Sustainability Symposium for the Horticulture Industry

Thursday, November 6, 2008 - Friday, November 7, 2008

Location:

Chemeketa Community College, Building 34

Sustainability Symposium for the Horticulture Industry

November 6 and 7
Sponsored by Chemeketa Community College, SPROut, and the Oregon Association of Nurseries.

This one-day symposium is geared for nurseries, farms, vineyards/wineries, and landscape designers/managers, covering many aspects of sustainability that can benefit production to marketing. Our featured topics for the seminar series include

-defining sustainability for the horticulture industry
-certification systems (opportunities and challenges)
-consumer trends
-waste management (composting, recycling)
-energy (conservation, production, alternatives, incentives)
-water (conservation and recycling).

See the full agenda below.

Location: Chemeketa Community College, Building 34
Cost: $75
Registration: Please contact Yvonne Testerman, Chemeketa Department of Natural Resources, 503-589-7946 or atesterm@chemeketa.edu

There will also be a trade show concurrent with the seminar sessions. Vendor spaces are available for a fee of $100. Space for non-profit, educational, and governmental organizations is free. Please contact Renee Stoops, SPROut Coordinator, 503-584-7252 or rstoops@chemeketa.edu

On Day 2 of the Symposium, there will be optional tours of sustainable practices and systems at Oregon nurseries and businesses. Details with maps and directions will be provided to registered attendees. Attendees are responsible for arriving on their own at the tour locations, where a professional expert will lead the tour.
    Tours include:
        - Willamette Nursery, Water Conservation and Drip Irrigation
        - Pringle Creek Community, Landscape Applications of Sustainability
        - The Oregon Garden, Sustainable Plant Research and Outreach Center
        - Northwoods Nursery/One Green World, Salmon-Safe Certification
        - Monrovia Nursery, Composting and Water Recycling
        - Blooming Nursery, Ebb-and-Flood Watering System and Green Feathers Division
            (pre-grown green roof modules)
        - Holden Wholesale Growers, Solar Energy

Agenda:

Time	Agenda Item	Who
8:00 am	Trade show opens.	Industry vendors and non-profits.
9:00	Welcome. Introduce Katy Coba.	John Aguirre, OAN Executive Director
9:05	Presentation: Sharing ODA’s Vision of Sustainability	Katy Coba, ODA Director
9:20	Break. Trade show.
9:40	Panel: The Certification System. What does it mean? Who values it? How do I use it? Moderator: Renee Stoops, SPROut	1. Scott Exo, Food Alliance. 2. Jim Gilbert & Laura O’Leary: Salmon Safe certification at Northwoods Nursery. 3. Walter Suttle: Does certification make sense for Monrovia Nursery?
10:40	Break. Trade show.
11:00	Panel: Consumer Trends. What every grower should know about what is happening in landscaping and at retail points. Moderator: Jim Gilbert, Northwoods Nursery	1. Ken DeSantis, DeSantis Landscapes. 2. Liz Frances, The Garden Angels. 3. William McClenathan, Portland Nursery.
12:00 pm	Buffet lunch.
1:00	Panel: Waste Management. Moderator: Walter Suttle, Monrovia	1. Bailey Payne, Marion County Public Works Environmental Services. 2. Allan Elliott, Carlton Plants: Composting plant matter and potting soil. 3. Dan Holcombe, Oregon Soil: Vermiculture.
2:00	Break. Trade Show.
2:20	Panel: Energy Conservation, Alternatives, Incentives and Production Moderator: Gail Gredler, Chemeketa	1. Brent Searle, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Energy Tax Credits. 2. Chris Guntermann, Horticultural Services, Inc. Energy Conservation and Passive Ventilation. 3. John Miller, Biodiesel use at Mahonia Nursery.
3:20	Break. Trade show.
3:40	Panel: Water Conservation and Recycling. Moderator: Paul Kay, Rogue Water.	1. Scott Eden, Marion Soil and Water Conservation. Conservation incentive programs. 2. Tom Fessler, Water recycling and variable speed pumps at Woodburn Nursery and Azaleas. 3. Heather Stoven, OSU Extension. Research for water efficiency in production.
4:40	Closing Remarks	Renee Stoops, SPROut
4:45	Trade show.
5:00	End