32 MAY 2007 ▲ DIGGER

See how six Oregon nurseries are making their way along the

Road to Sustainability

Sustainable by definition Ask folks in the nursery business to define the word sustainable, and you’re likely to get as many different answers as people. Bob Terry, owner of Fisher Farms in Gaston, says that the term is wide open. “It’s like asking, ‘How do you define success?’” he says. He sees the sustainable approach as multifaceted, “from doing things that improve the ecology and sustain the earth, to cre-ating more jobs and more profit from making everything we grow with quality .” Mark Krautmann, co-owner of Heritage Seedlings in Salem, agrees. “Sustainability? That’s like using the word nice,” he says. “The meaning is not specific.” He prefers stewardship. “From that aspect, a steward is a person who cares for a resource in the context of its value to the stakeholders,” he says. He sees going beyond immediate opportunities for profit: “There’s a long-term vision of the value of the resource for generations yet unborn.” Jim Gilbert, owner and president of Northwoods Nursery Inc. in Molalla, also looks to the future. He says those using resources now should consider the impacts of today’s actions and work in such a way that we will “not inhibit the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

— Robert J. Dolibois, executive vice president, American Nursery & Landscape Association‘‘Sustainability is to the coming generation what highway

beautification was to the last.’’

Water restoration projects are an important part of the stewardship practiced by Heritage Seedlings. For example, these Oregon oak, ash and red alder were planted to shade Stout Creek and protect its cutthroat trout and salmon runs.

Lynda Boyer works as Heritage Seedlings’ restoration biologist and native plant manager. Hired in 2001, she facilitates restoration of native habitats on nursery properties and manages a native seed production program.

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One way to do that, according to Dave Leckey, owner of Oregon Small Trees near Wilsonville, is to reduce the amount of resources being used. He defines sustainability as a question: “How much energy can you continue to use without a serious impact on your neighbors or on the earth in the great-est sense?” At Kathy Van Veen’s propagation nursery in Portland, recycling is the focus. That includes reusing water, packing peanuts, lumber, onion sacks, “you name it,” she says. “We never throw anything away — not even the neighbors’ discards.” Landscape architect Lee Powell, one of three owners of Garland Nursery, halfway between Corvallis and Albany, looks at sustainability in terms of plant material. He says that a sustainable landscape design uses plants that by and large are “not going to require sig-nificant input to allow them to survive and grow.”

Sustainable snapshots There are as many ways to define sustainability as there are to achieve it. These six growers are meeting

the changing demands of sustainabil-ity. The businesses are united in their efforts to recycle plastics. From contain-ers to drip tapes to greenhouse film, these growers send everything to Agri Plas Inc. in Brooks. [See Page 41 for a look at recycling options in the nurs-ery industry.] However, in the areas of energy and water use — depending on the size of the business and the staffing — each grower chooses different solu-tions for sustainability challenges. “If you were to tour Fisher Farms,” says Bob Terry, “you would see a nurs-ery that employs everything we know about sustainability today.” His contain-er operation routinely recycles office papers, fertilizer chemicals, wood and cardboard. But the number-one reused resource is water. Over the years, the Soil and Water Conservation Commission has given Terry pointers. “We picked up ideas at OAN and ALNA clinics for how to be more water-efficient,” he says. And as one of the people who ori-ginally worked on Oregon’s landmark bill SB1010 in 1993, Terry went one step further in water conservation — he

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Jim Gilbert, owner of Northwoods Nursery, stands amid a field of freshly planted pear rootstock, where sawdust replaced the need for pre-emergent herbicides. The sawdust adds organic matter, retains moisture and lets the nursery avoid pre-emergent chemicals.

Dave Leckey limits water use at Oregon Small Trees via a system of sand beds. An automatic valve and float device keep the sand saturated, and the moisture is naturally wicked into the containers, reducing the need for supplemental hand-watering.

Little goes to waste at Fisher Farms, especially water, which is cleansed for reuse as it flows down through this man-made water feature and into the holding pond below.

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recycles without chemicals. A large man-made water feature and extensive bioswale cleanses the water that is used in production. Half goes through the bioswale, and the other half is sent back through a chemical-free process of ionization and exposure to ozone. Then it flows again to the drip and the monitored standard irrigation systems. “I don’t know anyone else who is doing that without chemicals,” Terry says. To reduce residual chemicals of any kind in the recycled water, slow-release fertilizers are delivered to individual containers in the field by hand with a measured release system, rather than “fertigating” through the drip tapes or broadcast sprinklers. Pesticides and herbicides do not enter the water system. They also keep chemicals out of the water system by employing

ladybugs and nematodes as a first defense before chemical use. An on-site entomologist detects pests early and isolates infected plant material, cutting the need for wide broadcasting of pesticides or herbicides. Everything must be done with an eye to the economic benefits. “Of course there are investments with all these things” Terry says, “and the payback is long-range.” While water expenses may be less, the real eco-nomic advantage is that they attract consumers who are aware of their practices. That fact is important for everyone working at Fisher Farms, Terry says: “This is a total company buy-in.” The same could be said for Heritage Seedlings. Mark Krautmann, who grows young starter trees and shrubs, points out that water conservation

does require a major investment in infrastructure for water delivery and drip irrigation. The tradeoffs are lower labor costs and water savings. Much about sustainability, in fact, is making tradeoffs. To arrive at a sustainability decision, the real cost of doing business should be factored in. “If water disappears or pesticides run into a stream or ditch, that’s an economic loss to the grower,” Krautmann says. Until recently, that loss wasn’t considered in the value of the agricultural product. Now, how-ever, with rising prices in all areas of the business, it’s factored in. Heritage Seedlings is involved in land and water restoration. The busi-ness supports enhanced stream flows by not exercising its water right on Stout Creek, a salmon run stream, except to maintain it. Heritage buys

sustainability

MAY 2007 ▲ DIGGER 35

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the water it needs from the Department of Reclamation. And Krautmann’s business has pursued several grants for private landowners. One is under a Landowner Incentive Program through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Program and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Krautmann sees water and land use as inextricably entwined. A full-time botanist assists with restorations on 200 acres of Heritage’s various farms — making that effort one of the state’s largest rehabilitations on private land. Eradicating invasives and re-establish-ing native grasses and wildflowers sup-ports pollinator diversity and wildlife habitat. Heritage Seedlings funds this work with seed sales of more than 80 native plants species. The operation is self-sustaining, but not a profit-making one at this time.

As Krautmann says, “Not every experi-ence with stewardship is economic. We do have to sometimes realize that it’s the right thing to do.” In that pursuit, Jim Gilbert reports that Northwoods Nursery now has a sustainability director. This dedi-cated staff position helps the operation reduce “impacts to the environment while improving efficiencies,” as Gilbert puts it. So many sustainable practices are in place, that it’s easy to see why Gilbert felt Northwoods needed the new posi-tion. Water conservation is achieved by careful monitoring with the aid of a tensiometer. Plant rows are drip-irrigated and mulched with sawdust. Rainwater is collected to supplement container watering. In order to cool the seasonal stream that flows through

Sustainable IncentivesFederal Energy Programs:www.rurdev.usda.gov/or Click on business programs for Section 9006 Rural Energy Grant and Guaranteed Loan Programs.

Jeff Deiss, USDA Business and Cooperative Program Director, offers loans and grants that support energy efficiency, renewable energy systems or value-added production. The biggest qualifying challenge? The upfront price for a required energy audit is between $1,000 and $2,000. However, you may be reimbursed in the final grant or loan. Other agencies such as Oregon Department of Energy, Energy Trust, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service may help defray costs. Says Deiss: “This is a tremendous opportunity that can result in quick payback and higher energy-efficient results for businesses.”

Tips for Grant and Loan ApplicantsGroup together. Find a common problem you share with fellow growers or owners, and apply together for an upgrade. Deiss cites 161 farmers in Nebraska who received 9,006 grants — each from $5,000 to $25,000 — for more efficient pump upgrades. They partnered with Nebraska Public Utilities, which paid for a master energy audit. The audit became the overall template, tailored to the needs of the individual growers.

Keep it Simple. Energy-efficient upgrades that are easy to implement have a higher chance of winning than riskier large-scale wind, biomass or solar projects. Says Deiss: “A little money and a big prospect for success make these awards more obvious.”

Get Your Ducks in a Row. The window for opportunity to apply is only open once a year, and the competition for grants is nationwide. Therefore, you need to have all the paperwork in place to get the application process going. The Web site gives details.

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the property, 50-foot riparian zone buffer strips are maintained. All this has earned Salmon Safe certification for the nursery. Tractors, farm equipment, the deliv-ery van and personal vehicles are powered with B99 biodiesel, which is 99 percent vegetable oil. To get around on-site, workers use bicycles and electric carts. Energy-efficient light

fixtures and compact fluorescent bulbs are the norm. Add to this the recycling of potting soil, paper, cardboard, metal, glass, motor oil and batteries as well as integrated pest management practices and low-input chemical use — and you could say Gilbert is committed. “The long-term success of our state and nation depends on wise use of our finite resources,” he says.

In 1995, when Dave Leckey started Oregon Small Trees, he was also look-ing for methods of operation that would require less energy and have a low environmental impact. On his 5-acre nursery, he has reduced water use with an unusual system of raised beds: His container trees and shrubs receive water by soaking it up from water-saturated sand beds. He constructs 6-inch-high raised beds, 8 feet wide by 50 feet long, and lines them with plas-tic. A perforated pipe runs the length, and the beds are filled with sand. Geotextile material covers the sand surface, and the containers, each with holes in the bottom — up to 40 holes in a gallon can — are placed on top of the fabric. Water delivered through the perforated pipe soaks the sand and is then wicked up by the containers. The surface of each container is also mulched with layers of newspaper and a round of reusable geotextile cloth. An automatic valve and a simple float device replenish the sand’s static water level. Supplemental hand-watering may be required once a month, to activate time-release fertilizer on the container soil surface. Otherwise, the saturated sand beds meet all water needs. “I think this system is very effective,” Leckey says. “I run my entire nursery off one three-quarter-inch water line, and most of the time it’s not running.” His next step is to get a flow meter and keep records to see if the results are as good as he thinks they are.

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Ingenuity and efficiency allow Northwoods to tread lightly on the environment. Here, a custom attachment efficiently installs drip tape and pear rootstock at the same time, reducing labor and compaction of the soil.

Last year Northwoods increased its commitment to good stewardship by hiring Laura O’Leary, a part-time sustainability director to coordinate the nursery’s efforts and research new programs.

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Layers of newspaper and rounds of reusable geotextile cloth serve as mulch and virtually eliminate weeds at Oregon Small Trees.

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Kathy Van Veen, owner of Portland’s Van Veen Nursery, which propagates rho-dodendron and azalea cuttings for people from all over the United States and Canada, also creates unusual beds in her third-generation business. She inherited her thrifty recycling practices from her grandfather, who started the nursery in 1926 to supply his landscaping business. Van Veen’s 3-by-70-foot beds are constructed almost entirely of reused materials. Recycled 55-gallon drums are laid on their sides and covered with discarded foam peanuts stuffed into reused net onion bags. The peanuts fill in between the curves of the barrels and the edge walls, which are con-structed from — of course — recycled lumber. The bed is topped with recy-cled wood shavings and propagating medium — peat moss and pumice. The result is a bed that stands waist-high, perfect for working with the cuttings. The next step will be to capture the rainwater — Van Veen calls it “God water” — from the greenhouse roofs to fill the barrels. The water inside the barrels will moderate temperature fluctuation in the greenhouse, and the barrels can provide storage catchments. Ideally, this water could be used for irrigating the plants in these beds. In the years of running her busi-ness, Van Veen has seen changes in Water Bureau regulations that now lean more toward sustainability. But she doesn’t think the regulations to support sustainable water use go far enough. For instance, greenhouse roofs make up a large part of the impervi-ous surface area that is factored into the costs of her water bill because the downspouts drain into the stormwater system. Van Veen approves of unhook-ing those downspouts. That way, the runoff can be reduced on an already overburdened system that allows raw sewage to reach the Willamette River during times of high rainfall. But, even if the nursery could capture all the rain from the greenhouse roofs, they would get only a 20 percent tax break — and that minimizes the incentive. “It’s the

right thing, not to dump junk in the river,” Van Veen says. “But if you don’t contribute to the problem, you should not be punished.” On the retail nursery side, landscape architect Lee Powell rewards the recycling efforts of Garland Nursery’s customers by allowing them to return contain-ers to the nursery. Water is monitored carefully. Larger containers are drip- irrigated. Smaller plants are grouped into zones by their water needs for judi-cious overhead sprinkling. Those on the edge of the pattern get supplemen-tal water by hand. Other conservation practices are also in place. Integrated pest management relies on early detec-tion, which cuts down on pesticide use. Winter heating bills in greenhouses are reduced by selling off tropical stock before cold weather arrives. As a third-generation nursery owner, Powell has seen the shift in what con-sumers want. “You’ve got to be on your toes. Change is happening faster,” he says. Customer demands are driving certain choices in plant materials: “We do see younger customers who are more interested in lower maintenance, having a good experience in the garden and doing the right thing environmentally.”

The road to sustainable Environmental conscience is where all the roads to a sustainable future converge. As Krautmann puts it: “I think growers uniformly want to do the right thing. But you can’t make a decision unless you know all your options.” He sees the future of steward-ship as a balance between enforcement and education — and he likes the idea of cooperation among everyone who travels on this road. Krautmann heads up OAN’s Natural Resources Committee, whose mem-bers have invited others with the same concerns — but different points of view — to meet with them. Participants from the Nature Conservancy, the city of Portland, five counties with regional Natural Resources Conservation Service

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▲Other Web sites for information on education, grants, cost-sharing loans, or tax incentivesEnvironmental Services City of Portland Community Watershed Stewardship Grants: www.cleanrivers-pdx.org

Department of Enviromental Quality (DEQ) tax credits: www.deqstate.or.us/msd/ taxcredits/txcp.htm

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Access and Habitat Grants, Landowner Incentive Programs and Riparian Lands Tax Incentive Program: www.dfw.state.or.us

Bureau of Reclamation Water 2025 Challenge: www.doi.gov/water2025

U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFW) Grants — Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program: www.fws.gov/partners

EnergyTrust of Oregon, Inc. — application assistance for USDA’s VAPGs and Section 9006, plus much more: www.energytrust.org/rr/grant

Oregon Department of Energy (ODE) Conservation Division Energy Tax Credits: www.egov.oregon.gov/ENERGY/CONS/BUS/BETC

ODE Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Loans: www.egov.oregon.gov/energy/ loans/selphm.shtml

Willamette Partnership Board (river restoration and more): www.mwvcog.org/Willamette partnership/WillamecoMarket.asp

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Native Plant Conservation Grants: www.nfwf.org/programs.cfm

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grants and Conservation Security Program: www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Small Grants Program: www.oregon.gov/oWeB grants

Oregon State University (OSU) Government Initiatives and Resources and OSU Sustainability Group www.oregonstate.edu/sustainability

www.3estrategies.org/documents/incentivesforsecompaniesguide--3-06_000.pdf a guide to renewable energy and energy efficiency incentives in oregon, 2005 – listings on local, state and federal levels

MAY 2007 ▲ DIGGER 39

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programs, North Willamette Research and Extension, Clackamas Community College, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environmental Quality — all of them can find a forum for dialogue with OAN members. Says Krautmann: “My hope is that in all these issues, people view them in the context of what we have in common, not what divides us. Then it’s easier to ask the hard questions.” Hard questions will be part of what’s down the road. “Taking a proac-tive approach to potential future regu-lation makes good business sense,” Gilbert says. Krautmann agrees. “If we don’t own these issues,” he says, “somebody else will.”

Mary-Kate Mackey contributed to the updated 2007 Sunset Western Garden Book. She received the Garden Writers Association 2006 Silver Award for magazine writing and teaches at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. She can be reached at mkmackey@uoregon.edu.

Customers at Garland Nursery are encouraged to return a variety of nursery plastics for recycling at Agri-Plas.

Garland Nursery reduces water use with efficient drip irrigation instead of overhead watering.

Everything you see here is reused or recycled, including the wood chips, barrels, wood — even the hose, which had a former life as a high-pressure washer but now serves the nursery’s low-pressure needs.

Kathy Van Veen thrives on finding clever ways to reduce, reuse and recycle at Van Veen Nursery.

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