Feeding time at the zoo Kevin Frediani Curator of plants and gardens Paignton Zoo Environmental Park

Overview Paignton Zoo Exploring the potential of plants in zoos –Food, Sustainable horticulture & Education Zoo food solution –High Density Vertical Growing What next?

Paignton Zoo

Why have living collections?

More than an ark…

How should zoos do business? Sustainably – without compromising future choices! Ethically – doing the right thing! Congruently – demonstrate good practice! Educationally – explain good practice! Efficiently – minimise waste! Effectively – make a difference! Urgently – before its too late!

Exploring the potential Science & Conservation Amenity Immersion exhibitory Welfare & Enrichment Cultural & Heritage Sustainability Education Food & Browse Integrated zoo horticulture See Frediani. K. (2009) Ethics of plant use in zoos. IZY89

Challenge of realising plant use.

Sustainability and zoos? Architects – Durable, flexible & adaptable (more than one life) Environmentalists – Part of a system not apart, where biological systems remain diverse and productive over time Visitors – social, economic and environmental (ideal vs pragmatic) Shared concept… Sustainability is the capacity to endure

Radical thought - Grow zoo food! All animals require it –Herbivores –Carnivores Immersion habitats Welfare and enrichment Land conflict in zoos –Welfare –Amenity –Immersion –Retail / function (support of visitor experience) –Food (at the bottom – can argue to support local SFP)

The site The no land project site!

Vertical farming as a solution! Reduce pressure on wild spaces Recycle waste to fuel growth Remediate black water Use brown field, underutilised sites Year round production without concern for weather / climate No need for herbicides Help make cities sustainable The Vertical Farm: Dickson Despommier 2010

VertiCrop at Paignton Zoo Minimal land available for crop production Limited resources Need to improve food security Need to reduce food bills Need for specialist crops Need to influence nutrition Opportunity to show case sustainable technology

What is VertiCrop?

Conveyor system

Vertical verses traditional

Optimising capacity without increasing floor space

Increased yield per unit area

Delivered first Crop…after 5 weeks

Beyond the zoo - Vertical agriculture?

Putting HDVG in perspective Where have land and optimised resources (Water, temp and light) – grow stable crops Where have land but one or more limited recourse – specialised crop and / or protected cultivation Where have no land and optimised resources – grow hydroponically Where have no land and one or more limited resource – grow vertically (warehouse or HDVG)

Summary / conclusion Sustainable food is essential –6 BILLION – 9 BILLION BY 2050 Cannot bury head in sand! –Depletion of water, soil, oil –people & wildlife dont know our artificial political boundaries Need to invest – research & development Need to educate – sustainable futures – durable, flexible, adaptable etc….

The future now at Paignton Zoo