Posted: Friday, December 2, 2011 10:52 am

Working with the HTA, Wrap (Waste & Resources Action Programme), is supporting the industry to help further develop sustainable horticultural markets. Garden retailers can now benefit from two schemes, funded by Wrap to help develop peat reduction programmes and provide innovative staff training on the issue.

The first programme involves dedicated specialist consultancy and support to help retailers and garden centres that sell growing media, plants and field horticulture products, (such as fruit and vegetables) to develop and implement peat reduction programmes.

The second programme will provide innovative training to garden centres and their staff to build awareness of what’s in growing media, alternatives to peat and on giving the best advice to customers.

The projects will help England meet the Defra targets of phasing out peat use in horticulture by 2030 as well as the Scottish Government’s wish to see the use of peat for horticulture reduced and eventually phased out too. Both projects are in support of industry initiatives including the HTA’s Growing Media Initiative and Defra’s Sustainable Growing Media Task Force.

Eligible organisations for the retailer support package will include garden centre chains and other retailers with environmental management and responsible sourcing programmes. Garden retailers who are dedicated to staff development are also encouraged to apply for the training package. Due to demand, training will be allocated via a successful application and on a first come first served basis.

Retailer support and garden centre training is available until the end of March 2012. Newleaf Sustainability Practice has been commissioned by Wrap to deliver these exciting projects and will be contacting garden retailers in promoting these projects within the horticultural industry.

The application forms for both programmes can be found at http://www.wrap.org.uk/farming_growing_and_landscaping/peat_reduction.html