Puddle-Stompers

Starting with my three favorite heroes...

From left to right: Pamela Berstler, Cheryl Buckwalter, and Maureen Decombe

Why are these gals my heroes?
Three people, representing three parts of California. Three people who not only teach and preach sustainability, but who live it.

Denise Morrison* once said, “I think leadership is service, and there is power in that giving - to help people, to inspire and motivate them to reach their fullest potential.”

All three of my heroes are living models of this concept. They are inspirational and insightful leaders. Each has her own way of showing us how we can be the best version of ourselves at all times, and to inspire others to do the same. I give thanks for the gifts these three bring to my world.

Pamela Berstler - Southern California
To my mind, Pamela is the conduit through which the whisper of hope for our future on this planet is amplified into a clarion call. She is CEO of Green Gardens Group (G3) and an inspirational speaker and teacher who represents the sustainability movement impeccably. She has facilitated the education and empowerment of thousands of people with her classes, trainings, conferences, and writings.

I see Pamela as a force. The G3 trainings have educated so many in Southern California and beyond, that the ripples of this influence will be felt for decades to come; I’m sure of it. The G3 training has achieved the endorsement of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is the only sustainable landscaping training program to have achieved this coveted endorsement. The EPA also declared G3 the 2017 Professional Certifying Organization Partner of the Year! How cool is that? Pamela and G3 were also the recipients of the APLD Leadership in Sustainability Award in 2016.

I took the G3 training in early 2016 and got the certification myself. I’m proud of my WWLP certification (Watershed Wise Landscape Professional). Pamela taught me in this training how to love Living Soil. And that love affair was deepened and has become more committed after I attended the fantastic Terroir Soil Summit in the summer of 2017, presented by G3. She is committed to making learning this essential information fun, as her playful spirit comes out in her teaching style. It's not uncommon in one of her talks or classes, to find yourself in a raucus group, acting out some process of nature, and having the time of your life.

I have never met a more dedicated warrior for the Earth. If I were to make two emphatic statements about Pamela, they would be: 1. She shows up. 2. She gets it done. I have watched her do amazing work as a volunteer with the APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers). She and Maureen Decombe have worked tirelessly and selflessly for years on behalf of landscape designers. And they’re still going strong, advocating and educating.

Pamela was recently named Executive Director of Pacific Horticulture Society (March of 2018). I can't wait to see how she rocks that world in 2018!

Cheryl Buckwalter - Sacramento Region, California
To me, Cheryl Buckwalter represents the sustainable landscaping movement in the Central Valley where she has been a dedicated and steadfast advocate and educator for many years. I met her in 2008 when I gave a talk on efficient irrigation to the APLD in the East Bay. She approached me at the end of the talk and told me she wanted to learn everything about irrigation. In the ensuing years since then, I have seen Cheryl constantly called on by cities, counties, water districts, and sustainability organizations in the Sacramento Region to lead, spearhead, and administer programs aimed at educating landscape professionals and the public about sustainable practices for the landscape.

Having worked alongside Cheryl on many projects over these ten years, I am perpetually astonished at her energy, enthusiasm, cheerfulness, and level of professionalism and commitment. She seems to be just as happy to learn as she is to teach. She often attends workshops and seminars to further her knowledge and skills. Her leadership as the Executive Director of EcoLandscape California for four years brought that organization to a new level as the go-to organization in the Sacramento Region for sustainable landscape education. She also was the winner of the APLD Leadership in Sustainability Award in 2018.

Cheryl is one of those people you definitely want on your team. Anything she steps into is brighter and stronger because of her presence. Her laugh is infectious, and any undertaking with her is as fun as it is effective. Her commitment to elevating the landscape trade is obvious, and it has been a pure joy to walk that path with her all these years.

I can truly say that I don’t see how the Sacramento Region would be the same without her. She is a consummate role model, and has influenced others to follow her lead. She is selfless and humble. Although she shies away from being labeled as a leader, I know of many who would follow her at a moment’s notice. Cheryl is loved and appreciated by so many who have worked with her over the years, that I know I speak not only for myself, but for many.

Maureen Decombe - Bay Area, California
For me, Maureen represents the sustainability movement in the Bay Area. As Maureen and I both live in the same city, I have been a witness to her quiet and powerful influence for close to ten years.

Maureen is a landscape designer and formerly a landscape contractor. When I first met her, she was running her own company doing design and fine gardening, and she was quite concerned about bringing her clients up to speed with practices that were environmentally sound. When Maureen became the trainer for the Bay-Friendly Coalition trainings, she moved away from serving clients through gardening, and moved toward teaching and inspiring landscape professionals. Her understanding of best practices and her passion benefited so many who attended the trainings she facilitated.

To see Maureen in action, and experience her powerful drive and sense of purpose, is a thing of beauty. While she is a fantastic teacher and public speaker, she seems to gravitate these days to quietly working in the background. I’ve seen her put on various events and programs where she worked selflessly and tirelessly, ironing out all the wrinkles by the time anybody showed up.

It’s such a lovely contradiction of terms to see this mighty leader not beckoning us to follow her, but instead bringing the ladder and holding it up for us to climb. She is currently the Sustainability Chair for the APLD at the California Chapter level. She has held various positions within the organization, and was President of the state Chapter in 2009. I have personally witnessed her working for many years on behalf of others.

Maureen’s strengths include not only exceptional leadership qualities, but she is genuine, and a true friend to many. Maureen tends to gravitate toward service to others. She has a heart of gold, and a lively, cheerful spirit. When I have seen her presented with a problem or challenge, it feels like she wraps her heart around the situation, and then her loving compassion becomes the filter through which the problem is solved. There is a feeling of nurturing and respect for all, that is the tangible result of Maureen's engagement in working through any situation.

Heroes they are. Heroes they will always be.

I am deeply honored to be able to kick off this web page with these three amazing women. This Heroes page will serve as a rampage of love and appreciation for those who truly are showing us all how to be the best we can be.

I hope this will inspire you to show appreciation for the heroes in your life. Our heroes really do inspire us through their examples to step up and to show up for others. The world will never be the same without all of us who bring love and appreciation and compassion to the lives of others. Sometimes our heroes slip away before we find a way to tell them they light up our world.

So hug a hero today.

*Denise Morrison was President and Chief Executive Officer of Campbell Soup Company from 2011-2018