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Rooted in Innovation: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Tree Staple
Join Jim Mancini, Mike Nusser, and Dionisio Roman on the Rooted in Innovation podcast, where we meet with Arborists, Developers, Municipalities Workers, and other industry experts each month to explore their best tips and practices, industry insights, and current projects. Sponsored by Tree Staple, we dig deep into the tree care and landscape development industries to get all the dirt on how these experts have successfully transformed both cities and forests. Whether you want to catch up on industry news, or you’re looking for the latest landscape development tools and methods, we’ve got you covered.So, what are you waiting for? Tune in and get ready to be inspired, informed, and entertained by the voices shaping the green landscapes we love.
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- 3 weeks ago52 min
Drought-Tolerant Landscapes: Lessons From California’s Central Coast with Greg Ross
California keeps getting hotter and drier, and the rules for how much water a landscape can use are changing with it. For landscape architects, that means recalculating water budgets, rethinking turf and finding plants that hold up to the climate while still feeling lush and inviting to the people who use the space.Dionisio Roman and Ethan Hartzel sit down with Greg Ross, founder of Contour Landscape Architecture and a lecturer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, to talk about how he balances code, water and beauty on projects ranging from backyard gardens to 92-unit townhome developments. Greg shares how California’s updated evapotranspiration numbers caught him by surprise, why artificial turf rarely solves the problem it promises to, and how he uses “rings of influence” to blend pure natives with hybrids on sensitive coastal sites.The conversation also takes an honest look at what native planting really means today, how to design for color in every season and what the next generation of landscape architects needs to learn in the field. If you design, install or care for landscapes and want a smarter way to think about native species and water use, this episode is for you.Timecodes:00:00 – 01:40 | Welcome and Meet Greg Ross01:40 – 04:44 | Early Roots: Nurseries, Palms and Cal Poly04:44 – 07:22 | Why a Small Firm Shaped His Career07:22 – 08:58 | Opening a Firm and Teaching During COVID08:58 – 13:02 | California’s ETo Update and the New Appendix C13:02 – 15:02 | Code Expertise and Using AI to Sort the Fine Print15:02 – 18:22 | Spending Water Where People Actually Gather18:22 – 21:03 | Nonfunctional Turf and the Artificial Turf Problem21:03 – 24:42 | Resilient Lawns and the Barefoot Test24:42 – 28:48 | Right Plant, Right Place Over Native-Only Design28:48 – 32:42 | Hybrids, Cultivars and Summer Dormancy32:42 – 35:31 | Rings of Influence on a 22-Acre Coastal Site35:31 – 39:02 | Planning Color Across Every Season39:02 – 43:23 | Design as a Lifelong Practice and Starting by Hand43:23 – 50:49 | Teaching Over Zoom and Getting Students Into the Field50:49 – 52:39 | Wrap-Up and How to Reach GregResources:Have an upcoming landscaping project? Contact Tree Staple for a quote treestaple.comConnect with Jim Mancini on LinkedInConnect with Dionisio Roman III on LinkedInConnect with Greg Ross on LinkedInContact Greg at Contour Landscape Architecture: greg@contourlandscapearchitecture.comFollow Tree Staple on LinkedIn: [LinkedIn URL: add before publishing]Subscribe to Rooted in Innovation
- Sep 18, 202649 min
Why AI Won't Replace the Landscape Designer with Jake Lott of Land F/X
Most CAD software wasn't built with landscape architects in mind. In this episode of Rooted in Innovation, host Dionisio Roman, joined by Ethan Hartzel, sits down with Jake Lott, an 11-year member of the Land F/X team who now also teaches AutoCAD for Environmental Design at Utah State, to unpack Land F/X's origin story (built by a landscape architect and his programmer son, now CEO), how a user-driven "wish list" process turns trade-show feedback into shipped features within weeks, where 2D and 3D workflows are headed as Revit still lacks real irrigation functionality, and where AI genuinely fits into landscape design software, from Land F/X's new support assistant Leah and AI-generated plant imagery to why Jake argues AI can speed up a designer's workflow but can't replace the judgment at the center of the job.Timecodes:00:00 – 01:10 | Cold Open and Introducing Jake Lott01:10 – 01:43 | Episode Roadmap: Land F/X, Feedback Loops, and AI01:43 – 03:48 | Jake's Path From a Landscaping Family to Utah State03:48 – 05:07 | What Land F/X Actually Is05:07 – 06:41 | The Workflow Gaps Standard CAD Leaves for Landscape Architects06:41 – 08:53 | Built By a Landscape Architect and His Son: The Land F/X Origin Story08:53 – 10:42 | Turning User Requests Into Custom Symbols and a 56,000-Plant Database10:42 – 12:31 | Scaling to 9,000 Licenses on the Back of Support12:31 – 14:02 | From Trade-Show Ask to Shipped Feature in Two Weeks14:02 – 15:14 | Inside the Feature Wish List Process15:14 – 19:28 | Teaching AutoCAD and the Origin of "Genius Hour"19:28 – 22:46 | Why Understanding Tools Under the Hood Still Matters22:46 – 24:51 | Land F/X as a Lead Source and Using the Right Tool for the Job24:51 – 26:16 | Teaching the Math Before You Teach the Calculator26:16 – 30:36 | 2D, 3D, and Where Revit Falls Short for Irrigation Design30:36 – 36:49 | Jake's Many Hats: Support, Training Videos, and the Excel Analogy36:49 – 40:19 | Why AI Won't Replace the Designer40:19 – 42:50 | Meet Leah and AI-Generated Plant Imagery With Nano Banana42:50 – 44:45 | AI as a Design Assistant, Not an Artist44:45 – 47:47 | Manufacturer Partnerships and What's Next for Landscape Tech47:47 – 48:50 | Closing and Where to Find Land F/XResources:Have an upcoming landscaping project? Contact Tree Staple for a quote treestaple.comConnect with Jim Mancini on LinkedInConnect with Dionisio Roman III on LinkedInConnect with Jake Lott on LinkedInConnect with Land F/X on LinkedInLearn more about LandFX: https://www.landfx.com/Listen to the Land F/X CEO's podcast episode on AI: https://www.landfx.com/news/podcasts/7821-tool-or-takeover-ai-in-landscape-architectureSubscribe to Rooted in Innovation
- Aug 10, 202644 min
How Smart Tree Inventories Turn Guesswork Into 20-Year Urban Forest Plans
Most cities manage their urban forests on gut instinct and aging data, and on this episode of Rooted in Innovation, presented by Tree Staple, host Dionisio Roman talks with Josh Behounek, a 25-year consulting arborist at Davey Tree Expert Company, about how that's changing. Josh explains how Davey's partnership with tech company Greehill uses LiDAR scanning and AI to build a full digital twin of a city's tree canopy, why leaf area index and percent dieback have become the strongest predictors of a tree's health, and how a two-year rescan cycle is finally giving city foresters a closed feedback loop on their removal and pruning decisions. The conversation also covers what it takes to build a 20-year urban forest master plan that survives a change in city administration, with real examples from Pittsburgh, Knoxville, Louisville, and Atlanta. If you manage green infrastructure for a city or just want to understand the strategy behind the trees lining your streets, this episode lays it out. Timecodes:00:01 – 02:10 | Meet Josh Behounek: 25 Years at Davey Tree's Consulting Division02:10 – 04:30 | From Pen and Paper to GIS Maps: A Brief History of Tree Inventories04:30 – 07:41 | Building Smart Tree Inventory: The Microsoft Grant That Started It All07:41 – 11:31 | The Real Cost of Outdated Data for City Foresters11:31 – 14:40 | Inside the Scan: LiDAR Hardware, the Greehill Partnership, and Scanning Atlanta14:40 – 18:19 | What AI Extracts From Every Tree, and Atlanta vs. Louisville's Approach18:19 – 22:05 | The Metrics That Matter: Leaf Area Index, Dieback, Lean Angle, and Trunk Stability22:05 – 26:21 | Comparing Cities and Closing the Two-Year Feedback Loop26:21 – 28:40 | Why Trees Actually Fail: Debunking the Included Bark Myth28:40 – 31:49 | Who Owns the Urban Forest? Jurisdiction and Private Land Challenges31:49 – 33:42 | Building a 20-Year Master Plan: Lessons From Pittsburgh and Knoxville33:42 – 36:44 | Getting Developers to the Table on Tree Preservation36:44 – 40:12 | Surviving Administration Turnover, Equity, and Rising Heat Priorities40:12 – 42:06 | The Industry's Storytelling Problem42:06 – 44:18 | Closing Thoughts and Where to Learn MoreResources:Connect with Dionisio Roman (Host) on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dionisio-roman-iii-6a228590/Connect with Jim Mancini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-mancini-743b386/Connect with Josh Behounek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshbehounek/Learn more about Davey Tree Expert Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-davey-tree-expert-company/Follow Tree Staple on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tree-staple-inc
- Jun 30, 202653 min
Rebuilding After the LA Fires: A Landscape Architect's Hard Truths
The 2025 LA wildfires exposed a hard truth: most of what we think makes neighborhoods fire safe is wrong. Landscape architect Gary Lai, founder of quixotic Nature Based Solutions and a professor at Cal Poly Pomona, lived three miles from the Eaton Fire and saw firsthand what worked and what failed.In this episode, hosts Dionisio Roman III and Ethan Hartzel talk with Gary about why 80 years of fire suppression policy set the stage for today's mega fires, why ember driven fires (not the main fire front) destroy most homes, and what a true fire adaptive community looks like in practice, from home hardening to evacuation planning to strong neighbor networks.If you work near the wildland urban interface or have defaulted to the standard "clear everything" fire safety playbook, this episode will change how you think about the problem. Learn more at quixotic Nature Based Solutions.Timecodes:00:00 – 01:13 | Intro and Welcoming Ethan Hartzel01:13 – 04:07 | Meet Gary Lai and the Fire Adaptive Community Framework04:07 – 05:48 | How Gary Got Into Fire Ecology and Landscape Design05:48 – 09:26 | Living Through the Eaton Fire: A Firsthand Account09:26 – 14:42 | 80 Years of Fire Suppression and Why It Backfired14:42 – 17:35 | Native Plants, Ember Fires, and Why Oak Trees Save Homes17:35 – 21:05 | The Landscape Isn't the Villain: What Actually Burns Houses21:05 – 24:31 | What Is a Fire Adaptive Community24:31 – 28:36 | Home Hardening, Infrastructure, and Why Community Survival Matters Most28:36 – 32:29 | The Insurance Crisis and the Real Cost of Rebuilding32:29 – 38:06 | What Landscape Architects Should Do Differently During Rebuilding38:06 – 41:10 | Lessons From Greece, Australia, and Other Fire Prone Regions41:10 – 44:05 | Climate Change, Unpredictable Drought, and Why Insurers Are Pulling Out44:05 – 48:43 | The Eaton Fire's Impact on Altadena and Questions of Equity48:43 – 52:52 | Closing Thoughts and Where to Learn More About Gary's WorkResources:Have an upcoming landscaping project? Contact Tree Staple for a quote treestaple.comConnect with Jim Mancini on LinkedInConnect with Dionisio Roman III on LinkedInConnect with Gary Lai on LinkedIn on LinkedIn Connect with quixotic Nature Based Solutions on LinkedInSubscribe to Rooted in Innovation
- Jun 12, 202648 min
From Mattress Sales to Landscaping Software: The Creation Story of SiteDNA
Brandon Comstock went from selling mattresses on commission to building Landscapers by Nature into a 60-person operation serving multifamily and HOA properties in Calgary, then sold the entire business. Now he's building SiteDNA, software designed to solve the exact problems he lived through as an operator.In this episode, hosts Dionisio Roman and Ethan Hartzel unpack how Brandon went from helping his dad run a small garage-based crew to scaling a specialized landscaping company worth acquiring. They explore the non-negotiable operational systems that made the business sellable, the mistakes landscape account managers make daily that cost them money, and how rethinking property management creates competitive advantage.Whether you're running a landscape operation or thinking about your own exit, Brandon reveals the principles that made his company valuable and how SiteDNA is building the shortcuts he wishes he'd had.Timecodes:00:00 – 00:27 | Intro and Show Overview 00:27 – 01:22 | Brandon's Background and Journey into Landscaping 01:49 – 02:31 | Starting from High School and Mattress Sales 02:31 – 04:16 | The Move to Calgary and First Landscape Crew 04:39 – 05:50 | Trial by Fire: Learning the Landscape Business 05:50 – 06:41 | Growing the Business with His Father 06:41 – 08:15 | Leaving to Prove Himself and Building His Own Company 08:15 – 09:40 | Landing First Contracts and the Multi-Family Niche 09:40 – 11:50 | Why Specialization Beats Being a Generalist 11:50 – 13:40 | Building Systems and Removing Yourself from Critical Path 13:40 – 15:30 | Account Manager Leverage and Property Management Innovation 15:30 – 17:20 | The Real Problem with Landscape Operations 17:20 – 19:15 | How Long-Term Planning Increases Customer Retention 19:15 – 21:00 | Preparing the Company for Sale 21:00 – 23:30 | The Exit and What Made the Business Valuable 23:30 – 25:10 | Life After the Exit and Building SiteDNA 25:10 – 28:15 | The Problem SiteDNA Solves 28:15 – 30:40 | How SiteDNA Makes Account Managers More Effective 30:40 – 35:20 | Product Features and Account Manager Workflow 35:20 – 39:45 | Spreading Team Capacity and Supporting New Managers 39:45 – 41:20 | Long-Term Planning and Customer Communication 41:20 – 43:45 | Making Account Management More Turnkey 43:45 – 44:52 | SiteDNA Product Launch and Waitlist 44:52 – 46:42 | Integrations and AI-Ready Architecture 46:42 – 47:37 | Brandon's Vision and the Shortcut He's Building 47:37 – 48:21 | OutroResources:Have an upcoming landscaping project? Contact Tree Staple for a quote treestaple.comConnect with Jim Mancini on LinkedInConnect with Dionisio Roman III on LinkedInConnect with Brandon Comstock on LinkedIn SiteDNA: https://sitedna.ai Subscribe to Rooted in Innovation
- May 6, 202654 min
Why Your Landscaping Business is Stuck and the 90 Day Fix with Justin White
The landscape industry is at an inflection point. Robotic mowers are being deployed at scale. AI is automating executive-level admin work. And the companies that fail to adapt are not just falling behind on efficiency — they're creating a competitive gap that will be nearly impossible to close in three to five years. The question for green industry leaders is not whether to modernize. It's whether they're moving fast enough.If you run or lead a green industry business and you're trying to figure out where technology fits, how to lead your people better, or how to get out of your own way, this is a blueprint worth your time. Learn more about The Disruptors at jwhitegroup.com.Timecodes:00:00 – 00:27 | Welcome to Rooted in Innovation 00:27 – 07:02 | Guest Introduction and K&D's Origin Story 07:02 – 10:02 | The Three Pillars That Started the Turnaround 10:02 – 13:12 | Community Partnerships and the Leo's Haven Project 13:12 – 16:55 | The $1.5M Tech Mistake of 2021 16:55 – 21:19 | Skin in the Game: Jim's Subcontractor Ownership Model 21:19 – 27:31 | Intentional Tech: Robotic Mowers and the 30-40% Pricing Advantage 27:31 – 32:45 | The Fifth Pillar: Why Every Landscape Company Needs a Tech Leader 32:45 – 35:22 | Where Technology Pays the Most in the Field 35:22 – 40:15 | Robotics by 2030 and What's Coming for the Green Industry 40:15 – 43:32 | Automating 80% of CEO Admin and Getting Back to People 43:32 – 46:21 | Why Justin Built The Disruptors 46:21 – 53:54 | The 90-Day Vision Exercise for Leaders Who Feel Stuck 53:54 – 54:19 | Outro and How to Stay ConnectedResources:Have an upcoming landscaping project? Contact Tree Staple for a quote treestaple.comConnect with Jim Mancini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-mancini-743b386/Connect with Dionisio Roman III on
- Dec 9, 202540 min
From Drone Flyovers to Hand Sketches: Joe Marker’s Signature Process
On this episode of Rooted in Innovation, we sit down with Joseph Marker, owner of Marker Elevated Landscapes, to explore what it really means to lead a residential landscape firm with vision.From his signature 3-2-1 design process to his hybrid use of drone imagery and hand-drawing, Joe walks us through the artistic, technical, and deeply personal aspects of designing meaningful outdoor spaces. We also hear the story behind a 144-acre Tuscan-inspired estate, why Vastu Shastra shaped its layout, and how Joe honors the legacy of his family business while pushing the boundaries of what modern landscape design can be.Whether you’re a designer, contractor, or homeowner, this episode will challenge the way you think about space, communication, and the role of technology in the design-build process.Timecodes00:00 – 01:21 - Intro: Meet Joseph Marker and Marker Elevated Landscapes 01:22 – 03:16 - The 3-2-1 Design Process: From Concept to Master Plan 03:17 – 05:12 - Inspiration Sources: Travel, Books, Social Media & Gardens 05:13 – 07:06 - Drone-Backed Hand Drawings: Communicating Clearly with Clients 07:07 – 10:14 - The Role of Process in Avoiding Miscommunication 10:15 – 13:32 - Flexibility, Late Nights & Sunrise Site Visits 13:33 – 16:04 - Designing a 144-Acre Tuscan Estate in Pennsylvania 16:05 – 17:35 - Applying Vastu Shastra Principles to Landscape Design 17:36 – 20:00 - Flat Lots, Rolling Hills, and the Role of the Client 20:01 – 22:06 - Maintenance: Growing Slowly and Preserving Quality 22:07 – 24:49 - Family Legacy: Honoring His Father’s Company & Vision 24:50 – 27:11 - Leadership, Hard Work, and What Joe Learned from His Dad 27:12 – 29:21 - Low-Maintenance Design, Deer Pressure & Plant Strategy 29:22 – 32:06 - Golf Course Inspiration & Finding Creativity Outdoors 32:07 – 34:49 - Designing Par-3 Greens for Clients (and for Fun) 34:50 – 37:19 - Tree Favorites, Annual Preferences, and Unique Palettes 37:20 – 39:58 - Final Reflections: Communication, Creativity, and Vision
- Nov 7, 202536 min
How Rob Ambler Built a People-First Landscape Company
In this episode of Rooted in Innovation, we sit down with Rob Ambler, founder and owner of Ambler Industries, LLC, a design/build and maintenance firm based in Pennsylvania. Rob shares his deeply personal story of burnout, renewal, and the business transformation that followed. From restructuring his leadership team to adopting Aspire software, Rob rebuilt his company around culture, clarity, and faith-driven leadership. We explore what it takes to attract great people, make bold software investments, and lead with purpose in a fast-moving, often chaotic industry. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the growth cycle, or questioned how to scale without losing your soul, this episode is for you.Timecodes:00:00 – Welcome to Rooted in Innovation01:05 – Meet Rob Ambler of Ambler Industries02:25 – The mission: build a values-driven landscape company04:01 – What culture looks like in practice: hiring, retention, clarity06:14 – Burnout at $5M: sleepless nights, high anxiety, tough calls08:52 – Replacing great-but-misaligned leaders10:47 – How Rob found his new leadership team through divine timing12:29 – Creating a no-turnover workplace through vision & loyalty14:55 – The ripple effect of servant leadership at all levels17:08 – Aspire software: from sticker shock to game-changer19:36 – Tracking labor variance and tying it to performance21:44 – Addressing pushback: “You only care about money”23:03 – Gamifying incentives and linking data to growth paths25:22 – Leading with faith and integrity: what it means on-site27:00 – The story of one foreman’s transformation28:38 – Rob’s personal “why”: faith, family, and making an impact30:02 – Reflections on Plumstead Christian School and giving back32:14 – Final takeaways on growth, leadership, and long-term visionResources:Have an upcoming landscaping project? Contact Tree Staple for a quote treestaple.comConnect with Jim Mancini on LinkedInConnect with Dionisio Roman III on LinkedInConnect with Rob Ambler on LinkedIn
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About Rooted in Innovation
Join Jim Mancini, Mike Nusser, and Dionisio Roman on the Rooted in Innovation podcast, where we meet with Arborists, Developers, Municipalities Workers, and other industry experts each month to explore their best tips and practices, industry insights, and current projects. Sponsored by Tree Staple, we dig deep into the tree care and landscape development industries to get all the dirt on how these experts have successfully transformed both cities and forests. Whether you want to catch up on industry news, or you’re looking for the latest landscape development tools and methods, we’ve got you covered.So, what are you waiting for? Tune in and get ready to be inspired, informed, and entertained by the voices shaping the green landscapes we love.
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