Green roofs for aquaponics investment: background lectures from August 1-7

Two half-day lectures on rooftop food production using aquaponics will be held in Brisbane on August 1 and August 7.

Aquaponics is fish farming and vegetable growing, in which vegetable crops take up fish wastes, and freshened water returns to the fish tank.  City spaces are considered ideal for aquaponics, especially rooftops and walls.

These special lectures are either side of the Skrettings Australasian Aquaculture International Conference and Trade Show in Brisbane, Queensland, which will have a half day on aquaponics, with eight industry presenters (from August 3 to 5, 2008 – see www.australian-aquacultureportal.com  and the list below).

The FRESH FOOD FROM THE ROOF lectures are for initial backgrounding of either high school teachers on August 1, or for backgrounding municipal government and the food industry executives on August 7.

August 1, 2008: “Aquaponics for rooftops of high schools of South East Queensland.”

Speakers will be aquaponics specialists Dr Wilson Lennard; Dr Mike Nichols; Dr Nick Savidov; Rebecca Nelson and Geoff Wilson.  The five speakers have wide experience in practical aquaponics and hydroponics in Australia, New Zealand , Canada and the United States.

The aim is to encourage aquaponics (fish farming and vegetable farming) on school rooftops, where equipment can be more safely held.

The aim of the half day of lectures is to show SE Queensland science and biology teachers in state and private education systems the advantages of aquaponics to teach science and technology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, small business and urban food production.

High school teachers are the first beneficiaries of teaching with aquaponics. Secondary school students are next, but tertiary teaching using aquaponics is already providing successful experimental studies.

Two new books on Australian and North American aquaponics will be available to participants at wholesale prices.

Cost of the August 1 event is:  A$120 a person, including breakfast and GST, payable in advance.

August 7, 2008: “Brisbane’s future farming on urban landscapes, on roofs, walls  and inside buildings.”
Speakers are Dr Mike Nichols; Keith Agoada; Anthony Foo, Ms Morag Gamble and Geoff Wilson. These five speakers have studied future urban food production, or are investing in urban food production – in open spaces, on rooftops, on walls and within buildings.  Urban agriculture is expected to be heavily boosted soon in Australia by five factors:

• Peak oil and its rising costs on non-local rural food,.
• Climate change problems of rural agriculture and fisheries,
• Cheaper costs and higher quality from local urban food from urban walls and rooftops.
• Widespread future use of solar power for 24-hour LED-lit  hydroponics and aquaponics.
• Innovative conversion of clean urban organic matter for organic food production.

Much fresh food will be produced in cities close to where it is consumed. It will be free from the cost of petroleum in farming, transport and retailing, and free from the cost of coal energy as a result of Australian National University’s solar power advance of 5 to 10 times current yield.
Two new books on Australian and North American aquaponics will be available to participants at wholesale prices.  .

Cost of the August 7 event is also A$120 a person, including breakfast and GST, payable in advance.
Venue in Brisbane:

Both half-days will be held at the Brisbane Technology Park conference centre, Miles Platting Road, Eight Mile Plains.  Each will begin with a breakfast at 7.30am and finish at 12.30pm.
Morning tea/coffee will be served from 10.30am to 11am. Notes with pictures and diagrams will be provided. So will names and addresses of many expert contacts, publications to consider, and organizations to provide help.

Register with: Geoff Wilson, Aquaponics Network Australia and Green Roofs Australia Inc. Phones: 07 3411 4524  or  0412 622 779.  Email:   wilson.geoff@optusnet.com.au

Conference program August 3 to 6:

The following aquaponics sessions are listed in Brisbane for Monday, August 4 and  for Wednesday, August 6.

Monday, August 4:
Dr Brett Roe – Aquaponics research by Central Queensland University: Aquaponic Methodologies – Investigating More Sustainable Solutions Utilizing Terrestrial Food-Chain Integrations
Dr Wilson Lennard.-  Economics of commercial niche scale aquaponics in an Australian context.
Dr Mike Nichols.- Basic hydroponic aspects of aquaponics, and aquaponics prospects in NZ.
Matt Herbert,  – Innovative solar powered aquaponics at Mudgee, NSW.
Wednesday, August 6:
Hogan Gleeson,  – Innovations in community aquaponics at Rivendell, Nimbin, NSW.
Steve Magarry, – Aquaponics in Sub-Saharan Africa, is it Sustainable Hope?.
Carlos León  -  Aquaponics report on BOFISH Acuaponia, Mexico.
Geoff Wilson –   Aquaponics developments  and the importance of Canadian research.