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Portugal is now the 22nd country to become a member of ELCA

The ELCA-Presidium unanimously elected Emmanuel Mony (47) from France as the new President of the European Landscape Contractors Association.

Emmanuel Mony has been elected as the new ELCA-President

Bad Honnef / Milan. The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) is continuing its successful expansion course with its new President Emmanuel Mony at the top. Portugal with its national association „Associação Portugesa de Espaços Verdes (APEV = Portuguese Association of Green Areas)“ was officially accepted as a member of the ELCA countries during the recent meeting of the ELCA Presidium in Milan (Italy). The European Landscape Contractors Association now has 22 members. This makes it one of the associations with the most members in Europe. In 2000 the ELCA had eleven member associations. Today the 22 national ELCA member associations represent the interests of approx. 80.000 companies.

Change of leadership: A Frenchman is the successor of Antoine Berger, Switzerland

The ELCA-Presidium unanimously elected a Frenchman, Emmanuel Mony, as the President of the European Landscape Contractors Association and the successor of Antoine Berger during its meeting in Milan. The Swiss landscape gardening entrepreneur had significantly influenced the successful development of the ELCA during his nine years in office.

Since 2007 Emmanuel Mony (47) has been the President of the French landscape gardening association „Union Nationale des Entrepreneurs du Paysage (UNEP)“ and the Chairman of the Tarvel consortium. Mony is supported by the newly elected ELCA Vice-Presidents Neil Huck from Great Britain and Tamás Vincze from Hungary.

Apart from Antoine Berger, the Vice-President and Treasurer Jouko Hannonen (Finland), after six years in office, and the Vice-President Jean Millet (France), after three years in office, have left the ELCA-Presidium. Nico Wissing (The Netherlands) is leaving after nine years in office as the Chairman of the ELCA-Committee of Firms. Antoine Berger (Switzerland) is standing for election for this office. The result of the written ballot is expected soon.

New ELCA-President aims to realise ambitious goals by 2013

The new ELCA-President Emmanuel Mony wants to realise ambitious goals in the next three years. His motto: „Think green first!“ With dedicated lobby work with the ELCA he wants to especially push the subject “Green City” to the fore at European level. As announced the “Green City” initiatives in France (Cité Verte), Italy (Green City Italy), the Netherlands (De Groene Stad) and Hungary (Green City Hungary) as well as the German foundation „Die Grüne Stadt“ want to promote the manifold positive effects of private and public green in cities and municipalities. The Swiss colleagues intend to found a “Green City” foundation next year too.

Close Research Gaps Surrounding Green

This is why Emmanuel Mony will set a further priority during his time as the ELCA-President: the research gaps surrounding green shall be closed. To achieve this internationally renowned scientists shall compile scientifically sound data about the positive effects of green – among other things on the health of people. In regard to questions concerning the climate they shall also research what effect vegetation has on the filtration of micro particles and as such on the improvement of air quality. With the ELCA Mony also wants to motivate the European Union to amend the EU research programmes correspondingly. Lobby work is his biggest priority for the forthcoming years.

The 22 Member Associations of the ELCA:

The full ELCA members currently amount to 22 national associations: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The European Arboricultural Council (EAC) joined as an associated member from Europe at the end of 2009. The associated members outside of Europe are China, Japan, Canada and the United States of America.

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