Sunday, January 31, 2010

January 31, 2010, birds of World Peace Wetland Prairie searching for bare ground and free seed

Please click on individual images to ENLARGE view of assorted birds. Many more species are around today, such as red-winged blackbirds, bluejays, cardinals and many others whose names and photos are more difficult to collect.


Thursday, January 21, 2010

Beaver water district earns LEED status for new administrative center's energy efficiency


Beaver Water District Receives LEED® Gold
                (Lowell, AR) -- The Beaver Water District announced today that its new Administration Center, located at 301 N. Primrose Road in Lowell, has been awarded LEED® Gold established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Beaver Water District achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water, and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.    
                “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of our efforts to build in a responsible manner that is sensitive to the environment and our use of natural resources,” said David Short of Bentonville, President of the District’s Board of Directors. “The team that worked on this project did an outstanding job and the District and our customers in Northwest Arkansas will reap the benefits of this effort for years to come.”
The District built the new center to increase office space and provide public access without compromising treatment plant security, according to Alan D. Fortenberry P.E., CEO of the District.
                “Our design focused on maximum energy savings with an eye to the future. The challenge was to build the center using resources to their greatest benefit while keeping waste to a bare minimum,” Fortenberry said.
                To tackle this goal, a series of meetings -- referred to as design charrettes -- were held. These meetings involved District staff, members of the architectural design team led by McGoodwin Williams & Yates of Fayetteville, and LEED consultants Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects of Little Rock.
                Functionality is a key component of every aspect of the Administration Center, from the infiltration basins, which help clean and filter stormwater runoff from parking lots, to the reuse of waste process water in the water feature, which resembles a rippling creek that might be found in nature in the Ozarks. The water feature creates an attractive setting for the front entry to the center.
                The Administration Center is situated on a 10-acre site with only a 14,000-square-foot building footprint, which maximizes open space. The “cool” roof reflects light and controls heat. At night, the site lighting chosen for the facility reduces light pollution.
                Long north/south walls take advantage of daylight, which results in lower lighting costs for the building. Motion sensors also are employed throughout the building in lighting controls. Water efficient landscape design incorporates native plantings that are more likely to thrive in this climate in both wet and dry conditions. Native plants also are good at “uptake” when it comes to pollutants. Geothermal heating and cooling uses 37, 300-foot deep wells on site to provide efficient heating and cooling that also results in low energy use.
                In every instance that was feasible, regional materials manufactured within a 500-mile radius were used in the building’s construction, thus reducing fuel consumption for freight. Many of the components of the center -- from toilet partitions, cabinets and countertops, to concrete, carpet, and fabrics -- contain recycled content. Pervious pavement allows rain water and runoff to seep back into the ground. The District anticipates a savings of 150,000 gallons per year for drip irrigation with use of recycle water. In addition, a 50% reduction of potable water use is anticipated with low flush toilets, automatic faucets, and waterless urinals.
                “Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, USGBC. “The Beaver Water District’s project efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.”
Beaver Water District supplies drinking water to more than 250,000 people and industries in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and surrounding areas. These cities then resell the water to surrounding towns and communities. The District’s mission is to serve our customers in the Benton and Washington County area by providing high quality drinking water that meets or exceeds all federal and state regulatory requirements in such quantities as meets their demands and is economically priced consistent with our quality standards. For more information, visit www.bwdh2o.org.


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Flower, garden and Nature Society to hold annual roundtable discussion Saturday, January 16, 2010

1
From the President........ 
Out with the old, in with the new! It's 2010, a new year. We
computer programmers tend to count from zero rather than
one like normal people, so I could even make a case for it
being a new decade, too, but I'd probably just confuse
people even more than I usually do.
I hope your holidays were happy ones, and that you're
looking forward to our FGNS programs and activities in
2010 as much as I am. If you'll let me wax philosophical
for a moment, I've said often that our membership is our
biggest asset, and in thinking about that I feel it's because
we have such a wide variety of people, with a huge range
of interests and talents and even opinions. What's really
remarkable is that our group seems to be so open and
friendly that all of these different people and views and
opinions can not only coexist peaceably but work together.
If you're a part of very many volunteer-driven groups you'll
realize just how unusual that is!
As I mentioned in December, Lynn Rogers has put together
another great year of programs (well, the November
speaker looks a little suspect, but that's months away and
maybe he'll shape up by then). It's become a tradition that
our January program is a round-table discussion, and they
are always fun. It's always amazing to see, from the
questions that are asked and the
answers given, all the things our
members know and want to know.
See you on Saturday,
Steve 
January 2010
Volume 15 Number 1 
We come from the earth
we return to the earth
and in between
we garden. 

THE FLOWER, GARDEN, AND NATURE SOCIETY OF NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS 
FGNS Officers 
Steve Marak 
President 
3460 Roma Drive
Springdale, AR 72762
H 479 271-5278
samarak@cox.net 
Heather Cook 
Vice-president 
4436 Highland Knolls Rd
Rogers, AR 72758
H 479 366-9067
aacook@cox.net 
Joyce Mendenhall 
Secretary 
689 Winbaugh Lane
Fayetteville, AR 72703
H 479 466-7265
joycemendenhall@yahoo.
com 
Sharon Haley 
Treasurer 
1 Red Bluff Road
Hindsville, AR 72738
H 479-789-2127
wareaglesharon@gmail
.com 
Gail Pianalto 
Past President 
P.O. Box 444
Tontitown, AR 72770
H 479 361-2198
pgp31@cox.net 
___________________ 
Paula Marinoni 
Founder 
617 W. Lafayette
Fayetteville, AR 72701
H 479 444-6170
pm@paulamarinoni.com 
Join us Saturday 
 January 20 
for the annual 
Roundtable 
Bring a favorite garden
tool for show and tell. 
**Location** 
Northwest Technical Institute 
709 South Old Missouri Rd 
Springdale, AR 
(1/2 mile South of Jones Center on 
Hwy 265)   Enter at south door. 
Inside 
President's Message p. 1
Botanically
    Speaking p. 2
New Officers p. 3
In The Greenhouse p. 3
Calender p. 4
What's On the Web p. 4
2010 Speaker List p. 5Red-bellied woodpecker 
on our feeder.