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Kent W. Ford, B.L.A. (Hon’s), C.L.D. Mr. Ford’s career in Landscape Architecture began in 1986, when he received an Honors Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Guelph, Ontario. Kent apprenticeship period included commercial and municipal projects such as the CBC Broadcast Centre and Metro Hall Plaza in Toronto and Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando, Florida. Following a European sabbatical in 1993, Mr. Ford began his own Toronto based design practice which has since been recognized with 20 Awards of Excellence from Landscape Ontario. A 1997 wining competition entry for the Alex Wilson Community Garden went on to receive a 2000 City of Toronto Urban Design Award and was selected for inclusion on a CD-ROM of Universal Design Exemplars by the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University. In 2003, Mr. Ford also submitted a design in the International Competition for the World Trade Centre Memorial in New York City. Kent’s diverse residential design practice includes notable Toronto projects including the renovation of the former George Gardiner Estate and garden designs for Kurt Browning and Marilyn Denis. In 2006 the Ford Group was awarded the prestigious Dunington Grubb Award for Ontario’s top residential design and construction project. Recently the Ford Group was proud to receive at Toronto City Council award for the best condominium landscape in 2010. They also received 2 awards at the Canada Blooms 2013 for their innovative garden ,’ Hope Springs Eternal ‘. Outside of his busy design practice, Mr. Ford is the past National Design Captain of the Certified Landscape Designers Group at CNLA and is a regular guest speaker at various green industry events in both Canada and the U.S. Further information can be found at kentforddesign.com Gino Piscelli, Region of Peel Gino holds an Honours Degree in History and a Diploma in Advertising Management. More recently, he has earned a diploma in Environmental Landscape Management from Seneca. Gino started with the Region of Peel in 2008 as a Residential Outdoor Program Consultant providing consultations on outdoor water-efficiency and then moving on as a Fusion Landscape Co-ordinator. Currently Gino is a Technical Analyst with the Region and oversees the Fusion Landscape Consultation Program.

Gino Piscelli, Region of Peel Gino holds an Honours Degree in History and a Diploma in Advertising Management. More recently, he has earned a diploma in Environmental Landscape Management from Seneca. Gino started with the Region of Peel in 2008 as a Residential Outdoor Program Consultant providing consultations on outdoor water-efficiency and then moving on as a Fusion Landscape Co-ordinator. Currently Gino is a Technical Analyst with the Region and oversees the Fusion Landscape Consultation Program.

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Sean James, Fern Ridge Landscaping and Eco-consulting Sean James has been gardening professionally for 30 years He is a graduate of the prestigious Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, and a two-time past-President of the Milton & District Horticultural Society. He writes a an eco-column for landscapers in the national Landscape Trades Magazine and an eco-column for home owners in Niagara Escarpment Views Magazine, some of which can be read on the Fern Ridge website. He instructs for Mohawk College is a professional photographer. He chairs the Environmental Stewardship Committee for Landscape Ontario and sits on the Horticultural Outreach Collaborative on invasive plants. He is also a founding member of the Halton-Peel Biodiversity Network as well as being a member of the Perennial Plant Association’s Environmental Committee. He’s spoken on CBC Radio and on AM740 on Charlie Dobbin’s Garden and Home Show. In 2009 Sean was described as the ‘horticultural guru’ of HGTV’s ‘Green Force’ and Fern Ridge Landscaping was featured in four episodes and, later, two episodes of ‘Marriage Under Construction’. Sean grew up surrounded by nature, near Crawford Lake in Campbellville, so it was only natural that he would choose a career like Horticulture. Sean is President of Fern Ridge Landscaping and Eco-consulting, a small design/build/maintain/consult firm in the Milton area. He also maintains close associations with solar and water resources companies as well as many other eco-friendly parties.

Melanie Kramer, Credit Valley Conservation Working as the Program Coordinator of Residential Outreach for Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), Melanie Kramer frequently delivers presentations and workshops on ecological landscaping to neighbourhoods in Mississauga and Brampton within the Credit River Watershed. Focused on designing and gardening with native plants, Melanie draws on CVC’s natural heritage studies, as well as her own experience as a landscape designer. Melanie has previous experience working as a landscape designer with Moriyama and Teshima, a renowned architecture and landscape firm in Toronto. Melanie has both a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Master of Environmental Studies and is currently a part-time PhD student at the University of Guelph.