Executive order 202.6 has been interpreted by Counties, Towns & Villages to determine that Landscape businesses are considered essential under No. 11 of the executive order which states “ a service necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences or other businesses including general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor”
NYS Empire State Development has clarified it further:
Thank you for contacting Empire State Development. Landscaping is essential for maintenance and pest control, but not for cosmetic work (i.e. no new planting).
To stay informed and get nightly updates from New York State with the latest news on our response to the pandemic, sing up at https://now.ny.gov/page/s/coronavirus-updates.
If you still have questions, please visit the COVID-19 FAQ section of our website at https://esd.ny.gov/novel-coronavirus-faq-businesses
This indicates that winter debris clean up and typical lawn care practices may continue however companies are required to maintain distances and safety practices while doing this work. This includes traveling to and from job sites as well as when on site. Businesses that fail to follow these guidelines will be ordered to shut down and will be subject to the State imposed fines.