The theme for the 15th Annual Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference is the “Land Use, Water Use Connection” and includes the transect from the natural environment to the urban environment.

The weather in Albuquerque is warmer than it was when we left Denver yesterday, but that’s not due to global warming or climate change. It’s always a bit warmer here in late February when the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico puts on its annual conference.

I look forward to this conference every year, not only to escape the chillier Denver weather, but to hear well-regarded experts talk about water issues. For the first time in several years, there seems to be more optimism in the tone of the presentations.

That’s not to say we aren’t still in the midst of a water crisis, but it just seems there’s more hope in working together to find solutions.

Hello from Albuquerque, NM, home of the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico and the setting for the International Water Conservation Conference.

Each year the Xeriscape Council gathers together a group of extraordinary speakers to present the latest research and the newest thinking in how to solve some of our most challenging water and growing issues. The conference begins in the morning and I’m looking forward to learning more about this year’s theme–“Watershed-Foodshed.”

I’ll be blogging from here, providing some topic highlights that I think other gardeners in the West will be interested in. I’m especially looking forward to hearing the Global Water Keynote given by Maude Barlow, the National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians and co-founder of the Blue Planet Project–a global water initiative.

Thursday morning’s other speakers include Dr. Andrew Parker on the topic of “Biomimicry and Design from Nature” and Dave Gutzler discussing the impact of climate change on water supplies here in the desert southwest.