By BetsyWashington

Everyone can help reduce pollution and energy waste, by reducing the size of their lawns, and by adding native plants to their gardens in rich layers, mimicking nature.

Mostly Native Plants in Wildlife Friendly Backyard - Photo Credit Betsy Washington

Native plants support much more wildlife than plants from other areas of the world, especially to insects which are the base of the entire food web. This creates a balanced system with beneficial insects and birds that control pests, thus reducing or eliminating pesticide use, even builds resistance to stress and disease, it naturally enriches the soil thus reducing or eliminating fertilizer needs, retains groundwater levels and moisture for plants thus reducing watering needs, and reduces gas consumption and energy.

Native Plants and Rain Barrel- Photo Credit Betsy Washington

By planting large evergreen screening plants on the north side of your house, you can save heating and energy costs by protecting your plants and house from cold winter winds, and by planting large, deciduous overstory trees on the hot southern and western sides of your house, you can reduce cooling costs in the summer by 20% or more. Try and manage and retain your storm water on your own property so that it does not run off into storm drains and ultimately into the lake and our watershed, carrying sediments and pollutants.

Rain barrels or cisterns can be installed under your downspouts to capture the runoff from your roofs and then stored and used to water gardens or be directed into rain gardens or swales. This can greatly reduce water use, and renew our groundwater reservoirs, and preventing pollution and storm water runoff into the lake and watershed.

And if you are adventurous, you might even consider installing a green roof, which can save heating and cooling costs, increase the life expectancy of your roof, and absorb significant amounts of precipitation, greatly reducing stormwater runoff.

Green Roof on Pump House at River Farm - Photo credit Betsy Washington

And finally everyone should try composting their garden and lawn wastes, instead of spending money to haul them to the streets for collection by the large county trucks. Even if you just pile your lawn clippings and leaves in an out of the way place, in one two years, you will have a free supply of dark, crumbly compost, the best soil amendment and natural fertilizer free for the taking. Shred fallen leaves and/or rake your leaves into in your shrub and tree borders where they will form a natural mulch, and slowly decompose and enrich your soil and feed a diversity of beneficial wildlife.

These are just a few tips that are easy to incorporate into our yards, and they can make a big difference.

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