Codes of Conduct
Voluntary codes of conduct were developed by professional gardeners, landscapers, architects, botanists, and policy-makers to curb the use and distribution of invasive plant species.
The codes were developed at a workshop St. Louis, Missouri in the winter of 2001. The Missouri Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew convened experts from around the world for this workshop.
The codes are designed to promote voluntary governance and self-regulation. The short-term goal has been to have major professional societies and organizations endorse the codes of conduct and then 'test' and revise them as necessary to improve their utility and effectiveness.
They are dynamic, designed to accommodate for research findings and evolve to increase their utility and effectiveness.
The Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association formed a Task Force and launched a pilot project to study the impact of implementing the Codes of Conduct on horticultural business practices and business.