Think ahead on lighting and location
Greenhouses are unique among most agricultural operations in that they are often highly visible. Unlike most farming operations, they are frequently located in or near urban residential locations.
Complicating this is the fact that some greenhouses use supplemental lighting. Depending on how close or visible a greenhouse operation is to neighbours, this factor, combined with the noise involved in the ventilation process, has potential to create a nuisance that can lead to conflict unless certain measures are taken to minimize these effects.
"During winter production periods, you sometimes see greenhouses brightly lit in the middle of the night, which can provoke a reaction from neighbours," says Rob Spencer, a horticultural production specialist with the Ag-Info Centre of Alberta Agriculture and Food (AF).
The best time to tackle potential nuisance problems from light is the decision making stage before building the greenhouse. In this case, the best practice is to either locate the greenhouse away from a residential neighbourhood or not use any supplemental lighting. "If that's not possible, the supplemental lighting should be located to minimize off-site impact, with year-round screening used to reduce light impact," says Spencer.
Greenhouses can also create an off-site noise impact in residential areas. "To minimize this, they can be naturally vented at the top or the side, or ventilation fans should be directed away from adjoining residences to reduce noise impact off-site."
While greenhouses are a highly specialized form of agriculture, greenhouse operators can still greatly benefit from developing an EFP. An entire chapter of the EFP workbook, the key tool of the EFP process, is dedicated to horticultural production, with much of the chapter focusing on good greenhouse practices.
"This chapter walks producers through key topics of construction, energy use and other issues identified by the greenhouse industry as matters of environmental concern," says Alan Pasolli, EFP Regional Team Leader for the South Region and a workshop facilitator for the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company (AEFP).
"Used in conjunction with the other chapters in the EFP workbook, it can be used as a strong resource for measuring risk, keeping records, and taking environmental action on a greenhouse operation."
Information and assistance on horticultural production, as well as a number of other on-farm environmental practices, is available through a strong network of technical assistants (TAs) throughout the province.
The information on this website is available for reprint with credit to "The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan, www.albertaEFP.com".
Article development courtesy of The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company