Design and Management of Colorado
Landscapes
Goal: Colorado State University will enhance its focus and depth in undergraduate education, graduate education, research, and outreach in design and management of Colorado landscapes, serve as the primary provider of new management talent for Colorado’s green industry, be recognized as the primary source of knowledge for Colorado’s landscape industries, and be recognized nationally for graduate education and research in green industry crop evaluation and limited-water landscape plant cultivation. This will include continuation of the nationally recognized BS degree in landscape architecture and BS degree in landscape horticulture, graduate education and research in plant selection and improvement, limited-irrigation landscape plant cultivation, and landscape policies, and outreach in landscape industry plant selection, cultivation management, and Master Gardener education and volunteer development. Purpose: Colorado is an urban and urbanizing state in which demographic evolution is changing the scope of “agriculture.” The landscape (green) industry of Colorado, and the nation, is large and growing and comprises a significant part of Colorado agriculture (the green industries have been recognized as “agriculture” by the Colorado General Assembly). The industry includes production, wholesale, and retail sales for floriculture, nursery, and tree crops, garden supplies, irrigation equipment, outdoor equipment, and development and care services for landscapes, such as golf courses, landscape design and construction, and landscape maintenance for homes, businesses, and public gardens and cemeteries. Colorado expenditures on garden-related products, landscape and lawn service, and other related green industries (irrigation, botanical gardens, and outdoor equipment) have averaged 10 percent annual growth since 1993, resulting in $1.67 billion in direct sales, in 2002. (This generates an economic impact of $2.1 to $5.0 billion depending on the economic multiplier used.) The value of the Colorado golf industry alone is $1.2 billion. The landscape-related industries of Colorado employ nearly 34,000 positions (6 percent average annual growth) with a payroll of $825 million annually (18 percent average annual growth). Thirty percent of industry revenues are generated from out of state (domestic and international) sales. Appropriate design and management of the landscape, especially in the environmentally sensitive regions that typify subdivisions and development of ranch lands, are essential for the quality of life in Colorado and for economic development related to tourism, industry location, retention of home valuation, and the green industry itself. Community landscaping strongly influences the physical/biological environment and mitigates many aspects of urban development by moderating climate, conserving energy, using carbon dioxide, improving air quality, controlling rainfall runoff and flooding, lowering noise levels, preserving green spaces, harboring wildlife, and enhancing the attractiveness of cities. The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture offers the B.S. in Landscape Architecture (194 majors in Fall 2008-09) and the B. S. in Landscape Horticulture (113 majors in Fall 2008-09). These degree programs have excellent support from industry. Colorado State University is in a strong position to assist with the economic development of Colorado’s green industry and to enhance the well-being of tourists and citizens by educating green industry professionals, researching commercial and residential issues related to ornamental plantings and landscape restoration, and providing continuing education to industry employees and citizens on best practices for plant selection, plant production and maintenance, water conservation and irrigation, pest control, and landscape design. Strategic Actions:
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