The
2009 Intelligent Use of Water™ Leadership Award
2009 Intelligent Use of Water Award Winner:
Naples Botanical Garden, Inc. – Naples, FL
In an area with a problematic history of pollution and fertilizer runoff in communal waterways, Naples Botanical Garden is committed to high performance and the integration of sustainable green building practices into the design of their gardens. Having adopted the water use goals for LEED Gold Certification, the garden is a leader in freshwater conservation and management and incorporates numerous water conserving features into its design. Parking lot bio-swales capture rainwater that filters through the ground, carrying water to the giant entry feature bio-swale, the Rain Garden. A “River of Grass” garden feature serves as a natural filtration system before the water is slowly released to the preserve area. The primary irrigation system for the garden implements soil moisture detectors that direct water as needed through drip emitters. The system has allowed the garden to reduce water use by 50 percent.
Judging Panel
Emanating from the same ideals that support Rain Bird's core commitment to The Intelligent Use of Water, the Intelligent Use of Water Awards seek to bring about a greater knowledge and awareness of the need for water conservation. The 2009 Intelligent Use of Water Awards were judged by an esteemed panel of landscape and water-efficiency experts, each with a unique understanding of the relationship between better landscape designs and reduced landscape water waste. Judges for the 3rd annual Intelligent Use of Water Award program were:
Dan Stark, Executive Director of the American Public Gardens Association
Marty Eberhardt, Executive Director of The Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon, Calif.; Winner of the 2007 Intelligent Use of Water Award
Denis Gourdeau, Water Management Coordinator, City of Calgary Parks, Alberta, Canada
Christopher S. Gray, Sr., Golf Course Superintendent at Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Kentucky; Winner of the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water Award
