Colorado experienced a watershed moment in 2015, one with ripple effects on the state for generations to come. On the surface, the Colorado Water Plan approved by Governor Hickenlooper on November 19 is an ambitious road map for managing, conserving, and protecting this vital resource.

But still waters run deep, and if you look closely, you’ll see the plan is designed to help Colorado face climate change, population boom, protect wildlife, keep agriculture vibrant, and support economic growth. All while preserving our quality of life.

In 2009 after many years of legislative work, ALCC was successful in exempting routine landscape maintenance from the existing utility locate statutes. There were many ancillary discussion and issues about damage prevention and utility locate process for contractors in the eight years that we pursued this legislation, and we prepared to be part of those subsequent discussions.

Currently, ALCC is working with Colorado Contractors Association (CCA) to gather information for a study commissioned by Colorado 811. The study will address the current pros and cons of Colorado’s current call-before-you dig system, with a specific focus on the following:

• Pros/cons of Tier 2 membership
• Pros/cons of stabling a central authority to enforce state damage prevention laws (aside from District Court)

To gather information for this study, the research team wants to hear from excavators, facility owners and other stakeholders. They will conduct phone surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one in-person interviews. If you are interested in participating in the study on behalf of ALCC, please contact Kristen Fefes at [email protected].  We will host a focus group in January. Phone interviews being as early as December 14.

The LAB will be updated as this project progresses.

Subscribe to ALCC LAB - Add a feed to your browser so you can keep up with posts on this blog.

In October 2015, Timberline Landscaping, Inc was recognized by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) with an Award of Excellence for their certification efforts. Nine landscape companies across the nation were recognized for having the most certified individuals on staff in their sales category. With 20 certified individuals—and more than 50 category certifications among them—Timberline topped their category and proudly represented Colorado in accepting the honor.

Last month, the Colorado Water Conservation Board released the final state water plan. Green Industries of Colorado (GreenCO) carefully reviewed the plan—all 12 chapters and 8 appendices—over recent weeks and has offered a summary of aspects of the plan that may impact the landscape industry.

Mike Moore, general manager and co-owner of Diggable Designs, an ALCC Sustainable Landscape Partner, learned some of the finer points of green roof design and installation when undertaking a project in the Highlands area of Denver. Homes in this neighborhood are narrow, and tower four to five stories high.

“I learned you have to do more legwork on the engineering side ahead of time,” says Moore. “You have to consider how heavy systems will be when wet and fully grown. When you add snow on top of that, you need to be sure the roofing structure can handle it.”

Each year ProGreen EXPO explores new ways to support attendees’ education goals and to keep the format fresh and engaging. For 2016, ProGreen planners discussed how the conference can evolve to meet the changing education needs of the green industry and address current challenges that it faces.

As 2015 draws to a close, small business owners are looking toward tax time. There are still a few weeks left in the year to take advantage of tax-related tips such as deferring your income and accelerating deductions. It’s also a good time to be sure your records are in order and that you’ll be ready to file for 2015.

With a recent construction defects litigation bill, Denver became the ninth Colorado community to introduce a law aimed at curbing the amount of litigation regarding condo construction in the state.

Previous communities that have addressed the issue of construction defects litigation include Arvada, Aurora, Commerce City, Douglas County, Lakewood, Littleton, Lone Tree, Parker, and Wheat Ridge. With the addition of Denver, its largest city, Colorado may be feeling pressure to enact legislation at the state level.

Colorado's water plan

ALCC has been involved in the development of the Colorado Water Plan by carefully reviewing the drafts and offering the expertise and guidance of Colorado's green industry through public comments. As stewards of outdoor water use, we look forward to continued involvement in the evolution of the plan and implementation of it. We will continue to make ALCC available as a resource for science-based information and as a partner in influencing responsible water use and conservation.

After careful review of the water plan, ALCC has provided a policy review of the final Colorado Water Plan, issued on November 19, 2015. This review will help guide further actions that the green industry can take to guide and support implementation of the plan.

A valuable resource that the green industry provides are the GreenCO Best Management Practices (BMPs), guidelines on how to reduce water consumption and protect water quality while producing, designing, installing and maintaining healthy, beautiful landscapes. We believe that the implementation of these BMPs on a state and local level could greatly contribute to water conservation in Colorado.

To that end, a 2015 study quantified the benefits of those BMPs was commissioned to give not just our industry but policymakers and community members a tangible example of how the BMPs can save water.

These efforts and more reinforce ALCC's commitment to advocacy on behalf of the landscape industry and to helping Colorado manage outdoor water use. To become involved in these advocacy efforts, contact us at 303 757-5611 or [email protected].

Read our policy review on the Colorado Water Plan

Read our comments on the second draft of the water plan

Read the GreenCO executive summary of BMP quantification study

Read the BMP quantification study [Exploring the Role of Landscape Water Conservation and Efficiency in Meeting Colorado’s Water Gap: Expected Benefits of Landscape Water Conservation Best Management Practices]

Sustainability may seem like a buzzword to some. But for many others, it’s a lifestyle and business model that is crucial to building a healthy future. Within Colorado’s green industry, many firms are seeking both information and inspiration that will help them become more sustainable.

ALCC's Sustainable Landscape Partners are presenting four sessions during ProGreen 2016 that will help green industry businesses build sustainability into their company culture, their marketing/recruiting efforts and their everyday field operations.