Presenter urges Englewood to expand native-plant landscaping; subcommittee outlines pilot certification and water-board outreach

At its meeting, the Englewood City Sustainability Commission heard a 40‑minute presentation on native plants and a report that a newly formed certification subcommittee plans a pilot program and outreach to the water board.

Dana (owner, Grounding Growth Land Landscape Design and board member of Wild Ones Front Range) told the commission that native plants “clean our air, manage stormwater, and support wildlife.” She framed native landscaping as a local tool to address pollinator loss, carbon sequestration and flash‑flood risk.

Dana described ecological advantages specific to the short‑grass prairie ecosystem around Englewood: deep root systems that can reach many feet and sequester carbon in soil; higher drought resilience than Kentucky bluegrass; and the ability of prairie plantings to increase groundwater infiltration and reduce runoff during storms. She said prairie grasses reach maturity faster than trees for carbon storage and require far less irrigation than nonnative turf. Dana cited monarch butterfly declines — "Monarch populations have declined by as much as 83% between February and 02/2020," she said — as an example of the wider pollinator crisis native plantings can help address.

A commission member reported that a nascent certification group has met twice, with about six participants, and is drafting definitions and a pilot structure. That member said the group plans to present a pilot concept to Englewood’s water board to explore funding and to use the Sustainability Commission as a practice audience before seeking a confidence vote from City Council.

Practical guidance and steps: Dana urged phased conversions (by irrigation zone), recommended avoiding soil disturbance, leaving leaf litter in fall for insect habitat, delaying spring mowing until native ground‑nesting bees are active, skipping landscape weed‑barriers in favor of dense planting and mulch, and prioritizing plant species adapted to local soils. She said watering schedules typically require regular watering the first year, reduced frequency the second season, and minimal supplemental watering after plants establish — and that most native plantings reach mature, resilient form in about two to three years.

Access and supply: Dana said native plants are increasingly available at specialty nurseries (she mentioned Harlequin’s in Boulder and High Plains in Loveland) and via mail order, but encouraged residents to request natives at local garden centers to increase local supply.

Why it matters: The presenter linked native landscaping to multiple policy goals — biodiversity, climate resilience, stormwater management, and lower water use — and the certification subcommittee’s pilot seeks to make native landscaping easier for residents to adopt.

Ending: The commission discussed next steps for the subcommittee and asked staff to coordinate outreach to the water board and community education programs. Dana and subcommittee members said they would return with more detailed pilot proposals and plant lists for Englewood’s short‑grass prairie ecosystem.