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Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia Landscape Management
Green techniques for a Green Market
- How to add eco-friendly management options
to your organization’s toolbox A Resource Guide for people in the field of Landscape Design, Management and Service
A Project of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia,
with support from the National Audubon Society
and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Northern Virginia Landscape Management
Green techniques for a Green Market
How to add eco-friendly management options
to your organization’s toolbox
Copyright © 2007 by The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, Inc.
All rights reserved
Program Coordinator, Kevin Munroe
The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia
4022 Hummer Road
Annandale, VA 22003
wwwauduboNVA.org
Telephone: (703) 256-6895
Fax: (703) 256-2060
Email: [email protected]
http://www.auduboNVA.org
A publication of Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
Table of Contents
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Background
Challenges
Benefits
What Works
Local Resources and Resource List:
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Conference Presenter List
Native Plant Nurseries
“Green” Landscaping Products
Local Demonstration Sites
Organization Web Links
Publications
Notes
Attachments:
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Deer Resistant Plants – Audubon At Home in Northern VA
Biolog Plants – “ ”
Shade-tolerant Plants – “ ”
Meadow Ingredients – “ ”
Meadow Installation – “ ”
Rain Garden Plants – Northern VA Soil and Water Conservation District
Healthier Choices, The Audubon At Home Guide to Healthier
Pest Control
• An Audubon Invitation to a Healthy Yard
• An Audubon Invitation to a Healthy Neighborhood
Acknowledgments
Background
For the past three years the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia has served as a
pilot for the National Audubon Society’s Audubon At Home (TM) program. Designed to foster
better stewardship of nearby nature, Audubon At Home stresses conservation and protection
of water, removal of invasive plants, replacement of non-native plants with native species, the
reduction or elimination of commercial fertilizers and pesticides, and greater preservation of
public and private natural areas. With the help of a grant from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Audubon At Home in Northern
Virginia works to create healthy natural habitat for native birds and other wildlife around
homes, neighborhoods and communities in this region.
Our local program focused first on identifying ways people in Northern Virginia were
using Audubon At Home principles to create and preserve habitat and then publicized
particularly successful efforts as examples for others. Through a series of public meetings,
programs, workshops, and publications we’ve reached a great many individuals, associations,
businesses and institutions with practical ways to bring about positive change in the natural
environment despite growing pressures from suburban development.
One of the most important and successful dialogs we’ve had with Northern Virginian’s
has been on the topic of eco-friendly land management. How can the average resident of this
area change and affect the methods used for managing their landscape and the landscapes they
interact with (school, church, business, etc.) in a manner that improves the environment? As
much success as we’ve had working with individual property owners and as much of a
difference as their land management practices can make, we considered how much additional
positive change we might affect if we spoke with people and organizations responsible for
managing multiple properties, e.g. park managers, landscape companies, designers, architects
and engineers, plant nurseries, builders, etc. The Northern Virginia Landscape Management
Conference came from this line of thinking and was our attempt to reach a larger audience
with the message of environmentally responsible land management.
What made this a perfect fit for this time and place was a growing demand and market
for eco-savvy landscaping, on both public and private lands. Park managers and commercial
landscape companies are both being asked to reduce mowing, eliminate pesticide use, create
rain gardens and meadows, landscape with native plants and other practices that save money
and allow for a more natural, sustainable landscape. We hoped that this conference would be a
useful service and learning experience for professionals trying to serve this evolving “green”
market.
Challenges
Land management often turns into an attempt to illustrate control over one’s immediate
surroundings, rather then brining out the best the property in question has to offer. This attempt
to exact control can lead to costly practices that involve large amounts of fertilizer and
pesticides and create delicate, unsustainable landscapes, both costly and harmful to the
environment. Providing people with alternatives to turf, exotic plants and highly manicured
landscapes, while showing that these alternatives can be beautiful, highly-desirable assets to
any property is an essential step in improving the health of our natural environment. Invasive
exotic plants, expansive mono-cultures of turf and improper use of fertilizer and pesticides
cause a long list of environmental issues that damage not only watershed and wildlife habitat
resources, but also adversely effect air and water quality.
When people ask, and are willing to pay for highly manicured, exotic landscapes then
that is what many professional land managers are likely to offer. Conversely, if landscape
professionals are only familiar with those types of land management practices then they will be
unable to serve a changing clientele that begins to ask for more natural landscapes. To break
this cycle, it is necessary to approaches both sides of the equation; educate the consumer while
also providing new tools for the industry that serve them.
There are several challenges to consider in the Northern Virginia area (and most
suburban areas in the US) when considering eco-friendly landscaping:
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Unfamiliarity with ecology, wildlife and native plants
A desire for controlled, manicured, formal landscapes
Very busy residents that often desire to hand over most, or all land
management tasks to professional crews
Residents with enough expendable income to support highly fertilized,
pesticide-dependant landscapes
Highly competitive professional landscape market – if you refuse to use
invasive exotic plants or certain harmful pesticides there are plenty of other
companies that will
Home Owner Association regulations that may frown on naturalized
properties
The good news is that every one of these challenges can be flipped around to become
an asset and when they can’t, there is a long list of approaches and techniques that are capable
of meeting each challenge head-on. Our goal is to provide some of those tools in this paper and
through the Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia program.
Benefits
The first step in talking with people about eco-friendly landscaping is to list and illustrate the
many benefits. The following list combines aspects that might be attractive to property owners
or land management professionals:
Reduced Costs – There’s often an increase in up-front costs that comes from installing a new
landscape regime, but the long-term costs of a “green” landscape are almost always
significantly lower than a manicured, exotic, turf-dominated property. Less expensive for the
land owner and less costs for the land manager.
Less Time and Maintenance – Again, a larger time investment may be necessary at first, but
once established, an eco-savvy landscape will take dramatically less time and maintenance.
Mowing, pruning, spraying, watering, fertilizing and mulching will all be noticeably reduced.
This means more spare time for the land owner. For the land manager, more time to work on
other properties and engage new clients and projects.
Reduced Fertilizers and Pesticides – Turf and exotic plants often require large amounts of
fertilizer and pesticide. Many property owners, both private and public are trying to reduce the
use of these products. In some jurisdictions, their reduction is becoming a requirement, if it
isn’t already. Using less of these products improves environmental quality and creates healthier
landscapes, as well as healthier people and pets. It also greatly improves water quality.
Improved Air and Water Quality – The increase in naturalistic plantings along the edges of
streams, rivers, ponds and lakes improve water quality on a local and region level, including
the Chesapeake Bay. Reduction of pesticides and fertilizers does the same. Replacing turf with
naturalistic woodland plantings creates less run-off, therefore reducing stream erosion. Air
quality is significantly impacted by the highly-polluting engines and fuels used by the lawn
mowers and string trimmers needed to maintain landscapes dominated by turf and manicured
flower beds.
Attracts Beneficial Wildlife – When you use native plants especially good at attracting birds
and butterflies, you double the color and aesthetics of a landscape, as well as guarantying pest
control (birds) and plant pollination (butterflies and bees), thereby creating more flowers, fruit
and generally healthier plants. Attracting and watching wildlife has become an incredibly
popular pass time for millions of Americans, more so every year. An interest people are willing
to support financially.
Expands Clientele Base, Strengthens Business Structure and Corners Market – Every year
more and more people become interested in native plants, wildlife watching, eco-friendly
landscape options, butterfly gardening, Bay Scaping, etc. However, there are very few
landscape companies and designers able to serve this growing demand. Any land manager,
public or commercial, that becomes an expert in designing and maintaining these landscapes
has an eager market waiting for them.
Maintains Northern Virginia as Desirable and Popular place to Live – Whether you’re
managing a park, plant nursery or a landscape company you want Northern Virginia to
continue to be a highly desirable place for people to live. Providing state-of-the-art, ahead of
the curve, cutting edge eco-savvy land management services helps to ensure that this area will
be an attractive, clean, healthy region for decades to come.
What Works
So we know what the challenges are and we know what’s waiting on the other side if
we can find a way to meet them. The question then is what works and specifically, what works
in Northern Virginia? First, let’s look at successful approaches and then we’ll examine
particular techniques and landscape types.
How to Approach Eco-friendly Land Management
The key is to look at and listen to the park, property, client, customer, etc. in question
and find both the problems and needs that it/they present. Look at environmental landscaping
as the best way to solve their problems and meet their needs; present it in that light, rather than
with an eco-crusade or a save-the-world message.
A few examples:
Problem - Can’t grow turf grass because of shade and tree roots
Traditional Solution – Over prune or remove shade-causing trees + lime and over-fertilize
soil + re-seed every year
Results - Expensive, harmful, poor results
Eco-savvy Solution – Create mulch bed, plant beautiful, shade-tolerant native wildflowers
and/or showy, shade-tolerant flowering native woodland shrubs and understory trees.
New Results – More attractive, less long-term costs and maintenance, less fertilizer and
mowing
Problem – Can’t grow turf grass because of dry, poor soil
Traditional Solution – Bring in top soil + lime + fertilizer + install irrigation system
Results – Expensive, high-maintenance, waste of water, fertilizer run-off
Eco-savvy Solution – Create pocket meadow or wildflower bed using brilliantly-colored
native meadow flower species that thrive in poor, low-nutrient, dry soils
New Results – Brilliant color, very low maintenance and long-term costs, very low water use
and zero soil amendments
Problem – Pond/lake shore erosion and Canada geese invading lawns
Traditional Solution – Bulkhead construction + rip rap + fencing + various goose deterrents
Results – Expensive, unattractive, high maintenance, doesn’t work
Eco-savvy Solution – Use bio-logs to hold shore-line. Plant bio-logs heavily with attractive,
native wetland wildflowers and sedges whose roots stabilize the soil and tall stems act as
colorful, attractive, inexpensive, low-maintenance barrier to geese.
New Results – Low-maintenance, much less expensive, significantly more aesthetically
pleasing and it works!
You may have created excellent wildlife habitat and increased environmental health by
using these techniques, but the way to “sell” it is that you have solved the problem, met the
needs and done so while saving money and time. Environmentally responsible landscaping
almost always saves money and maintenance (remember, we’re talking long-term
costs/maintenance – there may be an initial increase in both during installation), provides
increased color and texture to the landscape’s aesthetics and provides a more sustainable, longtern solution. Look at the environmental benefits as positive by-products, rather than the reason
for doing it.
Some of your best selling points for using eco-savvy techniques (other than environmental
benefits) are:
• Increased Beauty, Color, Aesthetics, Visual Diversity
• Reduced Costs
• Reduced Maintenance
• Better Long-term Results
Eco-savvy landscape techniques that have worked well in this area and solve many of the
common problems, requests and needs that arise on Northern Virginia properties include:
• Pocket (small, suburban-scale) Wildflower Meadows
• Shade Gardening with native wildflowers, ferns, groundcovers, shrubs and small trees
• Biologs and Shoreline Planting
• Rain Gardens
If you can learn how to master these four landscapes, you will vastly increase you
effectiveness, clientele base, project success and customer satisfaction. In addition, you will be
ahead of most land management/landscaping professionals. Please refer to the RESOURCE
and ATTACHMENT sections to find detailed information about each of these four techniques
and lists of local demonstration sites that illustrate their uses.
A few basic principles to remember when dealing with all of these landscapes, as well as any
eco-savvy land management projects:
1. Find a plant to fit the site, rather than altering the site to fit a particular plant that you or
your client may have become attached to. E.g., rather than draining a saturated property
to suite plants that need good drainage, see it as an excellent opportunity to use colorful,
highly desirable native wetland and bog wildflowers (Cardinal Flower, Blue Flag Iris,
Wild Hibiscus, Marsh Marigold, etc.).
2. Work with the existing characteristics (topography, hydrology, sun exposure, existing trees,
soil types, etc.) of the site rather than fighting them; view them as assets and take advantage
of the opportunities they present rather than altering them.
3. Create a landscape with long-term, sustainable success/results in mind. Use photos,
illustrations, etc. to give people an image of how the property will look, rather than
feeling a need to create an “instant landscape” that will fail in three years.
4. Diversity in the Landscape = Aesthetics, Strength, Health, Sustainability, and
Beneficial Wildlife Species. Use a diversity of native plant species; consider colors,
bloom times, heights, forms, textures, seasons, fruit, seed and flower types, etc. Also
consider a diversity of features and structures: water, stone and brush shelters, paths,
nesting boxes for bats, birds and native bees, etc.
5. What are the Needs, Problems and Expectations connected with the property in
question? Are you solving the problem and meeting the needs of this property or
customer?
6. Consider the landscape’s effect on surrounding properties and off-site issues: adjoining
properties, local/regional watersheds, resident and migratory wildlife populations,
nearby parks, forests, streams, wetlands, etc.
Resources
There is an amazing and impressive diversity of resources in this area for anyone interested in
environmental landscaping. There are several local communities that have made an effort to use eco-savvy
techniques, a long list of public and private local non-profits whose goal is to assist them, a growing
amount of businesses that specialize in ecologically sound landscaping and an endless list of websites and
publications with excellent information. Please see the following RESOURCE LIST for a comprehensive
collection of all of the above.
Partnerships - Whenever possible, try to create partnerships with local organizations (parks, non-profits,
civic associations, etc.) that have had experience with these techniques. Many of our local non-profits and
parks are looking for partners and may even be mandated to make them in connection with certain grants,
projects, properties, etc. Find a private environmental non-profit, a public/jurisdictional agency or park, a
native plant nursery and a community/HOA to combine as a team and the potential for project success and
outreach is endless.
RESOURCE LIST - please check the back pages of Audubon at Home in Northern Virginia’s
book, “The Nature of Change” and our website, www.audubonathomenva.org for additional
resources. If you don’t have a copy of the book, please let us know and we’ll get one to you.
The following list includes some of the people and organizations available to you as landscape
professionals in the Northern Virginia & Washington, D.C. area, as well as local sites you can visit to
see examples of environmentally sound landscaping. Reach out, ask for help and be sure to visit some
of the demonstration sites (pgs. 4-6) – take advantage of all the information and assistance offered in
this area.
If you’re unable to get in touch with any of these folks or can’t find the demo sites, please let us
know and we’ll do what I can to put you in touch.
CONTENTS
The resource list is divided into the following five categories:
1. PRESENTER LIST from the Northern Virginia Landscape Management Conference,
9/28/07
2. NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES
• Wholesale
• Retail
• Non-profit
3. “GREEN” LANDSCAPING PRODUCTS
• Composting, Rain barrels, Green Mowers, Beneficial Insects & Worms, Organic
Lawn & Pest Control
• Natural Deer Repellants
• and more
4. LOCAL DEMONSTRATION SITES
• Biologs
• Rain Gardens
• Stream Restoration
• Meadow Restoration
• Native Plant Gardening, Landscaping & Design
• Native Woodland Management & Shade Gardening
5. ORGANIATION WEB LINKS – tips, PDFs, information, partnerships, etc.
• Landscaping/Gardening
• Watershed Management/Conservation
• Wildlife
• Plants - natives and invasive exotics
• Parks
• Local Environmental Organizations
• Government Agencies
6. PUBLICATIONS
• Native and Invasive Exotic Plant Guides
• Gardening and Landscaping Guides
Insect, Bird and Wildlife Guides
PRESENTER LIST - Northern Virginia Landscape Management
Conference:
•
Kevin Munroe, Audubon Society of Northern Virginia – [email protected]
•
Charles Smith, Fairfax County Park Authority, Natural Resources –
[email protected]
•
Brian Wagner, Hyla Brook Farm – [email protected]
•
Dian Handy, City of Alexandria – [email protected]
•
Lauren Wheeler and Jenny Reed, Natural Resource Designs, INC –
[email protected]
•
Chris Hunt, Mulch Solutions – [email protected]
•
Carol Capobianco, National Audubon Society – [email protected]
•
Greg Kedzierski, Ernst Conservation Seeds – [email protected]
•
Dr. Gary Felton, Maryland Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland –
[email protected]
•
Kevin Richardson, Pogo Organics – [email protected]
•
Adria Bordas, Virginia Cooperative Extension Service –
[email protected]
•
Cindy Brown , FCPA, Green Spring Gardens - [email protected]
•
David Yost, Merrifield Garden Center – [email protected]
•
Wayne Brissey, FCPA, turf management - [email protected]
•
Lou Kobus, Fox Hunt Nursery and Virginia Landscape and Nursery Association –
[email protected]
•
Ed Milhous, certified/registered arborist consultant – [email protected]
NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES
• Ernst Conservation Seed Company (whole sale)
9006 Mercer Pike
Meadville, PA 16335-9299
800-873-3321
www.ernstseed.com
• North Creek Nurseries (whole sale)
388 North Creek
Landenberg, PA 19350
(610) 255-0100
www.northcreeknurseries.com
• Pinelands Nursery (whole sale)
323 Island Road
Columbus, NJ 08022
1(800) 667-2729, (609) 291-9486
www.pinelandsnursey.com
• Musser Forests (whole sale)
P.O. Box 340, Rt. 119 North
Indiana, PA 15701-0340
(724) 465-5685
www.musserforests.com
• Hyla Brook Farm (retail)
270 Valentine Mill Road
Louisa, VA 23093
ph. 540-967-6160
[email protected]
www.hylabrookfarm.com
• Nature by Design (retail)
300 Calvert Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 683-4769
www.nature-by-design.com
• Earth Sangha (non-profit)
10123 Commonwealth Blvd.
Fairfax, VA 22032
(703) 764-4830
www.earthsangha.com
“GREEN” LANDSCAPING PRODUCTS
There are countless companies that sell eco-friendly or “green” lawn and garden products. I
would suggest doing an internet search for whatever specific product you’re looking for. I
have included two websites just to get you started. Both sites carry a wide selection of
compost bins & accessories, rain barrels, green mowers, beneficial insects & composting
worms, organic pest control & lawn care and much, much more…
Planet Natural, www.planetnatural.com
Composters.com, www.composters.com
Here are two safe, all natural deer repellants that actually seem to work - especially when you
alternate them to keep the deer on their toes, or hooves as the case may be ☺
Deer Out, www.deerout.com
Bobbex, www.bobbex.com/products.htm
LOCAL DEMONSTRATION SITES – for all of the following sites, contact
the appropriate organizations and ask specifically for someone who can talk or meet with you
about native meadows, native woodlands, native plants or watershed management issues.
Often the eco-friendly and/or native plant aspects of these sites are tucked away somewhere
and only a few of the staff are knowledgeable about them. Find the right person and they’re
more than happy to answer all your questions and even meet with you on site for a personal
tour. I’m familiar with most of these sites – feel free to contact me if you’re unable to get
assistance.
•
NATIVE MEADOW RESTORATION & MANAGEMENT:
1) Reston Association, www.reston.org
2) River Farm, www.ahs.org/river_farm/index.htm
3) Meadowlark Gardens, www.nvrpa.org/meadowlark.html
4) Manassas Battlefield Park, www.nps.gov/mana/naturescience/index.htm
5) Bles Park, www.loudoun.gov/prcs/parks/other.htm
6) Webb Sancturay, www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/sanctuaries/webb_va
7) Rust Sanctuary, www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/sanctuaries/rust_va
8) Riverbend Park, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/
9) Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=51611
10) Charles Smith-FCPA & Prince William Wildflower Society,
[email protected]
11) Rod Simmons–Maryland Native Plant Society, [email protected]
•
NATIVE WOODLAND RESTORATION/MANAGEMENT & SHADE
GARDENING:
1) Reston Association, www.reston.org
2) Blandy Experimental Farm,
http://minerva.acc.virginia.edu/blandy/RESEARCH/Research_Home.php
3) Scott’s Run Nature Preserve,
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dranesville/Parks.htm#scotts_run (ask Riverbend Pk. folks
about Scott’s Run, they manage it)
4) Riverbend Park, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/
5) Loudoun Valley High School, www.loudoun.k12.va.us/lvhs/site/default.asp
6) Meadowlark Gardens, www.nvrpa.org/meadowlark.html
7) Charles Smith-FCPA & Prince William Wildflower Society,
[email protected]
8) Rod Simmons – Maryland Native Plant Society, [email protected]
•
NATIVE PLANT GARDENING, LANDSCAPING & DESIGN:
1) Meadowlark Gardens, www.nvrpa.org/meadowlark.html
2) Greenspring Gardens, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/
3) National Arboretum, www.usna.usda.gov/
4) Blandy Farm,
http://minerva.acc.virginia.edu/blandy/RESEARCH/Research_Home.php
5) River Farm, www.ahs.org/river_farm/index.htm
6) Reston Association, www.reston.org
7) National Wildlife Federation, Reston Headquarters, www.nwf.org/news/contacts.cfm
8) Wetland Solutions Headquarters, www.wetlandstudies.com/
9) Loudoun Valley High School, www.loudoun.k12.va.us/lvhs/site/default.asp
10) Freedom High School, http://freedom.groupfusion.net/
11) Hollin Meadows Elementary, www.fcps.edu/HollinMeadowsES/
12) Chesterbrook Elementary, www.fcps.edu/ChesterbrookES/
13) Daniels Run Elementary, www.fcps.edu/DanielsRunES/
14) Tuckahoe Elementary, www.arlington.k12.va.us/schools/tuckahoe/
15) Haycock Elementary, www.fcps.edu/HaycockES/
16) Charles Smith-FCPA & Prince William Wildflower Society,
[email protected]
17) Rod Simmons – Maryland Native Plant Society, [email protected]
RAIN GARDENS:
1) Yorktown Square Condominiums - Falls Church, VA
Contact: Jeanette Stewart, [email protected]
Established in 2004 (I think...). Located in a condominium community, receives
runoff from rooftop and nearby parking lot.
2) Meadowlark Botanical Gardens - Vienna, VA
Contacts: Laura Grape (NVRC) or Asad Rouhi [email protected]
(NVSWCD)
Established in September 2006 (recently completed!). Receives runoff from lawn
and roadway.
3) Providence District Government Center - Fairfax, VA
Contact: Ron Tuttle [email protected] (Fairfax County DPWES)
Established in Spring 2005. Receives runoff from rooftops and parking areas.
Also has an example of permeable pavers and a green roof.
4) Lake Accotink Visitor's Center - Annandale, VA
Contact: Jim McGlone [email protected] (now with the Virginia
Dept of Forestry)
Established in 2002. Receives runoff from Visitor's Center rooftop.
5) Cub Run Rec Center, Centreville, VA & Mount Vernon ReCenter, Alexandria, VA
Contacts: Ron Tuttle [email protected] (Fairfax County DPWES) or
Christin Jolicouer [email protected] (NVSWCD)
To be completed Fall 2006. Both will receive runoff from the parking lots and
possibly grassy/lawn areas.
•
BIOLOGS:
1) Snakeden Branch Stream Restoration - Reston, VA
Contact: Nicki Formeski [email protected] (Reston Association) Established in 2004. Biologs placed along the toe of the streambank to prevent
undercutting and further erosion.
2) Lake Audubon, Lake Thoreu, Bulter Pond – Reston, VA
Contact: Nicki Formeski, [email protected] (Reston Association) or Claudia
Thompson Deahl, [email protected] (Reston Association). Established at
various times from 1995 through 2006.
3) Daniel’s Run Elementary School - Fairfax, VA
Contact: Jeanette Stewart, [email protected]
Established in 2004. Used a different technique (Filtrexx) to pump organic
materials into sort of socks (like coconut fiber sausages!). They may be planted
and have similar erosion prevention roles as biologs...However, they didn’t need
large machinery to bring them in, thereby limiting disturbance in the riparian area.
STREAM RESORATION:
1) Donaldson Run Stream Restoration - Arlington, VA
Contact: Jason Papacosma, [email protected] (Arlington County DES)
Established in 2006. Easy access, with trail along majority of restored portion.
Heavy use of cobble along streambed with good examples of large rock weirs that
serve an additional purpose as stepping stones! Great comparison of non-restored
tributary. Also has some good lessons-learned. The before and after pictures are
very striking.
2) Daniel's Run Elementary School - Fairfax, VA
Contact: Jeanette Stewart, [email protected]
3) Accotink Creek - City of Fairfax, VA
Contact: Adrian Fremont [email protected] (City of Fairfax)
Established in 2003. Long stretch of Accotink Creek. Fairly easy to access at
certain points - definitely contact Adrian for more information. CoF is planning
on restoring a long section of Accotink Creek near Fairfax Circle. They are
collaborating with the USGS to collect water quality data throughout the process.
You may also want to contact Aileen Winquist ([email protected]) for
examples in Arlington County - a couple examples were placed in residential areas.
Deb Oliver ([email protected]) from Prince William County may also be aware of
rain gardens placed in that jurisdiction as well! For Loudoun County, you may want
to try touching base with David Ward ([email protected]). If he's not the right
person to talk to, he can definitely point you in the right direction.
A big THANK YOU to Laura Grape, Senior Environmental Planner with Northern Virginia
Regional Commission for all the above detailed information on rain garden, biolog and stream
restoration sites. An excellent resource for rain gardens and many other eco-landscaping
issues, you can contact Laura at [email protected].
ORGANIZATION WEB LINKS
Tips on Eco-friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Watershed Management/Conservation
and Attracting Wildlife:
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia & The Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
program
www.asnv.org & www.audubonathomenva.org
National Audubon Society – Audubon at Home Program
www.audubonathome.org
Natural Resources Conservation Service – Backyard Conservation
www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard
National Wildlife Federation – Backyard Habitat
http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/index.cfm
Environmental Protection Agency – GreenScaping
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/green/owners.htm
Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd
Northern Virginia Regional Commission
www.novaregion.org/index.html
American Horticulture Society
www.ahs.org
Virginia Master Gardeners
http://www.hort.vt.edu/mastergardener/
Fairfax County Master Gardeners
http://www.fairfaxmastergardeners.com/
Arlington County – Department of Environmental Services
www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalService
sEpoGarden.aspx
Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
www.ext.vt.edu/
Maryland Cooperative Extension Service
www.extension.umd.edu/
Wildlife, general info:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
www.fws.gov
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
www.birds.cornell.edu
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
www.nappc.org
North American Butterfly Association
www.naba.org
Washington Area Butterfly Club
http://users.sitestar.net/butterfly
Raptor Conservancy of Virginia
www.raptorsva.org
Virginia Blue Bird Society
www.virginiabluebirds.org
Wildlife Rescue League
www.wildliferescueleague.org
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
www.dgif.state.va.us
Plants - natives and invasive exotics:
Weeds Gone Wild – Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas
www.nps.gov/plants/alien
Invasive Species
www.invasive.org
Earth Sangha
www.earthsangha.org
Virginia Native Plant Society
www.vnps.org
Maryland Native Plant Society
www.mdflora.org/
Parks:
National Park Service
www.nps.gov
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
www.dcr.state.va.us
Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
www.nvrpa.org
Fairfax County Park Authority
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
Prince William County Park Authority
www.pwcparks.org
Arlington County Dept. of Parks and Recreation
http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/ParksRecreationMain.aspx
Loudon County Department of Parks and Recreation
http://www.loudoun.gov/prcs/home.htm
City of Alexandria, Dept. of Recreation, Parks & Culture
http://ci.alexandria.va.us/recreation
City of Falls Church, Recreation and Parks
http://www.ci.falls-church.va.us/community/recsandparks/index.html
Bull Run Mountain Conservancy
http://www.fobr.org/
Local Environmental Organizations/Non-Profits:
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia
www.asnv.org
Lands and Waters
www.forlandsandwaters.org
Earth Sangha
www.earthsangha.org
Northern Virginia Conservation Trust
www.nvct.org
Virginia Conservation Network
www.vcnva.org
Potomac Conservancy
www.potomac.org/
Government Agencies:
Natural Resources Conservation Service
www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard
United States Geological Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
U.S. Forestry Service
http://www.fs.fed.us/
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
www.fws.gov
Virginia Department of Forestry
www.dof.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
www.dgif.state.va.us
Northern Virginia Regional Commission
www.novaregion.org/index.html
Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd
PUBLICATIONS – these first four are especially useful resources
• Native Plant and Landscapng Guide
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping –
Chesapeake Bay Watershed (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake
• Invasive Exotic Plant Guides
1) Invasive Plants of the Eastern United (University of Georgia)
www.invasive.org/eastern/
2) Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas (National Park Service &
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
www.invasive.org/eastern/midatlantic/
• Beneficial Insect Guide (produced in Seattle, WA - but same basic insects as here
and still very useful for this area)
Good Bugs Guide - STOP before you spray! (King County and Seattle Audubon)
www.seattleaudubon.org/natureshop.cfm?id=281
Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
DEER RESISTANT NATIVE WILDFLOWERS AND SHRUBS:
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Alumroot/Coral Bells (Heuchera sp.)
Asters (Aster sp.)
Beardtongue (Penstemon sp.)
Blazing Star (Liatris sp.)
Blue Hyssop (Agastache sp.)
Bluestar (Amsonia sp.)
Bowman’s Root (Gillenia trifoliate)
Columbine (Aquilega sp.)
Coneflowers (Ratibida sp.)
Evening Primrose and Sundrops (Oenothera sp.)
False Aster (Boltonia sp)
Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)
Goldenrods (Solidago sp.)
Hollies (Ilex sp.)
Milkweeds (Ascelpias sp.)
Mountain Mints (Pycnanthemum sp.)
Ox-eye Sunflower (Heliopsis sp.)
Paw Paw (Asimina sp.)
Sage (Salvia sp.)
Speedwells (Veronica sp.)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
St. Johnswort (Hypericum sp.)
Wild Bergamot (Monarda sp.)
Wild False Indigo (Baptisia sp.)
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
*Virtually no plants are deer-proof and what may be deer-resistant at one location could
be eaten at another. In general, the plants on this list are nibbled but not eaten and are
passed up when other plants are nearby. The key is to plant a variety of species from this
list and if you use sprays (see RESOURCE list) be sure to use several and switch them
out, every other month, so they don’t get used to any one taste or smell.
• Additional Recommended Plant and Landscaping Guides
1. The Nature of Change: Preserving the Natural Heritage of a Dynamic Region, Audubon
Society of Northern Virginia, 2005.
2. Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Wildlife, Mizejewski, National Wildlife Federation,
Creative Homeowners, 2004.
3. Butterfly Gardening: Creating Summer Magic in Your Garden, Xerces Society, in association
with the Smithsonian Institution, Sierra Club Books, 1998.
4. Naturescaping: Appreciating, Preserving and Restoring Reston’s Natural Resources,
Mitchell, Reston Association, 1998.
5. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Newcomb, Little Brown, 1977.
6. Pollinator Conservation Handbook, Shepherd et al, Xerces Society, 2003.
• Wildlife Guides
1. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, Martof, et al,
University of North Carolina, 1980.
2. Audubon North American Birdfeeder Guide, Burton and Kress, DK
Publishing, 2005.
3. Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, Eaton & Kaufman,
Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
4. Peterson Field Guides Series – Birds of Eastern and Central North America,
5th ed., Peterson, Houghton Mifflin, 2002.
5. Peterson First Guide – Mammals of North America, Alden, Houghton
Mifflin, 1987.
6. Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Butterflies, D.& L. Stokes, Little Brown, 2001.
7. Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies, Nikula, Sones and
D.& L. Stokes, Little Brown, 2002.
8. Peterson First Guide – Caterpillars of North America, Wright, Houghton
Mifflin, 1993.
9. National Audubon Society: Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States, Alden,
et al, Knoph, 1999.
Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
NATIVE PLANTS FOR BIOLOGS AND SHORELINE STABLIZATION
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Blue Flag Iris
Swamp Rose Mallow/Wild Hibiscus
Cardinal Flower
Swamp Milkweed
Monkey Flower
Pickerel Weed
Sweetflag
Sedges (Carex sp).
Rushes (Scirpus sp.)
Button Bush
Silky Dogwood
*Try to use at least 3 species of plants per biolog to ensure success. If you’re having
problems with geese eating the plants, mix/spread rushes and sedges throughout the
biolog along with the more showy flowering species. Adding one shrub (Silky Dogwood
or Button Bush) can be a good way to add diversity, structure and extra stability to your
planting.
Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
SHADE-TOLERANT NATIVE PLANTS
GRASSES & SEDGES:
• Silky Wild Rye (Elymus villosus)
• Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus patula or Hystrix patula))
• Wood Reed Grass (Cinna arundinacea)
• Deer Tongue (Panicum clandestinum)
• Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pennsylvanica))
• Blue Wood Sedge (Carex flaccosperma)
• Blue Satin Sedge (Carex platyphylla)
• Northern Sea Oats (Chasmannthium latifolium)
FERNS:
• Christmas Fern
• Wood Ferns
• Sensitive Fern
• Lady Fern
• Cinnamon Fern
• Ostrich Fern
• Royal Fern
• New York Fern - GC
WILDFLOWERS: (GC = ground cover)
• Creeping Mint (Meehania cordata) - GC
• Coral Bells (Heuchera americana, H. macrorhiza, H. villosa) - GC
• Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) - GC
• Phlox (Phlox stolonifera, P. divaricata) - GC
• Foam Flower - GC
• Wild Ginger– GC
• Violets - GC
• Blue Wood Aster
• White Wood Aster
• Great Blue Lobelia
• Ditch Stonecrop
• Pennsylvania Smartweed
• Dutchman’s Breeches
• Wild Bleeding Heart
• Hepatica
• Solomon’s Plume/False Solomon’s Seal
• Solomon’s Seal
• Dwarf Crested Iris
• Downy Wood Mint
• Lyre-leaved Sage
• Trillium
• Woodland Sunflower
• Smal-flowered Sunflower
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Black Cohosh
Blue Cohosh
Virginia Bluebell
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Bloodroot
Wild Geranium
Bluestem Goldenrod
Trout Lily
Spring Beauty
VINES:
• Coral Honeysuckle (lonicera sempervirens) –our native honeysuckle
• Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
• Carolina Jasmine/Evening Trumpetflower (Gelsemium sempervirens)
• Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia durior)
SHRUBS:
• Arrowwood Viburnum
• Witherod Viburnum
• Maple Leaf Viburnum
• Highbush Blueberry
• Lowbush Blueberry
• Bottlebrush Buckeye
• Winterberry
• Spicebush
• Virginia Sweetspire
• Elderberry
• Witch Hazel
• Pinxterbloom Azalea
• Serviveberry
• Alder specis
• Elderberry
TREES:
• Red Maple
• Basswood
• Serviceberry
• American Holly
• Ironwood/Musclewood/American Hornbeam
• Eastern Redbud
• White Fringetree
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Flowering Dogwood
Sweet Birch
American Beech
Paw Paw
Audubon at Home in Northern Virginia
INGREDIENTS FOR A HEALTHY NATIVE MEADOW
1) Diversity attracts diversity; to attract a wide range of wildlife, offer a wide range
of the following:
• Bloom times (aim for May through October)
• Plant heights (maximize vertical space by using short, medium & tall species – build up
by using very tall plants, like sky-scrapers utilize space in crowded cities)
• Flower colors (different animals are attracted to different colors – butterflies
prefer blue, pink and purple, bees, wasps & beetles like white and yellow and
hummingbirds look for red, orange and pink)
• Most native wildflowers are perennials, but there are a few native annuals you can use for
1st year color: Partridge Pea, Annual Sunflower, Annual Gaillardia & Jewel Weed
• Plant groups (move beyond black-eyed susans and purple coneflowers – mix it up with
milkweeds, mints, legumes, goldenrods, violets, wild geranium, cup plant, etc.)
2) Use native grasses/sedges; a healthy meadow should be 30%-70% native grasses. They
provide shelter, vertical structure and an important seed source for birds and mammals.
3) Provide plant species eaten by caterpillars; a great way to bring butterflies into your
meadow is to provide food for their larval stage
SUGGESTED PLANT LIST FOR A NATIVE MEADOW
Include at least one species from each of these nine important meadow plant groups:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Goldenrods (Solidago sp.) – deer resistant
Asters (Aster sp.) – deer resistant
Milkweeds (Ascelpias sp.) – deer resistant
Mints (Penstemon sp. – spring bloomer, Monarda sp., Scultellaria sp., Salvia sp.,
Pycnanthemum sp., Blephilia sp., Agastache sp.) – deer resistant
Eupatoriums (Eupatorium sp.)
Sunflowers, Susans, Sneezeweeds and Coneflowers (Helianthus sp., Heliopsis sp.
Rudbeckia sp., Helenium sp., Echinacea sp., Ratibida sp.)
Blazing Stars (Liatris sp.)
Evening Primroses and Sundrops (Oenothera sp.)
Legumes/Pea Family (Cassia/Senna sp., Desmodium sp., Chamaecrista sp., Baptisia sp.)
If possible, adding a few of the following unique species will greatly increase your
meadow’s wildlife value and variety of bloom times:
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Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina) & Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)
Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa) & Wild Sweet William (Phlox maculata)
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Common Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)
Nodding Onion (Allium cernum) or Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) – spring bloomer
Wild Columbine (Aquilega canadensis) – spring bloomer
Violets (Viola sp.) – spring bloomer
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – spring bloomer
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea & aptera) – spring bloomer
Golden Ragwort/Golden Groundsel (Senecio aureus) – spring bloomer
Use at least 4 species of the following Native Grasses; select several from each season group to
ensure the essential structure, shelter & food grasses provide on a year-round basis:
Warm-season species
• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
• Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii & furcatus)
• Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
• Indian Grass ( Sorghastrum nutans)
• Purple Top Grass (Tridens flavus)
Cool-season species
• Deer Tongue (Panicum/Dichanthelium clandestinum)
• Bottle Brush Grass (Hystrix patula)
• River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolia)
• Wild Ryes (Elymus sp.)
• Sedges (Carex sp.)
SEED AND PLANT SOURCES FOR YOUR NATIVE MEADOW
(be sure to also look into local native plant sales – this area has at least ½ dozen each year)
Local Native Plant Nurseries:
NATURE BY DESIGN – container plants
300 Calvert Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
703-683-GROW (4769)
www.nature-by-design.com
HYBLA BROOK FARM – container plants
270 Valentine Mill Road
Louisa, VA 23093
(540) 967-6160
www.hylabrookfarm.com
EARTH SANGHA – container plants
10123 Commonwealth Blvd.
Fairfax, VA 22032
(703) 764-4830
www.earthsangha.org
CHESAPEAKE NATIVES – seeds, plugs, containers
Takoma Park, MD
(301) 270-4534
www.chesapeakenatives.org
Mail-order Nurseries:
ERNST CONSERVATION SEEDS – seeds and plugs
9006 Mercer Pike
Meadville, PA 16335
1 (800) 873-3321
FAX (814) 336-5191
www.ernstseed.com
PRAIRIE MOON NURSERY, Winona, MN – seeds
1 (866) 417-8156, www.prairiemoon.com
NORTH CREEK NURSERIES - plugs
388 North Creek Road
Landenberg, PA 19350
(610) 255-0100
FAX (610) 255-4762
Email [email protected]
www.northcreeknurseries.com
Audubon at Home in Northern Virginia
INSTALLING A NATIVE MEADOW BY SEED
Choose your site:
• Size – meadows don’t have to be large, a small “pocket” or backyard meadow
just 10’x10’ can support an amazing amount of beneficial plants and wildlife
• Look for a sunny, visible, accessible spot
• A partial-shade meadow is definitely possible, but a little more difficult and will
attract less wildlife
• Different moisture/soil types can be dealt with; there are plants that live in almost any soil
• Your meadow will attract more wildlife if it connects/abuts with another habitat or structure
(pond, stream, marsh, forest, tree/shrub hedge, shelter belt, garden, split rail fence, stone wall,
large rock or brush shelters, etc.)
Prepare your site:
• If your site already has a good mix of native species or if you’re not sure what lives there, just
let it grow and watch what develops for a season or two
• If you have undesirable plants growing on the site that you wish to replace with native meadow
species you can remove them by several methods:
1. smothering them with newspaper, plastic/tarp, woodchips/mulch, etc.
2. removal by digging with shovels or sod-cutter
3. using a string-trimmer to severely “scalp” undesirable plants down to bare ground
4. using a single treatment of a low-percentage solution of Round-up (3%-5%), being sure
to carefully follow the label’s instructions and never apply herbicide on a windy or rainy
day – a last resort, but sometimes a useful option under certain circumstances
• Seed to soil contact is essential, so be sure to clear away all debris (turf/grass, leaves, thatch,
etc.) until you have exposed soil
• Use rake to loosen and break up soil (no shovels/roto-tillers – they expose dormant weed seeds)
Mix and apply seeds:
• Best time for installing a native seed meadow (i.e., best germination results) is Oct. thru
December, but it can be done anytime of the year
• Mix seeds thoroughly with peat moss (the best) or with vermiculite, potting soil or sawdust
• Use approx. 1 part seeds to 5-10 parts mixing medium (peat moss, potting soil, etc.)
• Spread/scatter seed mixture by hand evenly over your prepared site
• Mix/scratch seed mix into soil with rake – do not turn soil or burry seeds (no digging)
• Press seed mix into soil by stomping with feet, tires, rollers, etc.
• Spread/sprinkle very light layer (1/2” or less) of straw (not hay), mulch or woodchips over your
site – this light, scattered layer helps to trap moisture and protects seeds from extreme weather.
• No need to ever water – seeds will sprout/grow at their own pace when they get enough rain
Manage and augment your meadow:
• Remove invasive exotic plants as necessary
• Mow once a year, 11/01-3/15, every two years if there are no invasive exotics or briars. Mow
2/1-3/15 if possible – this leaves winter cover for wildlife. Leave bottom 3”-5” of plant stems
uncut – many beneficial insects hibernate and/or lay eggs in lower portions of stems; also, many
meadow plants have basal leaves that shouldn’t be cut. Rake off the cut/mowed stems and
scatter them on the edges of your meadow, woodland or on your stone/brush piles - those stems
are full of beneficial insect eggs/pupae and wildflower seeds.
• Add stone, log and/or brush piles to the edges of you meadow to attract reptiles, amphibians,
birds, mammals and hibernating insects (you can also use old pipes)
• Add a small water feature; a low bird bath or preferably, a shallow pool/puddle on the edge of
your meadow will attract more wildlife, especially frogs, dragonflies and thirsty birds.
YOU HAVE
MANY CHOICES!
When bugs, weeds, or other pests become a
problem, try one of these less-toxic control
methods. Many hardware stores and garden
centers are carrying an increasing selection of
healthier pest control products. Take this list
with you on your next visit and ask which
products are available.
PHYSICAL METHODS
Pluck, wash, or vacuum bugs off plants or surfaces.
HORTICULTURAL OIL SPRAYS
Use to control aphids, mites, scale insects, whiteflies,
and other pests.
BOTANICAL INSECTICIDES
Apply summer or foliar oils when foliage is present.
Be aware that although many naturally occurring plant
extracts and compounds have insecticidal properties
and tend to degrade rapidly in the environment, they
vary greatly in their toxicity to humans as well as
non-target organisms. Many are broad spectrum.
USE CAREFULLY!
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
Try neem to control cutworms, mites, nematodes,
and other pests.
Try vegetable-oil (as opposed to petroleum-oil)
based sprays.
Learn your local allies. Lady beetles devour aphids;
green lacewing larvae feed more generally on
soft-bodied insects, mites, and insect eggs. Other allies
include spiders, soldier bugs, predatory mites,
various nematodes. (see also microbial pesticides)
Use sabadilla as an effective control for true bugs
such as squash and harlequin bugs. BEWARE — IT IS
ALSO VERY TOXIC TO HONEYBEES.
Support the allies you have. Provide the food,
water, and shelter they need.
The
Audubon At Home
Guide to Healthier
Pest Control
Pull weeds the old-fashioned way, ideally before
they produce seeds.
Use row covers to block insects.
Use mulch to prevent weeds.
Encircle beds with copper flashing to deter snails
and slugs.
For further information on use and availability, visit the
Audubon At Home “You Have A Choice!” web page:
www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/alternatives.html
HEAT & NONTOXIC SUBSTANCES
Apply corn gluten meal to turf grass in early spring
and fall to prevent germination of dandelions,
crabgrass, and other common weeds.
Kill weeds in driveway cracks with boiling water
or a propane torch.
Sprinkle natural-grade diatomaceous earth in pest
hiding places and entry points.
TRAPS,VISUAL LURES,
NONTOXIC BAITS
Trap aphids and whiteflies with yellow sticky cards;
they are attracted by the color.
Bait slugs with a beer or yeast solution in a saucer
placed flush with the soil surface.
Lure yellowjackets into narrow-necked bottles
or jugs containing apple juice.
BE COUNTED!
INSECTICIDAL SOAPS
Use most effectively against soft-bodied pests —
aphids, mites, whiteflies, thrips, caterpillars, etc.
If you switch to healthier choices in pest control,
please let us know —
email us: [email protected]
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
MICROBIAL PESTICIDES
Realize that different strains of the bacterium,
Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt, target different pests.
Bt israelensis is effective against mosquito and black
fly larvae. Bt kurstaki is toxic to most caterpillars —
cabbage worms, tomato hornworms, tent caterpillars,
etc., BUT ALSO TO BENEFICIAL SPECIES.
Use milky spore disease to control Japanese
beetle grubs.
Ask about the availability of other microbial pesticides.
Numerous bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa are
effective pest control agents.
HEALTHIER
CHOICES
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
birds.fws.gov/Education.htm
birds.fws.gov/urbantreaty.html
Copyright 2002 by National Audubon Society, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Design and Illustrations by Jan McCracken.
Audubon At Home is a new program of Audubon
to encourage home and community conservation.
To join Audubon, call toll free 1-800-274-4201
HEALTHIER YARDS....
HEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS...
HEALTHIER
HABITATS!
3 SIMPLE STEPS FOR HEALTHIER PEST CONTROL
Pest control does not mean pest elimination.
Realize that insects can live in your lawn and garden,
and not cause damage.The mere presence of a
potential pest species does not mean you have a
problem. It must be abundant enough to cause
damage. Is it?
PRACTICE PREVENTION
Pests, whether bugs, weeds, or other undesired
organisms, are usually the symptom of a problem
rather than the source — prevent problems that
can lead to pest infestations.
1
O
Keep your plants and soil healthy. Healthy plants
can better resist, and recover from, pest damage.
Plant native flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses to
take advantage of their ability to thrive in your area.
Simple conservation actions, such as reducing
our use of pesticides, can achieve measurable
improvements in habitat quality and environmental health. Home, lawn, and garden
pesticide use is rampant. Far too often,
we use toxic pesticides when they are not
necessary, and because we are not aware
of healthier alternatives.
WE CAN MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES!
Homeowners apply an estimated 66 million
Make natural pest enemies welcome.Toads, dragonflies, lady beetles, bats, and numerous other species
are natural allies in pest control. Learn your allies and
support them.
The loss, fragmentation, and degradation
of habitat is the leading cause of population
decline in birds and other wildlife. Our backyard habitats are becoming critically important pieces holding together an increasingly
fragmented landscape. In every community,
there is the potential to make our backyards
and neighborhoods healthier places — for
ourselves, and for the birds, butterflies, and
other wildlife that are increasingly dependent
on them.
Mow a little higher — a longer, thicker lawn will
crowd out weeds.
3
USE LESS-TOXIC PEST
CONTROL CHOICES
Despite the prevalence of synthetic pesticides on
the shelves of hardware stores and gardening
centers, you have many other options for pest
control that pose little or much less toxic risk —
even no risk at all. In addition to being healthier,
many less-toxic options are also less expensive.
SEE REVERSE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
YOUR MANY CHOICES!
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM
Seeing a bug or weed doesn’t mean you have
a “pest problem.”
2
Take the time to identify your “pest.” Is it a beneficial
or non-pest species?
Reconsider what’s a weed.Tolerate some plants
other than grass. Allow naturally occurring plants
to fill in problem spots.There are many low-growing
wildflowers that can tolerate mowing and will
add some diversity to your lawn area. Create a
“mowed meadow.”
Pesticides include herbicides (for weed
control), insecticides (for insect control),
fungicides (fungus control), rodenticides
(rodent control), and a wide range of other
substances used to kill or control other
undesired organisms.
Remove potential pest hiding and breeding sites.
Keep outdoor areas clear of trash and standing
water. Keep indoor areas clean and dry.
Our health and well-being, and that
of the plants and wildlife with which
we share the environment, depend on having
a clean, healthy, sustainable place to live —
a healthy habitat!
DID YOU
KNOW…?
pounds of herbicides and insecticides ALONE
per year to their homes, lawns, and gardens.
This does NOT include applications made by
pest control or lawn care professionals.
Lawn pesticides cause the deaths of an
estimated 7 million birds per year.
Homeowners are using 50% more
herbicides than they did 20 years ago.
Commonly used pesticides are routinely
found in surface and ground water
throughout the country.
In a recent study of pesticide exposure
among children living in a major U.S.
metropolitan area, traces of garden chemicals
were found in 99% of the 110 children tested.
Concentrations were significantly higher in
children whose parents reported that they
used pesticides in their gardens.
This publication is printed cooperatively by Audubon and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
© National Audubon Society, Inc., 2006
CREATING A HEALTHY YARD
Y
ards are personal havens for recreation, rest,
and relaxation. By adopting a few basic principles, your yard can become a sanctuary for
wildlife as well. As you create habitat that supports
birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, you also ensure
that your yard remains healthy for you and your family. And by learning about the plants and animals
native to your area, you renew your connection with
the natural world.
WHY “BIRDSCAPE”?
Birdscaping—providing food, water, protective cover,
and nesting sites for birds—offers a lifetime of learning, excitement, and entertainment while helping local
bird populations. Over 650 bird species nest in
North America, and a birdscaped yard can connect
you with dozens of local resident birds and many
additional migratory species that will stop by as they
travel across the hemisphere. Many backyard birds
are summer visitors that spend their winters in
Central America and South America, while others are
winter visitors that spend their summers in northern
boreal forests. Birdscaping can help to ensure the
survival of the many individuals that winter, nest, or
migrate through your area each year.
While bird feeders and a source of water will
easily attract the more common bird species to your
yard, the best way to attract and help most birds is
to plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. These
plants provide the nesting, roosting, and foraging
opportunities that your local birds need, and can
help to replace natural habitats destroyed, degraded,
and fragmented by development. Consult with your
local NRCS office to identify native plants suited to
the local soil conditions. For more information on
how to attract and help the birds in your area, visit
www.audubonathome.org/forthebirds.
BATS
Bats are an often overlooked part of our local
environment. In the United States, 47 bat species
inconspicuously patrol the night skies. Many can
consume 30–50 percent of their body weight in
insects each night. Since some species can devour up
to 600 mosquitoes or other insects each hour, bats
are an important part of a natural insect control
system. Other bats eat fruit and nectar and play an
important role in pollinating native plants and
dispersing seeds. Contrary to popular opinion, bats
are not aggressive and they do not play a significant
role in transmitting rabies to humans. To invite these
sophisticated creatures to your yard, you can install a
bat house at a height of at least 10 feet on a
structure that faces the morning sun. For bat house
designs and more information, visit
www.audubonathome.org/bats.
BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies can be persuaded to visit a yard of any
size. Over 700 butterfly species inhabit the United
States, and local species will visit your yard if you
invite them by planting appropriate flowering plants
as food for the adults, and additional vegetation as
host plants for their eggs and the caterpillars. Some
butterfly species are declining in number due to
pesticide use, habitat loss, or unusual climate
conditions; providing the appropriate plants for
these species may help them to recover. For more
information about which species reside in or
migrate through your community, and to learn
which plants to provide for them, visit
www.audubonathome.org/butterflies.
THE OTHER “B”
Most of the bees that pollinate native plants do not
live together in hives. Many of these native solitary
bees are declining, but you may be able to help them
by building a bee box. Simply drill small holes into an
untreated block of wood, or tie a bundle of dried
stems together and place them outdoors. Solitary
bees will lay their eggs in the holes, which then
serve as a nursery. For more information on
how to help these beneficial insects, visit
www.audubonathome.org/solitarybees.
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR
Share your wildlife habitat with your human
neighbors as well. Show them your native plants and
your efforts to help birds and other wildlife. Tell
them about your stand against pesticides and your
commitment to making your property as welcoming
to wildlife as possible. Then invite them to take
actions of their own. Begin a neighborhood nature
club or wildlife association, and challenge people to
dedicate part of their yard to wildlife. Link your
habitat with that of adjoining neighbors to create a
larger area of viable, pesticide-free and cat-free
habitat. Note the changes you begin to see. Are
there more birds and what kind? How about
pollinators? What new animals tend to linger in your
yard or community? Keep a record of what you see,
and celebrate each exciting wildlife encounter with
your friends and neighbors. For more information
on working together to help birds and other
wildlife in your community, visit
www.audubonathome.org/neighborhood.
HEALTHY YARD PLEDGE
Create and maintain a healthy environment for you,
your family, and local wildlife by pledging to:
U Reduce pesticide use
U Conserve water
U Protect water quality
U Remove invasive exotic plants
U Plant native species
U Support wildlife on your property
Visit www.audubonathome.org/pledge to
make the pledge online.
The AUDUBON AT HOME website contains information
and downloadable resources to help you plan and
develop your property in a wildlife-friendly way. You’ll
find regional resources and information about the birds,
other wildlife, and native plants in your area. Visit
www.audubonathome.org.
NRCS’S BACKYARD CONSERVATION website also
shows ways to help the environment and to make your
yard more attractive and enjoyable. Visit
www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard.
AN INVITATION TO A HEALTHY YARD
Invite Birds, Bats, and Butterflies to
YOUR YARD
1 Tree cavities can be difficult for nesting
birds to find in many developed areas.
BIRDHOUSES offer a good
alternative. Chickadees, titmice, wrens,
and even screech-owls are some of the
birds that might take up residence in
appropriately sized nest boxes.
2 Carefully placed BIRD FEEDERS
provide opportunities to watch birds at
close range. Different feeders are
designed for different seeds, so choose
appropriate seeds and feeders for the
birds in your area.
3 NATIVE PLANTS, including trees,
shrubs, and groundcover, create
multiple layers of attractive habitat for
birds and beneficial insects. Plant
shrubs in a way that best mimics
natural habitat, and use them around
the foundation of your home and the
borders of your yard.
4 A source of WATER, such as a well-
maintained birdbath or small pond,
will attract birds and beneficial insects
such as butterflies. Shallow edges allow
birds to bathe and drink without
getting too wet.
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For more information, visit www.audubonathome.org/yard • For individual copies of this poster, call 1-888-LANDCARE.
5 Hummingbirds may be attracted to
a HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER,
especially when the feeder is
placed among red or yellow tubeshaped wildflowers.
6 A BUTTERFLY GARDEN of native
wildflowers, including plants that provide
food for caterpillars, will attract a host of
winged jewels to your yard.
7 A BAT HOUSE mounted on your
8 An estimated 1 billion birds die each
year from crashing into windows.
Decorate the outside surface of your
WINDOWS to make the glass visible
to birds, or install screens as a barrier
to keep them at a distance.
9 CATS kill millions of birds and other
native animals each year. Keep your cat
indoors to protect birds, as well as to
keep your cat safe and healthy.
house may provide an important roosting
site for these nocturnal insect hunters.
BIRDS TO HELP IN YOUR YARD
My target species
Action points
When designing and maintaining the habitat in your yard, try to provide food, shelter,
and nesting sites for five or six bird species that need the most support in your region
of the country. Then keep a close watch to see how the birds respond to your efforts.
To determine which species near you need the most help, and to find ways to help
support them on your property, visit www.audubonathome.org/birdstohelp.
ILLUSTRATION BY RICK BROWN
This publication is printed cooperatively by Audubon and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
© National Audubon Society, Inc., 2006
CREATING A HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD
W
hen you and your neighbors join together
to create habitat for birds, bats, and butterflies, the impact of your individual
efforts will be multiplied many times over. Your combined efforts can create a healthy refuge for wildlife
and people by connecting isolated patches of habitat
and by restoring the ecological integrity of your
community.
COMMUNITY “BIRDSCAPES”
Birdscaping—providing food, water, protective cover,
and nesting sites for birds—is a way to create a
community that sustains human health and local bird
populations. Birdscaping can help ensure the survival
of the many species that winter, nest, migrate
through, or live year-round in your area.
Native plants that provide nesting, cover, and
foraging opportunities for birds help to replace
natural habitats destroyed by development and to
reconnect your community with surrounding
natural landscapes. Consult with your local NRCS
office to identify native plants suited to the local
soil conditions.
If there are streams or wetlands in your neighborhood, vegetative buffers that protect water
quality and reduce flooding can also provide habitat
for native birds. Work with local water protection
agencies to maintain streamside vegetation—for you
and the birds. For more information on how to help
birds in your neighborhood, visit
www.audubonathome.org/neighborhood.
BAT TOWN
There are 47 bat species in the United States, and
many help to control insect populations in urban,
suburban, and rural communities. By providing
roosting places for common crevice-dwelling bats,
you are extending an invitation for bats to stay close
to your neighborhood. Place a bat house at a height
of at least 10 feet on a structure that faces the
morning sun. For more information, visit
www.audubonathome.org/bats.
IT’S A BUTTERFLY!
Butterflies are among the most striking and beautiful
of our pollinators. To thrive, they need plants at
every stage of their life:
• A recognizable plant on which to lay eggs
• A food source for caterpillars
• Plants for cover
• Nectar-producing flowers for the adults
Some butterfly species are declining due to
pesticide use, habitat loss, or varying climate
conditions. For more information about which
species reside in or migrate through your
community, and to learn which plants to provide for
them, visit www.audubonathome.org/butterflies.
THE OTHER “B”
Most of the bees that pollinate native plants do not
live together in hives. Many of these native solitary
bees are declining, but you may be able to help them
by building a bee box. Simply drill small holes into an
untreated block of wood, or tie a bundle of dried
stems together and place them outdoors. Solitary
bees will lay their eggs in the holes, which then
serve as a nursery. For more information on
how to help these beneficial insects, visit
www.audubonathome.org/solitarybees.
WORKING TOGETHER
Homeowners and other residents, business owners,
environmental organizations, parent-teacher groups,
and municipal agencies can form a community or
neighborhood wildlife association, or work within
existing associations to protect local birds, butterflies, and other wild creatures. By working together, a
strong coalition can create a sustainable community
and improve public health through environmentally
friendly planning, actions, and events.
With a neighborhood habitat group or wildlife
association in place, work to create corridors of
attractive, healthy, and useful habitat throughout the
community. Connect adjacent properties by creating
habitat along roads and waterways, and around buildings. Imagine a bird’s-eye view of your community
that includes ribbons of habitat intertwined with the
existing structures, offering a welcoming place for
your wild neighbors and allowing them to travel
safely. For more information, visit
www.audubonathome.org/workingtogether.
LIGHTS OUT
Too many lights at night can spell disaster for migrating birds. Large numbers of birds can be attracted by
nighttime lights, become disoriented, and fly headlong
into tall buildings or other obstacles. Follow the lead
of proactive communities such as Chicago, and establish a citywide lights-out policy during migration. For
more information, visit www.lightsout.audubon.org.
HEALTHY YARD PLEDGE
Create and maintain a healthy environment for you,
your family, and local wildlife by pledging to:
U Reduce pesticide use
U Conserve water
U Protect water quality
U Remove invasive exotic plants
U Plant native species
U Support wildlife on your property
Visit www.audubonathome.org/pledge to
make the pledge online.
The AUDUBON AT HOME website contains information
and downloadable resources to help you plan and
develop your property in a wildlife-friendly way. You’ll
find regional resources and information about the birds,
other wildlife, and native plants in your area. Visit
www.audubonathome.org.
NRCS’S BACKYARD CONSERVATION website also
shows ways to help the environment and to make your
yard more attractive and enjoyable. Visit
www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard.
AN INVITATION TO A HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD
Invite Birds, Bats, and Butterflies to
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
1 Isolated patches of NATURAL
HABITAT (woodlands, prairies,
waterways, desert, etc.) can be restored
and protected. Adjacent properties
planted to mimic these areas can link
isolated patches, and expand the
neighborhood’s ability to support birds
and beneficial wildlife.
2 With the clearing of hollow trees and
the capping of chimneys, Chimney
Swifts are losing preferred places to
nest and roost. Attractive CHIMNEY
SWIFT TOWERS can house these
high-flying insectivores and, when used
to post information, can even serve as
community nature kiosks.
3 COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES are
often paved over or surrounded by
expansive lawns—providing only limited
opportunities for birds and other
wildlife. By landscaping with native
plants, these tracts of land can become
vital contributors to a community’s
overall environmental health.
4 Wildlife-friendly practices can be
implemented on a larger scale in a
SCHOOLYARD. Incorporation
of these elements reinforces similar
residential efforts and generates
teaching opportunities on school
grounds.
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For more information, visit www.audubonathome.org/neighborhood • For individual copies of this poster, call 1-888-LANDCARE.
5 Why not turn the barren roof space of
neighborhood buildings into attractive
green hilltops? ROOFTOP
GARDENS save energy by insulating
building interiors, reduce runoff, last
longer than conventional roofs, and
provide resources for birds, butterflies,
and other beneficial insects.
6 Water DETENTION BASINS in
housing and commercial developments
can support wildlife while protecting
water quality in rivers and streams.
7 A community-wide effort to keep
8 Butterflies enhance neighborhoods with
9 RESIDENTIAL YARDS are the ideal
My target species
Action points
their beauty, and are also important in
their role as pollinators. Plant gardens
with NATIVE WILDFLOWERS to
feed butterflies and to provide host
plants for their eggs and caterpillars.
CATS indoors will keep cats safe and
healthy while protecting native birds.
BIRDS TO HELP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
place for bird feeders, bird and bat
houses, sources of water, and a habitat
garden. Collisions with windows kill
millions of birds each year; decorate
the outside of windows so that birds
can see and avoid them, or put up
netting as a barrier.
In creating a habitat plan for your neighborhood, consider providing food, shelter, and
nesting requirements for five or six bird species that need the most help in your part
of the country. Together with your neighbors, keep track of how these birds respond
to your efforts. To determine which species near you need the most help, and to find
ways to support them in your neighborhood, visit
www.audubonathome.org/birdstohelp.
ILLUSTRATION BY RICK BROWN
Notes
Audubon At Home in Northern Virginia
Acknowledgments
Charles Smith, Brian Wagner, Diana Handy, Lauren Wheeler, Jenny Reed, Chris Hunt, Carol
Capobianco, Greg Kedzierski, Dr. Gary Felton, Kevin Richardson, Adria Bordas, Cindy Brown,
David Yost, Wayne Brissey, Lou Kobus, Ed Milhous, Carolyn Badila, Freya DeCola, Robin
Rentsch, Ken and Fran Bass, Jeanette Stewart, Laura Grape, Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Chris
and Lisa Bright, Randy and Carla Wilson, Peggy Bowers, Carol and Jay Hadlock, Ann
Maloy, Yvonne Johnson and Jim Waggener.
A Project of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia,
with support from the National Audubon Society
and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.