Retail Nursery Partnership
Transcription
Retail Nursery Partnership
Partner with PlantRight to promote noninvasive plants for California PlantRight invites garden centers across California to join its FREE Retail Nursery Partnership program. Participants will be leaders in preventing the spread of ornamental invasive plants in ways that make economic sense, and become experts at promoting noninvasive, regionally appropriate alternatives. PlantRight’s training materials and science-based educational content are easy-to-use, practical, and available 24/7 so that even the busiest garden center professional can benefit. What’s expected of Retail Partners • Pledge to sell only noninvasive plants, using PlantRight’s list of invasive plants and alternatives as a guide. • At minimum, require all plant buyers to complete PlantRight’s online training (20-30 minutes). Benefits provided to Retail Partners • One more way to show customers ‘We Care!’ When PlantRight approached Sloat Garden Center, joining forces was a slam dunk. PlantRight’s efforts helped • Practical, educational materials on ornamental invasive plants. • Expert recommendations for noninvasive alternative plants. • Recognition via PlantRight web media, partner networks, in-store signage, and more. solidify and train our team with a singular, cohesive message that can easily be communicated to our customers through signage, handouts, on-line presence and team member knowledge. Retailers across the country should embrace these types of efforts informed and responsible decisions. ~ Dave Stoner President & CEO Sloat Garden Center, 9 Bay Area locations www.PlantRight.org photo by Bob Case helping them make more photo by Barry Rice to educate our customers, Invasive plants like big leaf periwinkle (left) and Scotch broom (right) are shown invading natural spaces in CA, impacting ecological balance and human ability to use the land. [email protected] About PlantRight PlantRight is fully-funded initiative of the non-profit Sustainable Conservation. Since 2005, PlantRight has collaborated with leaders of California’s horticultural industry to reduce the negative environmental and economic impacts of invasive plants through voluntary methods that make economic sense. Impacts When a plant invades a habitat, it often outcompetes native plants for resources such as light, water and soil nutrients. Over time, this can cause dramatic ecological changes that result in lost agricultural yields, increased severity of wildfires and floods, reduced land values, damage to infrastructure, and degraded recreational opportunities. In California, 48% of the state’s invasive plants were introduced for ornamental purposes through horticulture (Bell et al., UCCE 2003). Today, approximately $82 million is spent a year on removal, monitoring, and education on this issue (Cal-IPC 2008). Costs due to actual impacts (e.g. lost agricultural yields, clogged waterways, etc.) are not included, so the total costs are actually much higher. PlantRight Ambassadors (For the volunteers introducing PlantRight to their favorite garden centers, such as yours.) 1. Are always respectful and polite. 2. Appreciate all noninvasive plants (native and non-native). 3. Share PlantRight’s core principles: Collaboration, Voluntary participation, Economically viable solutions. 4. Are humble; it’s OK not to have all the answers. Stumped? Ask PlantRight. Note: Master Gardeners who endorse PlantRight do so as members of the public, and not as representatives of the UCCE Master Gardener system. PlantRight thanks our ambassadors for their support! Ornamental Invasive Plant List 2014 Scientific Name Common Name 1 Arctotheca calendula Capeweed 2 Carpobrotus edulis Highway iceplant 3 Cortaderia selloana Pampas grass 4 Cytisus scoparius Scotch broom 5 Eichhornia crassipes Water hyacinth 6 Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive 7 Genista monspessulana French broom 8 Iris pseudacorus Yellow water iris 9 Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Crystalline iceplant 10 Myoporum laetum Myoporum 11 Nassella tenuissima Mexican feather grass 12 Pennisetum setaceum Green fountain grass 13 Spartium junceum Spanish broom 14 Triadica sebifera Chinese tallow tree 15 Vinca major Big leaf periwinkle Note: For more information on where these plants are invasive, and to learn about alternative plants we recommend, visit: www.plantright.org/map.