Rain Bird Selects Conservation Winner
Rain Bird Corporation, the leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services, announced recently that The Water Conservation Garden near El Cajon, Calif. has been selected by a panel of judges as the winner of The 2007 Intelligent Use of Water Award, an annual program to bring greater recognition to outstanding contributions by individuals and/or organizations towards the advancement of landscape water efficiency. As the 2007 Intelligent Use of Water Award winner, The Water Conservation Garden (http://www.thegarden.org/) will be presented with $10,000 in acknowledgment of their contributions toward protecting Earth's most precious resource, a trip to the 2008 Rose Parade and a spot as a featured panelist during Rain Bird's year-end Intelligent Use of Water Summit, held in Pasadena, Calif.
Selected by a panel of judges according to pre-determined criteria including demonstrated water savings, preservation of landscapes, innovation, and overall impact on the community, this year's Intelligent Use of Water Award finalists included a mix of organizations and individuals, each with a unique commitment to improved water efficiency.
"All of the finalists were exceptional and Rain Bird is proud to be able to salute each for their outstanding efforts and innovative water management practices resulting in improved water landscape conservation," said Dave Johnson, Rain Bird's Director of Corporate Marketing. "As this year's winner, The Water Conservation Garden's innovation, leadership, ingenuity and overall commitment to improved landscape water efficiency makes it a valuable resource that has raised the standard for outdoor water conservation through education and leadership."
Located in the eastern part of San Diego County, on the campus of Cuyamaca College, The Water Conservation Garden has nearly five acres of displays that showcase water conservation through a series of themed gardens. As a public learning laboratory and resource for information about water efficient gardening, The Water Conservation Garden educates the public on developing a water-efficient landscape. Among its many public exhibits are multiple displays of water efficient plants; a "Retrofit House" that contrasts the high water use of a plain turf backyard with the low water use of a beautifully landscaped backyard featuring drought-tolerant plants; a mulch and ground cover exhibit and a "Firewise Home" exhibit, to name a few. The Garden also serves as the site of a comprehensive Water Conservation Training course for landscape professionals.
"We are absolutely honored to be receiving The Intelligent Use of Water Award as The Water Conservation Garden's primary focus continues to be educating the public on the importance of water-efficient landscaping," said Marty Eberhardt, Executive Director, The Water Conservation Garden. "Since its opening in 1999, The Garden has grown to become a source for information and ideas for all things relating to landscape water efficiency. We are all challenged to conserve water at this time in history and The Garden's goal is to help people find ways to meet the challenge."
Emanating from the same ideals that provide the basis for Rain Bird's core commitment to The Intelligent Use of Water, the 2007 Intelligent Use of Water Award seeks to bring about a greater knowledge and awareness of the need for water conservation by honoring those persons or organizations whose innovation, leadership, ingenuity and overall commitment to improved landscape water efficiency has raised the standard for outdoor water conservation. The winner of the Intelligent Use of Water Award was chosen by an esteemed panel of experts: Elizabeth Cutright, Editor, Water Efficiency, The Journal for Water Conservation Professionals; Dan Stark, Executive Director of the American Public Gardens Association; and Ron Stoltz, Director of the School of Landscape Architecture at The University of Arizona.
Rain Bird's Intelligent Use of Water Award is the most recent example in the company's history of creating programs and initiatives to boost awareness of water conservation. Rain Bird devotes significant resources to its Intelligent Use of Water public initiatives, which include a series of white papers; public service announcements; membership on the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the steering committee advising the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its WaterSense product labeling program; bi-annual Intelligent Use of Water Summits and The Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition; partnerships with non-profit organizations; development and support of elementary and middle school curriculums; and participation in the Tournament of Roses Parade, an annual worldwide stage to communicate the need for water conservation. To learn more about Rain Bird's commitment to The Intelligent Use of Water, visit http://www.rainbird.com/iuow/.