After a big season of snow snuffed the latest drought, water conservation experts are warning Colorado residents not to get complacent about water use this year. Resource Central, a nonprofit that helps the public conserve water is urging local homeowners to take advantage of the unusually moist conditions to prepare yards for drier months ahead.
Nearly two dozen water providers have partnered with the nonprofit to encourage residents to participate in a conservation program called Garden In A Box that offers low-water garden kits tailor-made for Colorado landscapes. Replacing lawns with drought-tolerant gardens, like those from Garden In A Box, can help to reduce outdoor watering use by up to 60%.
“We’re concerned that recent storms may cloud memories of drought,” said Neal Lurie, president of Resource Central. “Mother Nature has given us the precious gift of precipitation, ideal conditions to get water-wise plants established.”
In the past eight years, Front Range families have planted more than 500,000 drought-tolerant plants through this program, saving more than 100 million gallons of water.
“You don’t need to have a green thumb to add a pop of color to your yard,” said Devon Booth, the nonprofit’s water programs manager. “We support the use of native plants that are pollinator-friendly and well suited to Colorado’s dry climate.”
According to Resource Central, this program has tripled in size during the past five years. One of the largest programs of its kind in the United States, Garden In A Box has helped families across Colorado transition more than 1.8 million square feet of land to low-water landscaping.
Lurie adds, “As a community, we can’t afford to get complacent around conservation. Even if the next spring storm is just around the corner, it’s important to rethink your yard before its thirsty.”
Learn more at: ResourceCentral.org/gardens.
About Resource Central:
Founded in 1976, Resource Central is an innovative nonprofit dedicated to putting conservation into action. Its programs have helped more than 500,000 families save water, reduce waste, and conserve energy. Learn more at ResourceCentral.org.