Television presenter John Craven, of BBC Countryfile, opened an innovative new plant growing system at Paignton Zoo on 30th September 2009.
VertiCrop™ sustainable hydroponics installation is the first of its kind in Europe and the first in a zoo or botanic garden anywhere in the world.
The Zoo has teamed up with the developers of VertiCrop™,Valcent Products (eu) Ltd., based in Launceston, a company at the forefront of global efforts to find new ways of growing plants in a world of rapidly-diminishing resources.
VertiCrop™ is the latest in plant growing technology, meeting the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat to grow crops. This technology could usher in a new era of urban horticulture. VertiCrop™ is a commercial high-density vertical growing system which increases production volume for field crops up to 20 times over but requires as little as 5% of the normal water supply. It is a non-GM solution to food problems, using trays on a looped dynamic conveyor belt and automatic feeding stations to grow plants efficiently.
A zoo seems an unlikely location for this ground-breaking project, but Valcent wanted to promote their technology to the public as well as to growers, and we have over half a million visitors a year. As a botanic garden, Paignton Zoo is keen to educate people about all aspects of horticulture, particularly new, environmentally-friendly inventions like this.
Installing VertiCrop™ at Paignton Zoo means we can grow more plants in less room using less water and less energy. It will help to reduce food miles and bring down our annual bill for animal feed, which is currently in excess of £200,000 a year. To begin with, the Zoo will grow a whole range of herbs such as parsley and oregano, as well as leaf vegetables like lettuce and spinach, plus a range of fruits such as cherry tomato and strawberry. Reptiles, birds and most of the mammal collection - including primates and big cats – will benefit from the production of year-round fresh food. Paignton Zoo animals crunch their way through about 800 carrots a day and approximately £8,000 worth of fruit per month. Herbs are used as enrichment for many species.
To find out more about VertiCrop™ please visit the Valcent website at www.valent.eu
The VertiCrop™ Webcam
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