On March 7, 2018, more than 140 leaders from the horticultural, landscaping and ecological restoration industries, Indigenous communities, academia, government, conservation NGOs, and social finance experts convened in downtown Toronto to explore challenges and opportunities to grow the native plant industry in Ontario. This was Carolinian Canada’s annual Ecosystem Recovery Forum, co-organized this year with World Wildlife Fund Canada. The diverse group of dynamic speakers and panelists provided in-depth insights into native plant industry challenges as well as innovative solutions to address them.
Michelle Kanter Presenting the Big Picture Strategy, In the Zone programming and plant tags to forum audience
Keynote speakers and four expert panels identified challenges facing the native plant industry, which include:
- Sourcing high quality native plant seeds
- Forecasting large-scale demand and strategically scaling-up supply
- Attracting more consumer demand and raising awareness
- The need for industry standards, especially in relation to pedigree of source stock
- The need for guidelines for best restoration practices using native species
Among the opportunities:
- Collaboration with Indigenous communities, who may wish to play a leadership role and glean cultural and economic benefits
- Completing an analysis of habitat resiliency to changing climate
- Attracting private investment from the social finance sector
- Engaging youth and volunteers
The importance of consistent standards for sourcing and labelling of native plants was also explored, as were the environmental benefits and economic opportunities such a shift in paradigm could represent for communities, business and the agricultural sector. Carolinian Canada and WWF-Canada unveiled an In the Zone plant tag, presenting one possible strategy to identify plants as bona fide local, native and ethically grown.
Building on the momentum of the Forum, Carolinian Canada is in discussions around establishing a Native Plant Task Force with representatives from the diverse range of sectors listed above, to develop a seed certification strategy and business plan to scale up supply and demand to make the industry investment-ready and able to attract social finance investment.
Dr. Dan Longboat opened and closed our Forum with an Indigenous Ceremony
Follow-up evaluations indicated a high level (86%) participants satisfaction, and that the Forum was effective for learning and professional development, networking, developing new partnerships and connecting to new resources. Participants expressed interest in further engagement with seed certification, scaling up native plant habitat restoration and community native plant programs.
Tony DiGiovanni introducing himself and his work at Landscape Ontario to our First Panel