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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Wednesday, February 21, 2024 12:00 AM |
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Train your irrigation techs!
Join us for our 32-hour Irrigation Boot Camp over two weeks from Thursday, March 14 until Saturday, March 23, 2024. Space is limited. Open to ALCC members.
Dates/Times:
Thursday, March 14, 2024 - 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Friday, March 15, 2024 - 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday, March 16, 2024 - 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Friday, March 22, 2024 - 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday, March 23, 2024 - 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Instructor: Kyler Neumann
Location: DBC Irrigation Supply
Address:1890 W. Hamilton Pl., Sheridan, CO 80110
Fee: $525 per student. Register now. Deadline to register is Thursday, March 7, 2024.
Questions: Contact Melissa Emdin at 720-307-5092.
Sponsored by: DBC Irrigation Supply
All participants will receive Training Manual for Irrigation Technicians ($70 value).
Due to the limited number of participants, this program is open only to ALCC members.
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, February 12, 2024 12:00 AM |
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GA holds 28th Sunshine Legacy Women in Horticulture Luncheon
The Colorado Gardening Association held its 28th annual Sunshine Legacy Women in Horticulture luncheon at Denver Botanic Gardens in October. This year’s luncheon was dedicated to the memory of Michelle Krumdick, Mandy Gerace and Cheryl Puckett, who made a big impact on horticulture in Colorado.
Terri McEnaney, CEO and president of Bailey Nurseries—and the fifth generation of her family to take the helm of the nursery—gave a talk about Bailey Nurseries’ origins, what it was like to grow up in the company and the joys and challenges of running a family business.
Attendees received plants from Britton Nursery, gloves from BFG Supply and a gift bag of seeds from Botanical Interests.
Sponsors for this event included AgRisk Advisors, Alameda Wholesale Nursery, Altman Plants, Aquatic and Wetland Nursery, Arbor Valley Nursery, Ball Seed Company, BOK Financial, Botanical Interests, Echter’s Nursery & Garden Center, Fort Collins Nursery, Gulley Greenhouse, Harrell’s, Heidrich’s CO Tree Farm Nursery, LMI Landscapes, Park Creek Nursery, Plantivity, Syngenta Flowers, Tagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, The Tree Farm and Welby Gardens/Hardy Boy Plants
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, February 12, 2024 12:00 AM |
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Lifescape Colorado COO LeAnn Ostheimer named NALP Woman Leader of the Year
The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) presented Lifescape COO LeAnn Ostheimer with the Woman Leader of the Year Award, given to female members who demonstrate inspirational spirit, initiative and passion for the landscape industry, at its annual ELEVATE Conference in Dallas this fall.
“Winning NALP’s Woman Leader of the Year was a huge surprise and honor for me,” Ostheimer says. “I hope my story can serve as inspiration for young women considering a career path in the green industry and for companies looking to hire or promote.”
Ostheimer grew up on a dairy farm in Northern Colorado and earned her degree from Colorado State University, then began her career as a landscape designer at Lifescape 17 years ago. She was honored for her dedication to the industry and leading her company as it grew revenue tenfold and crafted award-winning landscape designs.
“Her design talent, determination and solutions-oriented approach are the DNA of Lifescape,” says Michael Hupf, owner and CEO of Lifescape, one of the largest locally owned residential landscape firms in Colorado. “Plus, she is a great mom, community member and inspiration to our team.”
Bringing in more women at all levels will help the industry prosper, Ostheimer says. “I am sure the next generation of women leaders will be even more innovative and inspiring,” she adds. “It is a privilege to share my success with my team and create more opportunities for all.”
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, February 12, 2024 12:00 AM |
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ELITE Award Stanley Brown winner Frank Kinder
Though he graduated from the University of Colorado with an undergraduate Business degree, Frank Kinder’s interest in the outdoors and urban planning led him to pursue a master’s in Geography with a focus on sustainable development. He was a sustainability consultant at Fort Carson and had a commercial water conservation role with Colorado Springs Utilities before he moved to Northern Water to implement a new Water Efficiency Department five years ago.
Under Kinder’s guidance, Northern Water has initiated a range of water conservation programs for northeast Colorado, expanded its campus to feature low-water landscapes and created a forthcoming Native Grass Guide in collaboration with multiple parties. Kinder has been one of ALCC’s greatest advocates for water conservation. Northern Water is the only water district that supports SLM through subsidy agreements, covering a portion of the registration fee for all SLM attendees.
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Written by Colorado State University
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Monday, January 22, 2024 12:00 AM |
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The Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Professional Mixer has been a Horticulture and Landscape Architecture signature annual event where employers meet students, staff and faculty while networking with Colorado State talent. At this event we will provide each employer with a table so only bring handouts, smaller items and a healthy stack of business cards to share! Tables, company name table tents, and fillable name tags will be provided.
We will have hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments.
Please register and join us on February 21st between 5pm-7:30pm (employer check-in will start at 4:30pm) at the Nutrien Agricultural Sciences Building.
As a new addition to the event this year is a Faculty - Industry Happy Hour from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Colorado cider, wine, charcuterie will be provided, (rsvp required during registration payment processing). The Happy Hour event will be held in the Alpine Garden Community Hub located on the second floor of Nutrien Agricultural Sciences Building.
Please follow the steps below to register and pay for the event. Event descriptions, agendas, instructions and additional information about the event is contained in each of the registration and pay links.
STEP 1 – Register through Handshake Hyperlink: Employers Registration Here
STEP 2 – Pay Online https://www.eventbrite.com/e/774546297827?aff=oddtdtcreator
STEP 3 – Send your Updated Company Logo to Karen Allison at [email protected]
STEP 4 – See you at the event! Additional information on parking and day of operations will be provided in the weeks prior to the event.
If you have questions in preparation for this event, please contact Scott Curry at [email protected] and/or Karen Allison at [email protected]
We Look forward to seeing you there!
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, January 22, 2024 12:00 AM |
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Bob Cannon Lifetime Achievement Award: Judd Bryarly, Timberline Landscaping
Though he attended both Mesa State College and the University of Colorado, Timberline Landscaping CEO Judd Bryarly says his real education came from hands-on work, making mistakes, reading and learning about the industry, and listening to leaders around him. Bryarly’s first job was with Timberline, when the company had five employees in the 1990s. Now, as CEO, he leads a team of more than 250 people. He credits Timberline owner Tim Emick, his mentor and friend, for inspiring him to take risks and trust in employees. Bryarly was the first Timberline employee to earn the CLT designation in 1996 and participated in developing the first Landscape Training Manuals in partnership with ALCC and NALP in the late 1990s. He has served on the Certification Committee, which he chaired in 2011.
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, January 22, 2024 12:00 AM |
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Congratulations to our 2024 Board Members
Results or the 2024 Board of Directors are in. Please join ALCC in congratulating this year's Board of Directors. Together, ALCC and its board members will help guide, advise and oversee our organization through 2024. We look forward to a fantastic year!
PRESIDENT Brian Levins Designscapes Colorado, Golden
VICE PRESIDENT Anne Campbell Colorado Stoneworks Landscaping, Colorado Springs
SECRETARY/TREASURER Steve Steele Steele Dynamic Services, Denver
PAST PRESIDENT Zak George Zak George Landscaping, Fort Collins
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Read more...
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, January 22, 2024 12:00 AM |
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Location Pickens Technical College in Aurora, CO 80011
Horticulture Long-Term Substitute Teacher Jan 26 - May 31
Aurora Public Schools Compensation and Benefits
Summary: Horticulture Long-Term Substitute Teacher is responsible for instructing program courses, supervision of internships, and preparing students to enter the horticulture industry. The focus of this program is to train students in the areas of landscape and irrigation design and installation, greenhouse operation, and turf-grass management. Students will train to earn industry certifications in each of these areas.
Classes taught during this time will be:
● Plant Health Care
● Urban Agriculture
● Greenhouse Management
● Green Machines
Responsibilities:
● Provide theoretical instruction and laboratory experiences that reflect an understanding of the program's philosophy, objectives, and curriculum.
● Teach course syllabi and lesson plans in accordance with state and other stakeholder requirements. This includes developing descriptions and objectives for assigned courses and preparing and evaluating student assessment tools.
● Foster the program's responsiveness to community and/or employer needs.
● Participate in meetings, in-services, workshops, and other professional meetings and act as a resource person to members of the community and other faculty members.
● Supervise community internship and job shadowing opportunities for students. Perform other duties as assigned by the program administrator. Job
Qualifications:
● Must have some horticulture experience and knowledge of greenhouses
● A minimum of three years of teaching or related industry experience is preferred.
● Experience with the instruction and safe use of landscape and turf-grass maintenance equipment is preferred.
The successful candidate must possess or be eligible to obtain a Colorado Department of Education (CDE) substitute teaching license.
Job Type: Temporary Pay: $32.00 - $35.00 per hour
Schedule: No weekends
Work Location: In person
Please apply online through indeed
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Written by Stefan Stathopulos, Hicks & Associates
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Monday, January 08, 2024 12:00 AM |
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The Second Regular Session of the 74th General Assembly will convene on Jan. 10 and adjourn May 8. A recurrent theme throughout the last several years doesn’t seem to be changing this upcoming session. Colorado businesses will continue to be on the defensive on many issues. Yes, it is an election year, so we could see less earth-shattering legislation than last year, but that’s not guaranteed.
With the 2024 elections less than a year away, Democrats will look to gain a super majority in the Senate, which they already have in the House, and Republicans are looking to pick up seats in both chambers. The 2023 session was a busy interim for ALCC/GreenCO. We attended multiple interim committees, including the Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force, Transportation Legislation Review Committee, the Committee on Ozone Air Quality and the Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee (which just became a year-round committee). As usual, there were multiple bills approved in the interim committees that addressed sales and use tax, non-functional turf in new developments and many more that we continue to stay engaged on.
We also participated in multiple rulemaking meetings, including on pesticides, and attended other regulatory meetings during the interim. The most pressing matter we engaged on is the possibility of new restrictions on the use of handheld and push gas-powered equipment by the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC). ALCC submitted comments in tandem with NALP for consideration. ALCC has asked to limit the regulation to 10 horsepower or under and push the implementation date out, so the incentive program and manufacturers have a chance to catch up.
This year, Gov. Jared Polis called a Special Session, which convened on Nov. 17 to address property taxes in the state after Proposition HH failed to get voters’ approval in the November election. The session lasted four days, and multiple bills were passed to address not only property taxes but also TABOR Refunds and assistance for renters. We expect property taxes to continue to be an issue during the 2024 session.
As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session, we will continue to stay engaged and craft our 2024 legislative priorities, which include water, pesticide regulation, sales and use tax issues, industry regulations, and workforce development.
As we get closer to the 2024 Legislative Session, we ask that all ALCC/GreenCO members stayed engaged. The more engagement we have from members, the better outcomes we will have at the General Assembly.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, January 08, 2024 12:00 AM |
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The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) recognized three ALCC member companies during its 2023 Awards of Excellence ceremony at the annual Elevate conference and expo in Dallas this fall. The winners are:
Lifescape Colorado, Denver COO LeAnn Ostheimer, Women Leader of the year award; Residential Design/Build Gold Award for Hillside Beauty; Residential Landscape Management Gold Award for High Style in The Pines; Residential Design/Build Silver Award for Family Chic Retreat; Residential Landscape Management Silver Award for Twist of Sophistication; Residential Landscape Management Silver Award for Verdant Ascent
Singing Hills Landscape, Aurora Residential Landscape Contracting Silver Award for Amongst the Pines; Residential Landscape Contracting Gold Award for Monaco Modern
Timberline Landscaping, Colorado Springs Commercial Landscape Contracting Gold Award for Panorama Park
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, January 08, 2024 12:00 AM |
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Northern Water, a public agency that provides water for food production and municipal, domestic and industrial uses in Northeastern Colorado, received a WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award for its work promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2022.
This is the fourth year Northern Water has won the award from WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by EPA. In its efforts to help commercial customers save water, Northern Water performed 48 landscape consultations, inspecting landscape conditions and irrigation components and recommending WaterSense-labeled irrigation controllers and sprinkler components. Northern Water also helped save more than 7 million gallons of water by funding 11 projects through its Collaborative Water-Efficient Landscape Grant Program, which requires WaterSense-labeled equipment to be installed.
“The WaterSense program and products provide an ideal foundation to promote, facilitate and celebrate water efficiency,” says Frank Kinder, Northern Water’s Water Efficiency Department manager. “The public-private partnership delivers sustained water savings and high performance, allowing comprehensive conservation of this vitally important resource on which we all rely. We appreciate the value WaterSense provides to all stakeholders.”
Since 2006, consumers and businesses using certified water-efficient plumbing products have saved 7.5 trillion gallons of water; 880 billion kilowatt hours of energy used to pump, treat and heat water; and $171 billion in water and energy bills. These efforts have also helped prevent 337 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions—equivalent to planting 5.6 billion trees.
“With extreme weather affecting water supplies and quality, saving this precious resource is more important than ever,” said Veronica Blette, chief of the EPA’s WaterSense Branch. “The 2023 award winners helped Americans look to WaterSense and save not just water, but the energy required to heat and treat it, reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy use.”
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Written by Colorado Green Now
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Monday, December 11, 2023 12:00 AM |
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Pickens Technical College in Aurora continues to train people for landscape industry jobs by providing hands-on learning in areas such as health, insect management, irrigation skills and more.
For the past year, Pickens has been building up its program and increasing enrollment, according to Pickens instructor Rachel Durkan. The horticultural program’s name has been changed from Urban Horticulture and Landscape Management to Environmental Horticulture. “This new name encompasses more industries within horticulture and will hopefully continue to attract more students,” Durkin says.
Last year, Pickens students did a once- a-week internship/shadowing experience in which they spent 10 Mondays working on projects, apprenticeships or internships with industry leaders. This program will start again in January 2024.
The 2023-2024 school year will include six field trips in the fall semester, including the Colorado State University trial gardens and seed collections, Denver Botanic Gardens, Arbor Valley and the Waterwise Gardens in Aurora. As part of the program, all students will now earn a Sustainable Landscape Management (SLM) certificate. “All students are excited to be attending ProGreen EXPO this year,” Durkin adds.
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Written by City of Greeley CO
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Monday, December 11, 2023 12:00 AM |
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Greeley Water Conservation urges local landscape and irrigation professionals to pursue certifications to increase their industry knowledge and support Greeley’s water-wise values.
Based on available funds, the City of Greeley reimburses all costs for class materials and testing fees for select certifications up to $550. Professionals must pass all required tests and receive certification for reimbursement.
Many of the courses are in English and Spanish. For a list of qualifying courses, go to GreeleyGov.com/rebatesEarlier this year, Greeley City Council adopted design criteria that requires certifications for commercial landscape installations. Since then, the demand for trained industry professionals has increased.
Greeley's Water and Sewer Board also supports the program.
“In Greeley and the West, we must grow more water-wise together,” said Water and Sewer Board Chairman Harold Evans. “Greeley Water is well-positioned for the future. We must ensure our residents have access to knowledgeable, certified and prepared professionals to support Greeley's values.”
Greeley Water Conservation sees this investment as a crucial step in ensuring proper maintenance of landscapes in the community. A well-installed, maintained and programmed irrigation system reduces water use and lowers customers' water bills.
Greeley Water Conservation recommends that residents choose landscape and irrigation companies with certified staff to maximize their water savings. Residents can find these companies at alcc.com/find-a-pro.
Email your questions to [email protected].
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