Local homeowners complete Smartscape training at Global Water

More than 115 Maricopa home-owners and community members attended a residential Smartscape training in January taught by University of Arizona faculty at the Global Water Conference Center.

This was the second residential Smartscape training offered in Maricopa, following the successful completion of the same training in October. Twenty-three of the attendees completed all three workshops totaling six hours of training and received Smartscape homeowner certifications of completion with one lucky winner receiving a gift card to a home and gardening store. All attendees received valuable education in water efficient landscaping at no cost, regardless of whether they were able to attend all three workshops.

What is Smartscape?

Smartscape is a comprehensive training program that provides research-based instruction to landscape and irrigation professionals and homeowners centered around the fundamentals of design, installation, irrigation and maintenance of desert-adapted landscapes.

There are currently two types of Smartscape classes. Professional classes are intended to help build capacity within the landscape industry to design, install and maintain low-water use landscapes. Residential classes are designed to assist residents and homeowners association members with best practices for developing attractive and water-wise landscapes.

Why is Smartscape so valuable?

Unlike water used indoors, water applied to outdoor landscapes cannot be captured and used again. That is why it is so important to use it efficiently. In Arizona, about 70% of water is used outside. As water scarcity continues to increase in the desert, it is more important than ever to spread this water-saving education across all regions of the state. The residential Smartscape classes also help promote communication and education between homeowners and HOA boards and foster a stronger understanding of the existing challenges and potential solutions in this area.

Where can I find Smartscape?

Smartscape has provided training for thousands of landscape professionals and residents in the Phoenix and Tucson areas for more than 25 years. In 2022, it was established in Pinal County and is still developing across communities in the county, with classes currently held in Maricopa and Casa Grande.

Global Water Resources, the water utility for Maricopa, was excited to offer the residential training for the first time in Maricopa in collaboration with the University of Arizona Pinal County extension. Anne LeSenne from the U of A taught the program. She is a trained horticulturist and former landscape architect who is passionate about water-wise landscaping.

Kallika Naylor, the water conservation specialist at Global Water, promoted the training program and hosted the class at the Global Water Conference Center in Maricopa. Global Water and U of A Cooperative extension hope to continue providing both types of Smartscape classes in Maricopa going forwards. We need your help to spread the word!

Do you want to attend this training or bring Smartscape and water-wise landscaping to your community?

[email protected]
GWResources.com/Conservation-Education

SPONSORED CONTENT