Earlier this week, the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group (OHRG) released a landmark report at an online event that I was invited to attend. The report finds that the ornamental horticulture and landscaping industry is set to contribute nearly £42 billion to the UK economy and support over 760,000 jobs by 2030.
The OHRG – which represents the UK’s garden centres, public and private gardens, commercial growers, arboriculture, and landscaping – is calling for closer collaboration with government to help unlock the full potential of the original ‘green economy’ industry, whilst also playing an ever-increasing role in helping the government to achieve its ambitious climate change targets, particularly in the build-up to COP26.
The independent ‘Growing a Green Economy: The importance of ornamental horticulture and landscaping to the UK’ report finds that the industry could be worth £13 billion more than in 2019 and support an extra 100,000 jobs. The research identifies how barriers to growth can be unlocked through a collaborative approach between government and industry, ensuring the sector can develop the skills for our future workforce, lead the way on environmental sustainability, particularly in the build-up to COP26, and deliver essential benefits to the nation’s health and society, as well as being at the forefront of exciting new trade opportunities. You can read the independent report by clicking here.
Alongside the report, the OHRG has published a detailed action plan ‘Unlocking green growth’, outlining what policy changes are needed and how the industry and government can work together to grow the green economy of the future. This includes increasing UK plant and tree production to build back greener and establishing environmental-based solutions (including measures to improve plant health and biosecurity) to meet our environmental sustainability targets. The action plan also sets out other areas for future potential collaboration with government, including on how ‘green trade’ can be increased, how planners can better incorporate green space, how outdoor space can lead to urban renewal and improved public health, and how we can develop the skills of the workforce needed for our green revolution. You can read the action plan by clicking here.
