Download ISN’T HORTICULTURE ALREADY GREEN? (Or how plant science will save the planet)

ISN’T HORTICULTURE
ALREADY GREEN?
(Or how plant science will save the planet)
Sustainable landscapes are popular
Sustainable landscapes are mainstream
But can we define what this means?
Sustainable landscapes as those that
include the conservation of water, soil,
plants and other resources according
to the larger “land ethic” as described
by Aldo Leopold.
This includes water conservation and
protection, soil conservation and
protection, use of indigenous and/or
hardy, non-invasive plants and
minimal use of pesticides.
May also include use of plants to
mitigate urban and build environment
issues.
Is the green industry really green?
The national obsession with lawns, promoted by the turf care industry, has
resulted in 23 million acres of lawn, with $8.4 billion spent on turf care
annually. However it is one of most unsustainable planting approaches that
exists, requiring 1-2 inches of water per week, gasoline to mow (emissions
released into atmosphere), and fertilizers/broadleaf herbicides to maintain.
Chemical use
• 78 million households in the U.S. use home and garden pesticides.
• Herbicides account for the highest usage of pesticides in the home
and garden sector with over 90 million pounds applied on lawns
and gardens per year.
• Suburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications
per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average).
• Pesticide sales by the chemical industry average $9.3 billion.
Annual sales of the landscape industry are over $35 billion.
• A 2004 national survey reveals that 5 million homeowners use only
organic lawn practices and products and 35 million people use
both toxic and non-toxic materials.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2004. Pesticides Industry Sales and Usage: 2000 and 2001 Market Estimates. EPA-733-R-04-001.
National Research Council. 1980. Urban Pest Management. National Academy of Sciences; Abrams, R., Attorney General of New York. 1991. “Toxic
Fairways: Risking Groundwater Contamination from Pesticides on Long Island Golf Courses,” Environmental Protection Bureau; Pimentel, D, et al.
1991. “Environmental and Economic Impacts of Reducing U.S. Agricultural Pesticide Use,” Handbook of Pest Management in Agriculture, 2nd ed. CRC
Press, Florida, p.679.
Water consumption
Of the 26 billion gallons of
water consumed daily in the
United States,
approximately 7.8 billion
gallons, or 30 percent, is
devoted to outdoor uses –
primarily irrigation.
www.epa.gov/greenhomes/ConserveWater.htm
Outside, nearly 40 percent
of municipal water is used
for watering lawns and
gardens.
Dept. of Ecology, State of Washington
Perpetuating invasive species
An "invasive species" is defined by the
Executive Order as a species that is 1)
non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem
under consideration and 2) whose
introduction causes or is likely to cause
economic or environmental harm or harm
to human health. The Order further
provides that a Federal agency may make
a determination that the benefits of an
action, which may lead to the introduction
or spread of an invasive species, clearly
outweigh the potential harm caused by
the species and take steps to minimize
that harm.
(Executive Order 13112)
www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov
Resource depletion
Commercial extraction of peat for use in
gardening leads to the destruction of
peatlands, which are important for
biodiversity, carbon storage, flood risk
management and the global water cycle
Aren’t things getting better?
.
Industry organizations evolving
Policies and practices evolve too…
Training programs respond…
College of Lake County Horticulture
Five AAS tracks:
 Production
 Landscape design
 Landscape construction and maintenance
 Natural area management
 Sustainable agriculture
Six Certificate options:
 Landscape design
 Landscape construction and maintenance
 Natural area management
 Sustainable agriculture
 Arboriculture
 Floral design
HRT 285 – Sustainable Landscapes (3 credit hours)
This class will explore greenroof systems, living walls, gray
water catchment systems, rain gardens, bioswales, water
quality treatment with plants, phytoremediation (plants) and
mycoremediation (fungi) techniques for treating
contaminated soils, and a number of other approaches to
create more sustainable landscapes and green infrastructure.
Students will gain an understanding of how these approaches
work, what is involved to design and build them, and how to
assess construction materials and costs.
New and updated courses
Curriculum revisions have incorporated sustainability
issues across all program tracks, and new courses and
special topics have been added as electives
Illinois Green Economy Network
A partnership of 48 Illinois community college campuses working with
businesses and local communities to grow Illinois’ green economy
AGR 111) Permaculture Production
AGR 112) Season Extension Methods
AGR 114) Annual Fruit & Vegetable Production
AGR 210) Agricultural Marketing
New program options
Sustainable agriculture includes 4 new AGR courses,
combining with existing HRT courses to form both
AAS degree and certificate options
So why do we still have landscapes
that look like this?
The “new” green industry…?
Stick with the status quo, or continually change so
things remain vital? Reimagine, rethink and reinvent to
remain relevant
1) Climate change – carbon sequestration
2) Water – quantity and quality
3) Soil – preserve and protect
4) Biodiversity – loss & threats from invasive species
5) Food – localized, sustainable production systems
Key Future Landscape Challenges
Plant valuation
Contribution of O2 to
our atmosphere
Removal of CO2 from
the atmosphere
Temperature
mitigation
Water filtration
Soil preservation
Habitat provision
Food production
Larger climate change effects
As we continue to
put carbon into the
atmosphere
through use of
fossil fuels (energy
production and
consumption), we
increase CO2,
increasing the
greenhouse effect
and contributing to
global climate
change
Sequestering carbon and plants
The role of green space in
urban areas is critical
Vegetative cover plays a key role
in biomass and the corresponding
carbon sequestering potential
Landscape actions for climate
Plant “big” biomass
Rethink turf areas
Use only where truly needed
Play/recreation spaces
Gathering places
Try sustainable methods
Allow turf to go dormant during
drought periods
Mow high, sharpen blades and
use a mulching mower – or try
a rotary mower!
Aerate and compost instead of
traditional fertilizers
Allow some broadleaf plants to
remain
Water – supply and quality
According to Nature (2010), about
80% of the world's population
(7 billion in 2012) live in areas
with threats to water security
Watershed perspective
"Watershed management is the process of organizing and guiding land and
other resource use on a watershed to provide desired goods and services
without adversely affecting soil and water resources. Embedded in the concept
of watershed management is the recognition of the interrelationships among
land use, soil, and water, and linkages between uplands and downstream
areas."
(Brooks et al., 1997)
Wetlands for water protection
To control flooding and improve water
quality, we are now managing our
watersheds by restoring riparian
wetlands
Groundwater recharge
Landscape actions for water
Improve infiltration
Rethink watering
Reduce paving or use
permeable options
Best watering practices
Stop sealcoating; try pavers
or gravel for drives
Aerate turf (compacted turf
areas can be almost as bad
as paving)
Add rain gardens or bioswales
to keep water on-site
Reduce evaporation
Use mulch
Use a rain barrel or cistern
instead of the hose
Install regional xeriscape plants
Select species that are drought
tolerant
Group plantings by water
needs
Soil degradation
Around the world, soil is being swept
and washed away 10 to 40 times
faster than it is being replenished,
destroying cropland the size of
Indiana every year, reports a new
Cornell University study "Soil erosion
is second only to population growth
as the biggest environmental problem
the world faces," said David Pimentel,
professor of ecology. The economic
impact of soil erosion in the United
States costs the nation about $37.6
billion each year in productivity
losses. Damage from soil erosion
worldwide is estimated to be $400
billion per year. (Cornell University Chronicle Online)
Sediment
Sediment is the particle material that settles out of water, soil
that has eroded from adjacent land. Sediments indicate soil
loss, and as they build up, can compromise water quality and
disrupt water flow.
Landscape actions for soil
Minimize erosion
Stabilize shorelines
Control sediment
Renew fertility
Biodiversity loss
An international team
of researchers including
professor Emmett Duffy
of the Virginia Institute
of Marine Science has
published a
comprehensive new
analysis showing that
loss of plant
biodiversity disrupts the
fundamental services
that ecosystems provide
to humanity.
ScienceDaily (Mar. 24, 2011)
Invasive plants
One of the single largest threats to our nation's
natural resources, invasive species:
Decrease biodiversity
Put endangered and threatened species at
further risk. In fact, invasive species are the
second leading cause of animal population
decline and extinction worldwide
Displace native plants that wildlife and fish
depend on for food
Increase soil erosion and can cause major
damage to streams and other wetland areas
that provide habitat
Increase the frequency and risk of wildfires
Reduce agricultural production and property
values (Center for Invasive Plant Management)
What we’ve learned about…
Landscape actions for biodiversity
Plant natives
Bypass hybrids and cultivars for
regional native species
Incorporate habitat with
ecosystem approach
Minimize chemical use
Avoid invasives
Be aware of the invasive watch
list
Food for the planet
The challenge to food security
presented by water shortages and
climate change will be made
worse by a projected three billion
increase in world population to 10
billion by 2100.
(NYTimes, June 12, 2011)
Carbon footprint and food mileage
Cuba’s lesson
Confronted with the collapse of aid from
the Soviet Union in 1988 and evertighter U.S. sanctions in the early 1990s,
the Castro regime was forced to
abandon centrally-planned, fossil-fueldriven agriculture and rediscover
sustainable and green farming practices.
A new generation of farmers tend urban
and small rural farms – a network of
producers across the country – and now
provide 80% of the country with
predominantly local, organic produce.
Why buy locally grown?
What’s in our fruits and vegetables?
The U.S. EPA tested 19 foods
commonly eaten by children
for pesticide residues, focusing
on those that are known
carcinogens or neurotoxins
25% had detectable levels of
carcinogens, and 34% had
detectable levels of
neurotoxins
Only .2% of samples
indicated residue levels that
exceeded legal tolerances
Landscape actions for food
Grow your own F&V
Support real farmers
Simples ways for gardeners
to save the planet
Reduce turf, stop using lawn chemicals
Practice good soil management (compost!)
Practice integrated pest management
Incorporate native for diversity and habitat
Grow food and know your farmer
Include plantings for home energy conservation
Add plantings for water conservation/retention
Take a long-term perspective – train the next
generation
Mentoring the next generation
Who influenced your knowledge, your career and your
success along the way?
Resources
Interested in learning more?
Rory Klick, Associate Professor & Dept Chair, Horticulture
College of Lake County
[email protected]