A rebate alone was not enough to persuade Eagle County homeowners to remove turf.
Beyond Lawn pairs financial incentives with approximately two-hour property evaluations that examine both the landscape and every irrigation zone. Participants then receive a customized conservation report with a property map, water budget, irrigation schedule, plant recommendations, and options for reducing wildfire risk.
WaterNow’s Project Accelerator provided critical pro bono assistance as the Eagle County Conservation District developed and advanced this more comprehensive approach. That added capacity helped turn an ambitious conservation concept into a program property owners could actually use.
Victoria Arling of WaterNow says the on-site guidance is the program’s “unlock.” Evaluators help residents determine which grass serves little purpose, what could replace it, and which irrigation improvements would conserve water without sacrificing a functional landscape.
The results show substantial demand. More than 60,000 square feet of turf have been converted, and the program now has a waiting list for evaluations.
Beyond Lawn demonstrates an important lesson for water conservation: incentives work better when people also receive the technical help needed to plan a project and carry it through.
Resilience in the Rockies is produced in collaboration with WaterNow and made possible in part by a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, with support from PCL Construction, Norris Design, Merrick, and the City of Greeley.
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