DAN EWINGS, GENERAL MANAGER, ALPINE NURSERIES

Q What are the three biggest challenges facing your industry in 2023?

A The biggest challenge we face as an industry in 2023 is a shortage of skilled people looking to start a career in horticulture. We have seen an all-time low for apprenticeship applications in the past year, with traditional recruitment methods failing to find school leavers and mature-age apprentices. While this is an issue across all trades, it seems particularly hard for a niche industry like horticulture.

Alpine are very lucky to have a high percentage of long term and highly skilled staff, however we need to keep new staff training through every year. A large number of people who take an apprenticeship with a nursery go on to do other roles in the sector such as landscape design, maintenance or arboriculture, so the current lack of new starters is an issue for the wider industry.

Q What opportunities do you predict for the growth of your industry in 2023?

A The greenlife industry has a unique opportunity as one of the only sectors that can address the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) simply by doing more of what we already do.

Government at all levels are finally seeing urban greenspace as a must for future sustainability. In the past 12 months we have seen unprecedented demand for trees being used as canopy cover to cool urban areas, and this trend is here to stay. Greenspace is being mandated and prioritised in urban developments, which is an amazing growth opportunity not only for plant nurseries but also the landscape industry as an end-to-end supply chain.

Q What are the future-proofing factors at play in your industry that will ensure resilience and longevity?

A The nursery industry needs to evolve, as other industries have been forced to do over time. With labour being a limiting constraint to our supply chain, we need to invest heavily in automation solutions.

Europe have an automation solution for every labour-intensive task our industry faces, however adapting that technology to Australian conditions is not so easy.

To ensure resilience and longevity, we need to be able to flex with the market at short notice without the added stress and cost that come with additional short-term labour forces.

We are also finding that young people are less inclined to take labour-intensive career paths. To address this, Alpine is planning to implement more European automation over the next few years, starting with high-speed potting lines at our Alstonville site.

Q What eco-conscious initiatives is your industry considering or implementing to ensure environmental sustainability?

A Alpine Nurseries are accredited under the Nursery and Garden Industry NIASA system, a large part of this accreditation system is continuous improvement in environmental sustainability. Growers who engage with this system must display best practice in the areas of integrated pest management (chemical use), water efficacy, sustainable materials and waste reduction.

The nursery industry made a big leap forward in the last two years by implementing a recycling program for plastic plant pots called PP5. Essentially, this is a closed loop system coordinated by the country’s biggest manufactures of plastic pots, Garden City Plastics. Pots are produced, used by growers, collected at set points, then picked back up to be made back into pots again.

The impact this has had on landfill reduction for our industry is huge and it is a program that Alpine is very happy to be a part of.

Q In what direction would you like to see your company move over the next five years?

A Alpine Nurseries are continually expanding growing areas, and the plan is over the next five years, we will complete construction of our 100-acre site at Alstonville.

Completion of this project will make the business one of the most dominant growers on the east coast of Australia, Alpine has a strong track record of supplying small, medium and large landscape jobs in Sydney and the surrounding areas, however our future direction is to have the ability to service green infrastructure projects anywhere on the east coast of Australia.

We have recently employed a salesperson to target the landscape markets from Queensland to Coffs Harbour, and we are very excited about the potential of upcoming Queensland projects like the Brisbane Olympics.

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DAN EWINGS

Dan Ewings is a dedicated professional who thrives at the intersection of plants, horticulture and people. Dan’s journey in the greenlife production industry is underpinned by a wealth of experience and qualifications. He holds a Diploma of Horticulture, with certifications in arboriculture, parks and gardens, frontline management, and work, health, and safety. Dan also holds a Cert III in LEAN manufacturing and has recently completed the Masterclass in Horticultural Business.

In his current role, Dan oversees various business departments, however, his passion truly lies in nurturing talent and fostering growth. He takes a special interest in training and development, offering unwavering support to department managers to ensure they achieve their goals.