.
Consider a Career in Landscaping
Earth Images Offers More than Just a Job
Earth Images Offers More than Just a Job
Trades are in demand now more than ever and the market is willing to pay for quality landscape work. As many high school seniors and adult learners in transition think about their next step in life, the trade of landscaping is a viable option that shouldn’t be overlooked. Just as the mainstream four-year college degree helps to further a professional career, so do trade schools. At Earth Images, we’re here to say that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, meaning you don’t have to go to a traditional four-year college for a successful career.
Earth Images is a specialty landscape subcontractor that services Indiana, Kentucky and surrounding states. Because we are Union-affiliated and thus so closely associated with the highway industry, we can offer wage rates that allow individuals in this industry to make successful careers out of the work that they are passionate about doing. We also offer competitive pay and skill development to those individuals who show commitment and aptitude. Our turnover rate at Earth Images is very low, which speaks volumes to the investment we make to our employees.
From Journeyman to Superintendent
Hugo, for example, started working for Earth Images back in 2006, shortly after graduating high school, and has now been with us for 13 years. Upon high school graduation, Hugo immediately started his apprenticeship as part of a union-affiliated trade program to become a journeyman. As part of the apprenticeship qualifications, Hugo gained over 4,000 hours of training. He is now reaping the benefits he sowed early on, as his experience in this industry has given way to several promotions within our company. Hugo now serves as a Senior Superintendent at Earth Images, with expertise primarily in the temporary erosion control, seeding and sodding areas of the business. As Hugo reflects on his tenure at Earth Images, it isn’t the duties of the job that motivates him in this career so much as it is the people he works with at Earth Images and the places he visits for projects, as Jugo states, “Through the years, I have developed close relationships with the people I work with and because of that we work great as a team together. The nature of this work also allows me to travel and see new areas and how we can make those places better in the long-run, which is rewarding.” To Hugo, it has never been just a job, it has always been a career path that has helped shape him into who he is today and positions him well for what is yet to come.
Learn more about the work that Earth Images provides to commercial and public markets and contact us about our current opportunities for you or someone you may know who may be interested in growing with us.
The “Dirt” on Sod
Earth Images Uncovers the Truth about Sod
We often get asked by our customers about sod-related questions, as there seem to be many misconceptions out there about sodding, so we are spilling the “dirt” on common misunderstandings when it comes to sod. For over twenty years, Earth Images has been doing approximately 70 sod-related projects per year, so we have the expertise needed to clarify the muddy water when it comes to sod.
Sod Cannot be Installed on Existing Vegetation
While it may be tempting to just place sod on existing vegetation and call the job done, this simply cannot work. The soil must be prepared for sod installation so that the sod can properly take root. If there is debris in the way, or if the soil is poor quality, then the sod roots can’t reach the soil to properly establish themselves. At Earth Images, we follow a strict process to prepare the soil for sod installations to ensure that every sod installation has a strong and healthy root system. In fact, on every sod project we do, we include a standard 30-day watering program to ensure the sod properly takes root. Learn more about our sod installations.
Sod Harvesting Doesn’t Strip your Top Soil
One question that we get time and time again is “Do I need to replace my topsoil after sod harvesting?” and our answer is “No.” Many think that when we harvest sod, it takes the topsoil with it; however, in the sod harvesting process you don’t lose as much topsoil as you may think because topsoil isn’t getting ripped away with the sod. According to the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, only a half of an inch of top soil is actually removed with each sod harvest. With that little of topsoil being removed, the soil is able to rebuild on its own without the need to replace the topsoil after harvesting sod.
Sod is Good for the Environment
Harvesting sod is an essential part of your landscaping project to not only make it aesthetically pleasing, but also eco-friendly. When harvesting sod, the remaining stem and root structure is tilled back into the soil which adds organic compounds to the top soil and creates more nutrients. Harvesting helps protect top soil by creating new layers of soil every time the sod is harvested. The top soil acts as a natural filter for the environment. As sod is continuously being grown and re-harvested, the soil microbes remain active and it improves the soil’s overall composition through natural aeration.
Learn more about how Earth Images approaches sodding and other erosion control and landscaping projects, or contact us to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment.
Earth Images Leaves Nothing Behind When it Comes to Safety
Safety First: The Importance of Safety Protocols
Earth Images is your trusted commercial landscape partner, not just another subcontractor, providing complete quotes, quality work, and responsive service. We stand behind our work ensuring you look good to the owner. As a certified Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and a union-affiliated organization, we pride ourselves in delivering quality erosion control and landscaping services to the public works and commercial markets. However, we cannot provide value without ensuring safety is at the forefront of our workforce; therefore, Earth Images follows a stringent safety protocol to protect ourselves, our partners and the community around us.
Earth Images’ Safety Protocol is as Follows:
- Daily pre-job safety talks (toolbox talks)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 30 Hour Workplace Safety training for foremen
- OSHA 10 Hour Workplace Safety training for all crew members
- First-Aid training
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training
- OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) training
- OSHA Hazard Communication Standard training
- OSHA Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required including hard hats, safety vests, protective eyewear, and cut resistant gloves
- Confined space training
- Forklift training for those who operate forklifts
- Certified applicator license for herbicide applicators
- Random site audits by our Safety Consultant to ensure compliance
While you may be familiar with a few of the trainings that are included as part of our safety protocol, what puts us at an advantage over others in the industry is the requirement of PowerSafe training for all our employees and the access to a Safety Consultant. We lay the groundwork for success so it is easy for you to work with us and have the confidence that our work will ultimately make you look good to the owner.
Trained in PowerSafe Courses for an Easy Transition
Like most subcontractors, Earth Images follows strict OSHA guidelines about health and safety awareness to reduce the risk of job site hazards. However, in addition to OSHA trainings, Earth Images also requires additional preparation, called PowerSafe training. The advantage of having PowerSafe training is that we can start a job with little to no additional training, yet as contractors, you can be assured that we will follow the appropriate measures necessary for the job, so that you can ultimately meet your own safety goals.
Earth Images Requires the Following PowerSafe Training Courses:
- Dust Awareness for Coal
- Dropped Object Prevention
- Lockout/Tagout, Fossil-Hydro (FHO) Generation Orientation, Hazardous Locations/Intrinsically, Human Performance Overview, Process Safety Management (PSM)/Risk Management Plan (RMP) General Awareness, Spotter/Observer Orientation and Generation
Equipped with the Expertise and Resources You Didn’t Know You Needed
Training can only cover so much ground, so for the times where there are gray areas, we have access to a Safety Consultant to ensure we are moving the project forward in the appropriate way, not putting it at risk or creating re-work. Many subcontractors don’t have a safety resource to refer to because they can’t justify the cost; however, in nearly thirty years of doing business, we’ve learned that if we have the right people on our team with the appropriate expertise, you will never regret those decisions. This is supported by our experience modification rate (EMR) of .86, which reflects our commitment to safety and lets you rest easy.
For more information on our safety protocol and to learn more about how our team is different from most in our industry, contact us.
Earth Images is Proud to be a WBE-Certified Organization
Led by President and CEO, Laura Yurs
You may know Earth Images for the commercial and public landscaping work we have done in Indiana and Kentucky. However, what you may not know about us is that we are a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE).
For over twenty years, Earth Images has been a WBE-certified organization with its President and CEO, Laura Yurs at the helm. Laura, a 1998 Butler University Alumna, had a vision to build her own business after working with her family in the industry. This vision turned into reality as Earth Images has grown to become a prominent specialty subcontractor in the Midwest.
The WBE certification is highly-regarded due to the criteria required to qualify. A WBE is defined as an independent business with at least 51% ownership or control by a United States Citizen that is a woman. These businesses must have daily operations and management led by a female leader within the U.S. Laura’s background and industry expertise allow her to excel in this day-to-day operations’ role and grow her business.
Why a WBE Certification Matters
Organized through the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA), the WBE program provides marketing outreach for WBE-certified organizations, which allows these entities to gain exposure in their respective industries. By working with a WBE-certified company, Earth Images’ customers can fulfill a city or state regulated requirement for diversification. For many of those that Earth Images serves in the public sector, they are required to differentiate the labor of projects by including diverse vendors on projects throughout the year. Each state’s Governor’s Commission on Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises sets participation goals for all state contracts, which means Earth Images helps organizations more ways than one. Because we are a certified WBE, companies that work with Earth Images can ultimately expect an improvement in service, customer satisfaction, and cost savings.
Earth Images is proud to be WBE-certified organization and welcomes the opportunity to work with your company. We have the resources and industry experience needed to provide the highest quality of work for your organization. Learn more about those behind our work and contact us to discuss your next project.
