FORT MYERS, Fla. (October 9, 2008) — Steven Morton, Landscape Planner for Shell Point Retirement Community, recently received his Arborist Certification through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the local Chapter of the ISA. Morton has been with Shell Point since 2005, and in addition to this recent certification, he is a Certified Horticultural Professional and has a license in Pesticide Application for Lawns and Ornamental Plants issued by the State of Florida.
The property at Shell Point Retirement Community is comprised of close to 1,000 acres, that of which Morton is in charge of all the landscaping outside of the golf course. He oversees 17 employees in his department, as well as five contract turf-care contractors, and watches over a range of horticultural plants from palms to orchids.
“I believe in on-going career training and want to lead by example by encouraging my team to continue to work on their horticultural skills,” said Morton. “I currently have seven employees on my team here at Shell Point who all have various industry certifications, including six that are Florida Certified Horticultural Professionals.”
The purpose of the ISA Certification Program is to improve the level of knowledge and standard of practice within the tree care profession. It is designed to assist the public in identifying those professionals in Arboriculture who have demonstrated, through a professionally developed examination and education program, a thorough knowledge of tree care practices. All Certified Arborists carry a wallet identification card for verification. The ISA program tests and certifies an individual’s knowledge in the field of Arboriculture.
Morton earned a B.S. degree in Agriculture with an emphasis on Horticulture from the University of Missouri, Columbia. The Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) awarded his team at Shell Point with “The Green Star Award” for excellence in landscaping. He is also pursuing a Professional Grounds Manager Certification with the PGMS. Shell Point Retirement Community is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers just off Summerlin Road, two miles before the Sanibel causeway. Shell Point has been accredited since 1993 and is a nationally recognized leader in the retirement industry.
