Nursery Industry Garden Escapes Project - "Grow Me Instead!"

This innovative project aims to enlist the cooperation of nurseries and the gardening public in the Sydney Basin, through:
• promoting a plant escapes 'focus list' of initially 17 plants.
• distributing the 'Grow Me Instead!' booklet to local councils, nurseries, garden centres and the community.
• encouraging the nursery industry to not sell the garden plants on the focus list.
• promoting safer alternatives to the plant escapes identified.
• educating the gardening public on this issue.

The project has been variously funded by the Natural Heritage Trust, Dept of Environment and Conservation, the Nursery and Garden Industry NSW & ACT, some local Sydney councils, and Horticulture Australia Limited.

The project steering committee is made up of representatives from:
• the Nursery and Garden Industry NSW & ACT (NGINA)
• Department of Primary Industries (DPI)
• the Association of Australian Bush Regenerators (AABR)
• various local councils
• an ecological consultancy
• the Sydney Weeds Committees

This steering committee has worked extremely well by bringing together the different views of the representative organisations in a forum where opinions are discussed in a positive atmosphere and decisions for improvement are made.

For further information on the project or to order some Grow Me Instead! booklets, email the Project Officer, Delwyn Thomas, or phone NGINA on (02) 9679 1472.

Project outcomes so far:

• Development and distribution of the 1st edition of the 'Grow Me Instead!' booklet highlighting 17 plant escapes in the Sydney region, together with a list of suitable alternatives.
• The 2nd edition of the 'Grow Me Instead!' booklet has recently been printed.
• Independent market research into community awareness of invasive plant issues.
• Walk-through audits of retail nurseries.
• Effective communication links between government agencies and the nursery industry.
• Presentations at relevant conferences, workshops and meetings, and much media coverage.
• Assessment of the pitfalls and requirements for developing an effective model for addressing the invasive plants issue.
• Garden Plant invasiveness checklist developed.
• Development of a 'positive approach model' for dealing with this issue and the nursery and garden industry, potentially applicable nationally
• Promoting non-invasive plants, including displays, at the NGINA Trade Day