Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado

ALCC secured a weekly spot ("Water Wise Garden") on the afternoon news of the NBC affiliate in Denver, ALCC/9News. Plant materials, irrigation methods and other conservation information for consumers were presented.

As reported in the trade, national and local news, drought was a main headline throughout much of the west in 2003. Colorado?EUR??,,????'???s drought was the worst on record in more than 300 years, and the landscape industry certainly felt the devastating effects.

ALCC and its affiliated umbrella organization, Green Industries of Colorado (GreenCO), had been working on water issues for several years. Our industry knows that in our arid state drought is a question of ?EUR??,,????'??when,?EUR??,,????'?? not ?EUR??,,????'??if.?EUR??,,????'??

While we laid some good groundwork, the severity of the drought conditions in late 2002 caused severe reaction from the regulators and water providers. The lack of rainfall was serious enough that in some areas of the state outdoor water was shut off completely. Very few Colorado landscapes were able to have winter supplemental watering, and we entered the 2003 season with planting bans, turf bans and a very uncertain future.

We had to act quickly and be as responsive as possible. For the first half of the year, nearly all of the association activities centered around water management and conservation. We redistributed industry-wide best management practices (completed in early 2002), held specific contractor training on water management and other technical information, conducted networking events with discussions about subsurface irrigation and other innovative irrigation management, and held forums on new drought tolerant plants. We will continue our conservation awareness efforts on all fronts.

Consumer and public relations was also a primary focus. Our message, ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s Easy Being Green,?EUR??,,????'?? was delivered to consumers through a variety of methods: brochures, editorials, advertising and participation in several media events to supplement and interpret the restrictions being imposed by the water providers. Thanks to the hard work of our members, we were able to secure weekly spots on the afternoon news of the NBC affiliate in Denver, ALCC/9News. ?EUR??,,????'??Water Wise Garden?EUR??,,????'?? illustrated plant materials, irrigation methods and other conservation information for consumers. We also pitched monthly drought-related stories to the press, and several were picked up.

We implemented some grassroots programs, asking and encouraging members to talk to their elected officials about the landscape industry in general and about their own businesses. Members attended city council and utility board meetings and effectively addressed conservation issues in an attempt to remove the bull?EUR??,,????'???s eye from the green industry alone.

Spring snows and summer moisture resulted in major improvements in the health of Colorado?EUR??,,????'???s landscape. But even as weather conditions improve for the time being, we will always know that water availability is cyclical in Colorado, and the landscape industry here will always be committed to conservation and efficient water management.

ALCC secured a weekly spot ("Water Wise Garden") on the afternoon news of the NBC affiliate in Denver, ALCC/9News. Plant materials, irrigation methods and other conservation information for consumers were presented.