Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria is the peak body for amenity horticulture. Founded in 1903, NGIV represents the interests of an industry worth $1.6 Billion and employing over 11,000 people.
The NGIV can assist Victorians in reducing energy consumption, reducing pollution and adapting to the impacts of climate change. The NGIV is committed to working in partnership with the Victorian Government in providing responses to the Governments solutions to climate change.
Our industry has sensible long term environmental solutions to these important climate change issues. Tackling these issues as part of a cooperative whole of government and industry approach will provide important environmental and economic outcomes for Victorians.
A Victorian Initiative:
An opportunity exists for Victoria to lead the climate change debate nationally. The Victorian Government, in partnership with NGIV, can produce a program of greenhouse gas abatement and carbon sequestration though amenity horticulture. This can be done against a background of water conservation and public education.
Our Aims
The NGIV seeks to continue our strong work in partnership with the Victorian Government to develop sensible, sustainable solutions to climate change issues for the state’s householders.
Cooling the Planet – One Backyard at a Time
The home gardener is the collective custodian of by far the largest area of urban parkland in the state. This asset has traditionally been undervalued.
Improving our gardens can have a powerful effect on reducing energy consumption, storing carbon and reducing pollution.
Victorians are searching for financially sensible solutions that will have a positive effect on climate change. For example a 2007 Newspoll showed that 70% of Australians would like to grow their own vegetables.
Grass roots environmental messages, such as composting, recycling and sensible water practices, resonate with the public, producing excellent conservation outcomes.
The NGIV looks forward to assisting the Victorian Government in developing community messages that significantly enhance the Our Environment – Our Future policy.
- The NGIV as co-owners of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, are able to deliver key environmental messages at the largest garden event in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Through our extensive network within the entire supply chain including retail garden centres, garden clubs and horticulture media .
- Through our Schools Gardens Program that has educated Victorian Schools for over 30 years.
Greenspace
The urban forest is essentially the garden and park spaces within our urban area. The ‘heat island effect,’ an internationally recognised phenomenon, has had a staggering effect on energy use. During summer months VENCorp predict a 30% load increase between 2001 and 2011 due to refrigerated air conditioners alone.
Planting and maintaining trees and green life can reduce energy use and the consequential carbon and other chemical emissions from power stations:
- Shade from trees to roofs and/or windows does reduce indoor temperatures by 6–12°C in summer.
- A single 8m tree strategically grown near a house to maximize wind breaking and shading effects can reduce annual heating a cooling costs by as much as 12%.
- Multiple trees can achieve energy reductions as much as 40%.
- Street and park trees in urban areas does reduce winter wind speeds and can reduce heating costs by as much as 30%.
Climate Change:
The Federal Government, having recently ratified the Kyoto Protocol, is determined to make a smooth transition to a low-carbon future and position our economy for continued growth. While much attention has been focused on carbon sequestration, mainly through forestry, real cuts in carbon emissions can only be achieved through increases in renewable energies, cuts in energy consumption and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. As the Federal Government awaits its study in to the economic impacts of an emissions trading scheme, the Victorian public are searching for sensible solutions for reducing their personal carbon footprint.
The importance of plants, trees, shrubs and lawns in curbing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing the impact of climate change, reducing soil-erosion from salinity issues and addressing the myriad of man-made environmental issues cannot be overstated.
It’s an important message and in order to address matters relating to climate change and drought, the idea of rejuvenating the environment with Waterwise gardening practices should be part of an integrated approach to addressing all issues pertaining to climate change, drought and taking steps to address the broader issues.
This can be addressed in a number of ways:
- By encouraging recycled water and grey water use in the garden
- With the judicious use of shade trees around the home
- Expanding the development of streetscape plantings
- Strategies to slow storm-water runoff.
- Greater plantings of shade trees in school-grounds, a simple positive step in UV protection.
Social Change Program
Victoria is not alone with these problems, but it can be the first state in Australia to do something meaningful about them. International cities that have recognised the importance of their urban forest are being rewarded with positive social and economic benefits. These include less graffiti, enhanced feelings of security, less crime, healthier residents and more community involvement. By ensuring that new works and redevelopments include energy efficient garden design, cities are better able to operate in a carbon constrained future. An adaptation strategy, to be effective, must include these measures as part of the normal planning making process. This will require a sustained period of awareness building and collaboration with industry. A Government and industry public education program will work to change people’s understanding of the importance of urban forests which is essential in achieving more positive outcomes.
The opportunity exists to promote positive social change through a partnership between NGIV, the State Government and the metropolitan water authorities.
This will mitigate some of the issues associated with climate change and allow governments, businesses and individuals to reflect their risk preferences just as they would for other risk assessments.
An adaptation strategy, to be effective, must result in climate risk being considered as a normal part of decision-making.. To reach this point is going to require a period of awareness building and a collaborative effort on part of each of the three stakeholder groups.
A Government and industry public education program will work to change people’s behavior, which is the key to our obtaining positive results in water conservation.
Water
Victorian gardeners have been enthusiastic adopters of water conservation message and have demonstrated their willingness to embrace new water saving technologies.
Rebates for the installation of water tanks, changing spray to dripper irrigation and good advice from the industry have enabled householders to maintain their gardens.
Our joint efforts to re-kindle the simple love of gardening will generate other benefits too. These will include the benefits of home and community vegetable gardening which include significant carbon savings, lower ‘food-miles and lower water use.
Conclusion
Climate change, and our response to it, will define our generation. There is no stepping away from it. The NGIV proposes a partnership with the Victorian Government to:
- Develop practical solutions to reducing household energy consumption through efficient garden design.
- Develop green-life carbon calculators to assist householders with offsetting their carbon footprint.
- Raise the importance of urban forestation, particularly parks, gardens, lawns and green wedges in carbon sequestration.
- Recognize the importance of the urban forest in reducing pollution, capturing storm water run-off and producing oxygen.
This proposal is a positive environmental contribution to Victoria’s response to climate change.