Landscape: An Urban Agriculture Industry

1. Landscape: An Urban Agriculture Industry

2. What makes up the Urban Ag Industry???

3. Florida? South Carolina? North Carolina? Alabama? Georgia? 9.9 Billion Dollars 188,000 Jobs 1.4 Billion Dollars 24,710 Jobs 943 Million Dollars 6840 Jobs 230 Million Dollars How large is your state industry?What is the economic impact?

4. Georgia’s Urban Ag Business is… 5.7 BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY AND EMPLOYS 70 THOUSAND PEOPLE

5. Networking is Critical…Be proactive consistently.

6. Water Resource Limitations WATER QUANTITY and WATER QUALITY • Which do you think is the most urgent and / or important today? • How will these issues affect your business…short and long-term?

7. Setting the Stage • Growth and quality of life issues are linked to water quality and water availability

8. Setting the Stage • Recurring drought across the state has strained already limited water resources

9. Water Resources - protecting source water, then treating and distributing it for drinking, industry, agriculture and other consumption purposes Balancing Two Closely Related Water Management Issues • Water Protection - maintaining the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters for protection of aquatic life, recreation, aesthetic value and other uses Photo Courtesy of Georgia DITT

10. Our industry affects the environment and the quality of life!

11. “I can foretell the way of celestial bodies, but can say nothing about the movement of a single drop of water.” Galileo

12. Let’s consider our water supply…

13. We Depend on Clean Water Daily! • 372 billion gallons/day in the U.S. • 5.8 billion gallons/day in Georgia • 2.7 billion gallons for: • public supply and private wells (47%) • agriculture (28%) • industrial activities (25%) • 3.1 billion gallons for: • electric power generation

14. Nature’s Boundaries Georgia Department of Community Affairs

15. Watershed Protection A watershed approach is widely recognized as the most effective way to manage and protect water resources. www.teamalcovy.com

16. Storm Water Runoff

17. Water Quality Affects the Availability

18. Land Use & Water The way we use our land affects water quality and quantity. USGS

19. Cause And Effect Increases in the intensity of land use and urbanization typically result in an increase in impervious surfaces which lowers water quality and affects water quantity.

20. Thermal Stress Elevated water temperatures from impervious surfaces: • May harm native species; and • Help nonnative species (exotics) spread. NEMO

21. Impervious Surfaces . . . are made up of materials like concrete, asphalt, roofing, and compacted soil which prevent percolation of runoff into the ground.

22. Nutrients Nitrogen and phosphorus are needed for plant growth but excessive quantities can: • Cause health hazards in drinking water; • Stimulate excessive aquatic plant growth; and • Result in lower dissolved oxygen levels.

23. Toxic Contaminants Heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals: • Threaten the health of aquatic and human life • Resist breakdown in aquatic systems NEMO EPA

24. SedimentGeorgia’s Leading Source Of Water Pollution Eroded clay and soil washing off the land: • Smothers aquatic habitat • Fills streams and lakes • Carries pollutants • Reduces water clarity

25. OPPORTUNITIES !!!

26. Developing soil and landscape systems to reduce stormwater runoff, to filter contaminants and to cool the environment. • Reduce soil erosion and sedimentation • Reduce stormwater runoff while filtering contaminants • Reducing heat islands

27. Engineered Soil and Landscape Systems - A self-sustaining soil and plant system that simultaneously supports plant growth, soil microbes, water infiltration, nutrient and pollution adsorption, sediment and pollutant biofiltration, water interflow and pollutant decomposition.

28. Reduce soil erosion and sedimentation

29. Integrated Science & Engineering Oakview Detention Pond-Compost Blanket

30. Erosion Mats vs. Compost Blanket

33. Reduce stormwater runoff while filtering contaminants

36. Irrigation Runoff Reclamation and TreatmentUsing Constructed Wetlands Wight Nurseries, Inc

37. 1999 Nitrate Removal in PPM EPA Standard 10 ppm

38. 1999 Phosphate Reduction PPM

39. “Green Roofs”www.greenroofs.com

41. ET Irrigation Controllers • Saves up to 50% of the home owners water usage while reducing non-point source pollution. • Very cost effective • Increases the health of the landscape. Reduction of water related diseases • Reduces “Non-Storm Water Runoff”

42. Example:HydroPoint Data Systems “WeatherTrak”

43. Non-stormwater runoff is due to poor irrigation systems resulting in: • Wasting a precious natural resource. • An increased runoff into streets carrying fertilizers and pesticides with the flow. Resulting in increased fertilization application. • Less efficient absorption rate especially in compacted clay soils. • More plant death due to over watering. • Hardscape damage.

44. Diversify your business to include: • Landscape and irrigation audits services • Landscape and irrigation renovation services • Drought tolerant landscape designs • Irrigation maintenance seasonal services Any others?

45. w w w . c o o l c o m m u n i t i e s . o r g

46. What Is an Urban Heat Island? • Vegetation has gradually been replaced by buildings and paved surfaces. • More of the sun’s rays are absorbed rather than reflected, causing both surface temperatures and the surrounding air temperatures to rise.

47. w w w . c o o l c o m m u n i t i e s . o r g

48. Development brings large expanses of impervious surfaces. w w w . c o o l c o m m u n i t i e s . o r g

49. Practical Measures for Heat Island Mitigation • Shade trees • Block solar radiation • Reduce air temperatures through evapotranspiration • Reduce flow of stormwater runoff • Help filter particulate matter from the air

50. Metro Atlanta, 1972 American Forests Vegetation