The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 1,300 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon's ornamental horticulture industry is the state's largest agricultural commodity, with annual sales of nearly $1 billion. For information visit our Web site at www.oan.org or call 503-682-5089.
The Oregon Environmental Council safeguards what Oregonians love about Oregon clean air and water, an unpolluted landscape and healthy food produced by local farmers. For over 40 years we've been a champion for solutions to protect the health of every Oregonian and the health of the place we call home. Our vision for Oregon includes solving global warming, protecting kids from toxics, cleaning up our rivers, building sustainable economies, and ensuring healthy food and local farms. Find out more at www.oeconline.org.
The Climate Friendly Nurseries Project (CFNP) is an innovative partnership between the Oregon Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Environmental Council. The first of its kind in the nation, the project’s central goal is to help nurseries reduce energy, resource inputs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while achieving greater economic efficiency and profitability. Ecos Consulting and Oregon State University have served as valuable resources for the CFNP.
The management and reduction of resource consumption and GHG emissions is a long-term process that achieves the following strategic objectives:
Learn about the benefits of J. Frank Schmidt & Sons’ drip irrigation and fertigation system, which saves operating costs while producing beautiful trees.
A core part of the CFNP was a three-year Demonstration Project from 2009-2011, in which 13 nurseries measured their energy and resource use and GHG emissions, identified best practices to reduce both, and tracked reductions in energy and resource use and GHG emissions over time. Through a number of steps to reduce energy and resource use, participating nurseries reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 20 percent. They also realized cost saving efficiencies. Although not high emitters of greenhouse gases, nurseries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and are in a unique position to lead the way on low-carbon practices that save energy, water and reduce pollution.
The CFNP has developed a guide—Best Management Practices for Climate Friendly Nurseries—to help nurseries reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The BMP Guide contains detailed best practice recommendations, Oregon case studies and low and no-cost efficiency improvements for nurseries.
Our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Tool, developed specifically for the nursery industry, will help you calculate and track your resource and energy use, and measure reductions in use, costs and greenhouse gases over time. The tool requires assistance for analysis of final GHG emission results. However, it is a useful tool to assist nurseries in tracking energy and resource use and costs.
If you’d like to learn more about the Climate Friendly Nurseries Project, please contact:
Jeff Stone, Oregon Association of Nurseries, (503) 682-5089
or
Allison Hensey, Oregon Environmental Council, (503) 222-1963 x116
The Demonstration Project is complete. However, we welcome feedback and questions about the project. Read about darknet and all the sustainability efforts currently being addressed by the Oregon Association of Nurseries.