SUSTAINABILITY SNAPSHOT
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS CENTRAL TO COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION’S MISSION. FROM DAY ONE, INTENTIONAL STEWARDSHIP HAS HELPED MAKE COLUMBIA A COMMUNITY PEOPLE ARE PROUD TO CALL HOME.
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
CA cares for and maintains three lakes and 40+ ponds in Columbia. Here’s a look at how we keep them healthy:
Aquatic vegetation clean-up: Our aqua mowers remove excess vegetation without chemicals, and the harvested debris are composted.
Stream Wader program: For over a decade, trained CA volunteers have monitored ecosystem health at 10 stream sites.
Bioretention facilities: These landscaped areas capture stormwater runoff before it reaches storm drains, helping prevent erosion, flooding and pollution. In April 2026, our 48th facility will be installed at Lake Elkhorn.
“Salt smart” efforts: We encourage smarter winter salting and engage residents through Salt Watch, our volunteer program monitoring local waterways at 50+ sites.
Floating wetlands:
Installed in CA’s lakes, these recyclable planted platforms use underwater root systems to filter contaminants. Our floating wetlands prevent the growth of 9,000 pounds of algae annually.
Dredging: Every few years, we remove built-up sediment for long-term lake health. In February 2026, we removed 20,000 cubic yards of sediment from Lake Kittamaqundi - enough to fill about 2,000 dump trucks.
Lake sampling: Over 100 water quality tests completed each year.
ENERGY
95% of CA facilities have been upgraded to energyefficient LED lighting
2026 ENERGY REPORT
13
solar installations totaing 304 kWenough to power about 30 homesincluding a new 27.75 kW system at Columbia SportsPark
6 electric vehicles in CA’s fleet
17
electric vehicle charging ports available for community use
INNOVATION HAPPENS HERE
CA is proud to serve as a test site for next-generation clean energy technology. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and Rheem, we’re piloting a cold-climate heat pump at our Community Operations Center that operates efficiently in temperatures as low as -10°F, advancing its path for wider commercial use.
~13% reduction in electricity use since 2019, saving an estimated $145,000 annually
300+
HVAC units across CA facilities proactively maintained for efficiency and comfortability
Charging ahead for a sustainable future
CA leads in electrification - replacing fossil-fuel technologies with efficient, electric options to cut greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. Here’s how:
• Heating/cooling. Our advanced heat pumps reduce natural gas consumption by about 70%. A recent installation won a Better Project Award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Solar energy. Four of our biggest facilities are powered by a 10-acre solar farm in West Friendship, and we continue to invest in new solar opportunities. Since 2015, electricity use at CA has been 100% offset with clean renewable energy - whether it’s generated onsite or offset with wind renewable energy certificates.
• Electric vehicles. CA’s fleet of EVs, including electric bikes for trail stewards, helps lower fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
AWARDS
• Green Community Leadership Award from Howard County for advancing clean energy and promoting sustainability in the community
• Goal Achiever Award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge for exceeding our energy efficiency goal and reducing usage by 32% across all CA facilities
• Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for promoting energy efficiency in the community
INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT
Invasive species threaten Columbia’s biodiversity by outcompeting native plants, trees and wildlife. CA’s conservation team is proactively restoring affected areas, focusing on targeted sites to strengthen long-term ecological resilience. Here’s a look at this investment:
1,075 native trees planted
77 invasive plant management sites
50 pounds of native seed distributed in 2025
48 active Adopt-A-Spots supporting invasive removal (2 acres of open space cared for by CA volunteers)
41 active bamboo management sites
38 Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) sites - preventing large-scale infestations and saving an estimated $38,000 in future remediation costs and
3
Bee Sustainable sites promoting pollinator health
2025 COMMUNITY PLANT GIVEAWAYS
4,602 plants
1,148 envelopes of native seeds (many harvested from Hopewell Meadow)
667 trees/shrubs
78 giveaway events
Priority invasive species targeted for control:
• Bamboo
• Burning bush
• Bush honeysuckle
• Callery pear
• English ivy
• Garlic mustard
• Japanese honeysuckle
• Multiflora rose
• Tree-of-Heaven
BRANCHING TOWARD A GREENER FUTURE
Our team cares for Columbia’s trees with intention - planting new ones, nurturing existing ones and addressing those that are diseased. We’re proud to support the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ effort to plant five million trees by 2031. Healthy trees make our community safer and our lives better, especially along the 80% of our pathways used daily by kids walking to and from school.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Sustainability is a shared effort. A sustainable future isn’t built aloneit’s powered by community.
PARTNERSHIP POWER
CA works closely with trusted partners to support community-led initiatives and advance sustainability goals in Columbia. We also support CARES groups - resident-led teams that organize projects like trash clean-ups. Here are just a few partners we’re proud to work with:
• U.S. Department of Energy
• Howard Community College
• Robinson Nature Center
• Howard County Recreation & Parks
• Howard County Office of Community Sustainability
• Bureau of Environmental Services
• Howard EcoWorks
• Howard County Conservancy
• Chesapeake Bay Trust
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Here’s how we made an impact together in the past year:
• Strengthened local partnerships by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Howard County to drive coordinated environmental initiatives
• Engaged the community at 50+ events, reaching 10,400 people
• 1,717 volunteer hours dedicated to caring for Columbia’s open space through programs like Weed Warriors and Stream Waders
• Natural Resources Management Plan (NRMP) launched to guide long-term strategic efforts
• Deer management survey released to gather community input on wildlife management (take the survey here)
We’re looking forward to an even more sustainable 2026!
