Free Restore the Gore landscaping workshops set for April 7

Registration is now taking place for a free workshop on sustainable landscaping practices scheduled for April 7. The day-long workshop is the first of many collaborative activities that will be introduced throughout the community as part of Vail’s Restore the Gore Strategic Action Plan.

Landscape contractors, commercial applicators, designers, architects and property managers are encouraged to register for the Restore the Gore workshop which is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at the Grand View on the third level of the Lionshead Welcome Center. Lunch will be provided as well as free parking.

Sponsored by the Town of Vail, Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, the Restore the Gore program will include presentations on creek-friendly landscape design and maintenance techniques, including best practices on the use of pesticides. The workshop is limited to 50 participants. Attendees will have their names and businesses listed as Partners in Vail’s Restore the Gore efforts.  Additional workshops will be announced soon for property owners and businesses.

Since 2012 Gore Creek has been identified as an impaired stream by state and federal regulators due to the decline in aquatic life. Scientists have determined the impact is due to degradation and loss of riparian buffer areas, impacts of urban runoff and pollutants associated with land use activities. The Restore the Gore Strategic Action Plan, adopted by the Vail Town Council on March 15, includes an emphasis on community awareness as well as strategies for regulatory measures, site-specific projects, best management practices and an ongoing monitoring program.

To RSVP for the upcoming workshop, contact Kristen Bertuglia, the town’s environmental sustainability manager, at kbertigulia@vailgov.com, by April 5th. For additional details, call 970-477-3455 or visit vailgov.com/gorecreek.