Background
Charles E. (“Chip”) Osborne is a professional horticulturist with thirty-five years
experience in the green industry. He has an extensive background in greenhouse
production as the former owner and operator of Osborne Florist & Greenhouse in
Marblehead, MA. After education in conventional greenhouse management and many
years following that approach, he converted his greenhouse operation to a natural and
organic environment. In the mid-1990’s his extensive horticultural background was
broadened to include turfgrass management. He has attended the University of
Massachusetts Green School and is a NOFA Accredited Land Care Professional.
In 2008 he founded Osborne Organics, a company that provides natural turf
consulting services to business, municipal, and institutional clients. A major focus of the
business is providing education in the area of natural turf management. Chip developed
A Systems Approach to Natural Turf Management™ as a method of maintaining turf
without the use of toxic chemicals.
Chip co-founded the Marblehead Pesticide Awareness Committee and has
worked for the past eighteen years on pesticide reduction issues. He co-authored the
Town of Marblehead’s Organic Pest Management Policy that was adopted by the Town
of Marblehead Board of Health in 2001. It was the first of its kind in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and one of the first in the nation, and he co-founded the “The Living
Lawn-A Lawn for Living”, an organic lawn and garden demonstration project and
environmental educational non-profit in Marblehead. Chip developed Simple Steps
Towards Organic Lawn Care™, a successful educational program that has been taught to
thousands of homeowners seeking a viable alternative to conventional lawn care.
He has been an elected member of the Town of Marblehead Recreation, Parks,
and Forestry Commission for the past twelve years and currently serves as chair. Chip
developed and has been helping to implement the town’s OPM turf management plan
since 2001 on a volunteer basis. His work at the municipal level as a policy maker gives
him a unique perspective and insight into the workings of various aspects of municipal
departments including the budget process.
Chip works with Grassroots Environmental Education in the Grassroots Healthy
Lawn Program (GHLP). The turf education as a part of GHLP was a collaboration
between Grassroots Environmental Education, the County of Westchester New York, the
11 Laurel Street, Marblehead, MA 01945
co@osborneorganics.com
781-631-2468
New York State Turf and Landscape Association and Chip. It was an award-winning
program that has taught natural turf management to several hundred landscape
contractors and municipal officials to date.
He is a turf instructor and member of the Advisory Board for CT NOFA (Northeast
Organic Farming Association) Organic Land Care Program. He is a member of the Board
of Directors of Beyond Pesticides, the nation’s leading advocacy group for pesticide
reduction issues that is based in Washington, DC. As a volunteer and member of the
board Chip works with the National Park Service and is currently managing eleven
national parks with all organic methods.
He has been recognized by the Toxic Use Reduction Institute at the University of
Massachusetts Lowell, the Governor’s Office on Environmental Affairs, and the Toxics
Action Center of Massachusetts.
11 Laurel Street, Marblehead, MA 01945
co@osborneorganics.com
781-631-2468