Climate and Economic Impacts on the Plant Sector:

Nursery & Landscape Perspective

Warren A. Quinn, Esq., CAEWarren A. Quinn, Esq., CAEVice President for OperationsVice President for Operations

American Nursery & Landscape AssociationAmerican Nursery & Landscape Associationwquinn@anla.orgwquinn@anla.org

March, 2012March, 2012

Approach

Horticulture in the US: Function to Horticulture in the US: Function to Aesthetics to InfrastructureAesthetics to Infrastructure

Consensus: Value of Plants in Designed Consensus: Value of Plants in Designed EcosystemsEcosystems

Challenges and Solutions: Challenges and Solutions: ““WhatWhat’’s Next?s Next?”” Provocative?Provocative?

Evolving use of plants

Fruit trees and windbreaks/Major estatesFruit trees and windbreaks/Major estates Middle class homeownership: suburbiaMiddle class homeownership: suburbia Garden center retailingGarden center retailing DisneylandDisneyland ’’70s: Highway beautification70s: Highway beautification ’’80s: Commercial suburbia and office parks80s: Commercial suburbia and office parks ’’90s: Curb appeal, status90s: Curb appeal, status 2000s: Staycations, outdoor rooms, etc.2000s: Staycations, outdoor rooms, etc.

Increased Understanding of Benefits

Greening of the cities:Greening of the cities: Parks & greenbeltsParks & greenbelts Urban villagesUrban villages Green buildingsGreen buildings

Landscape restoration and rehabilitationLandscape restoration and rehabilitation Horticultural therapyHorticultural therapy

Now: Green Infrastructure Warming: Energy savings, reduced

evapotranspiration Storm severity/floods: Stormwater

management Drought: Water retention, re-use, green

roofs, engineered soil profiles CO2: Carbon sequestration Extinction: Managed biodiversity,

engineered wetlands

2002 Data – Nursery & Landscape Industry* Business and governmental unitsBusiness and governmental units Growing, distributing, installing, Growing, distributing, installing,

maintainingmaintaining Trees, plants, landscapes and related Trees, plants, landscapes and related

equipmentequipment $148 billion ($95 billion $148 billion ($95 billion ““value addedvalue added””)) 2 million jobs, $64 billion labor income2 million jobs, $64 billion labor income*2011- New York Restoration Project, Vibrant Cities & Urban Forests*2011- New York Restoration Project, Vibrant Cities & Urban Forests

Consensus and Challenge

Those engaged in the conversation are convinced of the value of green infrastructure

So . . . “We” don’t need more data . . . “We” don’t need to spend time/effort trying

to convince each other

Consensus and Challenge

Those not engaged are either:Not interestedThreatenedNot reachable

So . . . No amount of research or talking will

convince them!

Challenges (1) Entrenched officials and engineers (irrelevance =

unemployment Outdated building codes – Local! Researchers need to do research (solutions =

unemployment) Every organization wants to lead and get credit –

true collaboration is difficult

Challenges (2) Non-profit and Gov’t suspicion of for-profit

sector Plants are always the LAST consideration The Green Industry will respond to the

market – but will not lead it Grower: commodities versus bio-diversity Landscape: fragmented, limited influence LEED = minimum – not aspirational

Solutions (1) Improve plant education for landscape

architects and civil engineers Cradle to Cradle: Change goal from “less

bad” (LEED) to “sustainable sites” – even net benefits

Need POTUS dedicated to change through leadership – not regulation

Public gardens = public education = POWER

Solutions (2)

Project timelines and specifications Include “green machine” concepts earlySole source (like high-tech)Contract grow diverse species

Government continuing education (Local!) Sustainable = profitable (don’t rely on

government funding) No new “regulations” – Market-driven!

It’s a Movement

Plant more plants