Water

City of Dallas Water Utilities, city of Dallas Stormwater Management, city of Dallas Park & Recreation, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Dallas County Master Gardeners are teaming up to demonstrate the beauty of Water-Wise and EarthKind gardening with the 20th annual Water-Wise Landscape Tour.

The first 100 visitors at each of the three tour headquarters will receive a free hose spray nozzle. Tour is also free. Info: 214-670-3155, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

See website for a map of the self-guiding Water-Wise Landscape Tour. Maps will also be available all tour headquarters.

TOUR HEADQUARTERS

A – CENTRAL: City of Dallas – White Rock Pump Station – 2900 White Rock Road – Dallas, TX 75214

B – NORTH: Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center – 17360 Coit Road – Dallas, TX 75252

C – SOUTH: Lake Cliff Park – E. Colorado Blvd. at N. Zang Blvd. – Dallas, TX 75203

TOUR MICROTALKS/DEMONSTRATIONS

The Fort Worth Water Department, BRIT, and NBC5 are partnering to sponsor the second annual EcoScape residential summer landscape contest to find the homeowner with the most creative, attractive, and water efficient lawn in the area. The contest runs from June 14 to August 16 and will be judged on three key criteria:

1.     Design – aesthetic appeal; composition; use of color and plant variety;

2.     Water Conservation – efficient irrigation/water use; use of non-vegetative materials such as fences, walls, walks, etc.; use of native and/or adapted plants; reduced turf area; and use of mulches; and

3.     Appropriate Maintenance – healthy landscape, no weeds; plants pruned as appropriate.

 Renewable energy sources or RES capture their energy from existing flows of energy; from on-going natural processes, such as sunshine, wind, wave power, flowing water (hydropower); biological processes such as anaerobic digestion; and geothermal heat flow.

The most common definition is that renewable energy is from an energy resource that is replaced by a natural process at a rate that is equal to or faster than the rate at which that resource is being consumed. Renewable energy is a sub-set of sustainable energy.

This class will help students understand renewable energy, with an emphasis on solar and wind, as it relates to the residential sector and will provide resources for further exploration. Free. Info: 972- 742-2296.

Participants will learn how to maintain their landscape with minimal water usage during the hottest part of the year. Students also will learn basic indoor and outdoor water practices what will help cut back on the summer water bill. Speaker: Barry Allen, City of Irving, Water Utilities Department. Free. Info: 972- 742-2296.

The all-day conference features George Bandy, Jr., vice president of sustainability at Interface, and Michael Cain, executive director of Earth Day Texas.

The breakout sessions feature three tracks, saving the people, planet & money, with speakers from the cities of Dallas, Cedar Hill and Lancaster, medical organizations, non-profits and churches of southern Dallas.

Texas A&M Agrilife Research, North Texas Renewable Energy Group, Texas Campaign for the Environment, Urban Acres and Fossil Rim are also participating. Free. 

Author and permaculture expert Nate Downey will host the all-day workshop, focusing on harvesting rain water in storage tanks. Downey, who has been designing and installing cistern systems for two decades, will talk about the components of a successful system that can turn storm water into an actual resource. $99.

Author and permaculture expert Nate Downey will speak on the water-harvesting industry as an economic engine that will drive the country toward real sustainability. Part of DCCCD's Clean economy series. $10. 

Downey will also host an all-day workshop on June 28.

The locally produced movie focuses on the rally in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17, 2013, where 50,000 people from around the country came in freezing weather and said NO to the Keystone XL pipeline. It includes footage on the Texas bus that traveled 34 hours to the rally, along with exclusive footage and interviews with residents affected by the devastating oil spill in Mayflower, Arkansas. Refreshments. Free. 

READ THE GSDFW ARTICLE.

Patrick Dickinson, urban water program coordinator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas, will present a general overview of various water conservation methods including drip irrigation; new water conserving technologies; cycle and soak; lawn care during drought; foundation watering; tree watering; irrigation scheduling; and rainwater harvesting. Learn how to conserve water in your landscape and lower costs. The program is open to the public. Free. Registration is requested. Info: 972-874-6165 or fmpl@flower-mound.com

Fifth annual conference hosted by  Coastal Prairie Partnership and Native Prairies Association of Texas. This year's conference will focus on challenges to conserving, restoring and educating about prairies.

Audience: Resource professionals, private landowners, volunteers (including Texas Master Naturalists), educators, landscape architects. 

Cost: Field experiences (May 29) - $30 each; Indoor Presentations (May 30 & 31) $150; $75 for students. Free post-conference field experience also available.

Topics: Prairie restoration, prairies and water/energy production, prairies and climate change, managing for biodiversity, prairie bird conservation, social media and conservation, conservation agreement for landowners, teaching about prairies, creating grassroots campaigns, and more.

Field Experiences (May 29 and June 1): This year's conference will include a varied mixture of free and paid field experiences throughout the DFW area.

Indoor Presentations (MAY 30 AND 31) at Fort Worth Botanic Gardens: