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GippsTAFE Gets Gardenwise!

GippsTAFE has gone green, in a series of environmentally friendly initiatives designed to reduce the organisation’s use of resources such as water, paper and electricity.

The latest green venture is taking place in the Horticulture Department at the Morwell Campus, where sponsorship from Gippsland Water has enabled the department to establish a water efficient garden for students to learn in.

The five year sponsorship arrangement will provide GippsTAFE with an annual supply of hay for mulching their vegetable garden, which will help retain moisture in the soil and minimize the need for watering.

According to teacher Malcolm Grant, the donation is very timely, given the rapidly changing tide in the Horticulture industry.

“Traditionally, the gardening business is a significant drain on water resources,” he said. “After all, plants need water to grow. In recent years, however, the changes in weather conditions have forced horticulturalists to garden smarter, and use less water more effectively.

“The types of plants on offer at your local nursery have been extended to suit the harsher climates, while new water saving inventions are being introduced all of the time, to maximise our use of this precious resource.”

Mr Grant said that the benefits of the mulch initiative will extend well beyond GippsTAFE itself.

“The exciting part is that the Institute is not only reducing our own carbon footprint, but also passing this knowledge onto our students,” he said. “As the graduates move into the industry, they will share these skills for conserving our environment with the community through their work.”

Dr. Peter Whitley, CEO of GippsTAFE, said that the horticulture initiative represented another step forward for the Institute, which is actively working to become as environmentally conscious as possible.

“In the last two years, GippsTAFE has introduced a Green Fleet of company cars, reduced our water usage by an astounding two million litres and taken great steps forward in decreasing our paper usage,” he said.

“It is important for every organisation to consider the impact of their business on the environment, particularly an organisation as large as GippsTAFE.”

The focus on saving water has been incorporated into all courses on offer at the Horticulture Department, including programs in Floriculture, Landscaping, Turf, Floristy, Parks and Gardens.

For further information, please contact the GippsTAFE Horticulture Department on 5120 4525.