The crisis has increased the intrusion in the sector
Interview with Eudald Morera, Managing Director of Royalverd and representative of the Gremi de Jardiners de Catalunya
May 25, 2009
Eudald Morera explained in these pages the critical situation which goes through the sector, gives his view on the pros and cons of lawns, natural and artificial, and us approaching trends in gardening next.
Eudald Morera posing on the lawns of the Camp Nou; Royalverd is the company that manages the Catalan pitch.
How has the market of lawns evolved?
Artificial grass market has undergone a substantial increase mainly in the private garden and areas very punctual, as in roundabouts conditioned by councils.
The arguments by which this evolution has been are the crisis of water, lack of irrigation water, have no ready systems of alternative irrigation with wastewater, as well as giving an increase in the quality of the artificial turf and the decline in the price of the same.
The main advantage of the artificial grass is that it has a minimum cost of maintenance. On the other hand, its drawbacks are the loss of the main features of the natural grass (its smell, touch, texture, freshness, evolution of cultivation...).
It is difficult to give an overall figure of market, but it is clear that the artificial turf is taking every day a greater market share. In any case, artificial grass is limited to small extensions while natural grass covers the needs of revegetation and extensive landscaping. As a percentage, even taking a share of the market with considerable value, percentage meters planted with placement of artificial grass is relatively small.
What are the trends in the use of the grass by the different users: administrations, architects, gardeners, landscapers, end user...?
The artificial turf has its greatest exponent in the grades lower than second division soccer fields and is a potential market in areas where the user wants to have a maintenance cost almost zero paying, however, much more for their acquisition.
Missing training in the field of gardening in the area of optimization of water resources and the possibilities of new substrates and techniques?
You can certainly have its influence in the misuse of the water for the standard irrigation of lawns. On many occasions, lawns sick or lead to problems due to excess of irrigation, issues that sometimes we are unaware of. Another aspect that we must bear in mind is that one hectare of lawn transforms more CO2 than one hectare of forest or that 230 square metres of turf renewed the necessary atmosphere so that it can breathe a family of 4 persons.
You can also bet on new species type Paspalum vaginatum or Zoysia japonica as alternatives for minimum consumption of water, equal environmental characteristics with the advantages of environmental protection and minimum maintenance. Without going any further, according to a recent study by the Gremi de Jardiners de Catalunya, the 78'4 % of the companies usually recommend irrigation with water-saving facilities and the 74'5 % recommend planting native species.
What are the major problems facing the sector in Spain?
intrusion, being one of the most worrying factors. However, for many companies the strike of the construction also entails a very considerable reduction in the activity. In fact, the study of the Gremi de Jardiners de Catalunya above has revealed that the economic crisis is the main concern of the sector (28'8 %), percentage that should be added to the 25'2 % that recognizes that economic problems and the low demand for services represents the second cause of concern for the collective.
"We are heading towards a more sustainable gardening type"
What is the situation in other countries?
The problem is general in Europe, however, the strongest decline has been noted in Spain.
What changes and innovations see in the next few years? Where is the industry heading?
We are heading towards a type of gardening more sustainable species and varieties of quality but with low water consumption, with new opportunities - such as the green walls and plant covers mainly-, not to mention the consumption of tepe's variety of low water consumption. And, why not, with the existence of a sector that you can see an alternative to the traditional landscape in the artificial turf. We will also see gardens with gardens for own consumption.
