DEL NORTE – The Rio Grande County Museum is finishing the first phase of a landscaping project that will highlight the natural history of the region as well as an effort to save water and resources.

The project began when Colorado State Legislature passed House Bill 1151 which “created a state program to finance the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf,” (i.e. replacing grass with water-wise landscaping / plants with lower water needs) as well as commit a sum of government money to support the program.

Through several months of research, it was determined that the only way to participate in the program was to utilize the selected contractors that all resided on the Front Range near Denver. Through this process, Rio Grande County Museum Board member Ruthanne Johnson alongside Rio Grande County Museum Director Lyndsie Ferrell decided it would be best to seek other funding to keep the work and costs associated with the project as local as possible.

“We wanted to bring a natural history component to the museum to highlight the significance of plants in our region and to show how they were used through the years by indigenous people and the first settlers. Our landscape and the resources it offered were one of the main reasons it brought people to this area. Between the plants and animals, the Valley offered an abundant landscape, and we really want people to know how unique and special that is,” said Ferrell.

After searching for funding, Johnson and Ferrell found that the project qualified for funding through the Colorado Conservation Trust Fund. This funding is allocated to local governments through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and allows funding to be used for recreational projects as well as outdoor space improvement projects.

Earlier this summer, the Rio Grande County Commissioners approved the project proposal, and the project went out to bid. Once bids were received, the local company North River Greenhouse and Landscaping was selected by Rio Grande County Commissioners and the project was approved for $45,000 of Colorado Conservation Trust Fund monies.

“We only had two companies bid for the project and after careful consideration we selected North River Greenhouse and Landscaping out of Alamosa. The most important component to this project was to keep it local. We wanted a local company that would be familiar with not only the plants but the landscape as well,” explained Ferrell.

The project kicked off in the last week of October and is now in the final stages of phase one which includes locally sourced rocks from the historical stone quarry located outside of Del Norte.

“With winter just around the corner the project will continue in the spring with planting as the second phase and we will be seeking additional funding for the third phase of the project that will include signs detailing how each plant was used, what animals and insects benefit from the plant and some artwork to accent the entire property. We are also hoping to work with the Colorado State Forest Service to include fire redundant plants to help educate the public on being fire-wise around homes.

“This will be a wonderful addition to our community and we look forward to hosting a ribbon cutting in the spring.”