Introduction/Background

According to a recent article in USA Today, Americans mow 31 million acres of turf and spend $17.4 billion every year on pesticides, water, fertilizers, gasoline, and other products to take care of their lawns*. Proper lawn care and landscaping practices can provide many benefits to homeowners, communities, and wildlife. Poor practices and the lack of educated consumers can result in negative impacts on water resources and potential risks to homeowners, children, pets, and wildlife. The proposed project will address these issues by developing a broad diverse partnership program for consensus building, public education, and outreach involving environmental, business, and government agencies.

Proposed Project: “Lawns & the Environment Initiative”

The overall goal of the project is to encourage environmentally responsible lawn and landscaping practices for creating and maintaining residential landscapes. The application of responsible lawn and landscaping principles including appropriate use of pesticides, fertilizers, water, plant species, and other best management practices will enhance the value and benefits of residential landscapes to homeowners, wildlife, and the community. Programs to educate the public concerning these management practices can help identify the positive environmental benefits of turf, flower and vegetable gardens, natural areas, and water features and define the financial and environmental costs associated with improper management practices. The project can achieve these results by developing cooperation between different interests and stakeholder groups and drawing upon their different perspectives and expertise.

Project objectives include the following:

1. Increase the communication and cooperation among stakeholder groups.

2. Increase the awareness of the general public concerning the benefits and practices of responsible lawn care and landscaping including the appropriate use of chemical inputs, water, and plant species.

3. Increase the amount and quality of wildlife habitat on residential landscapes.

4. Assist homeowners in reducing the time, energy, and costs needed to maintain healthy and attractive residential landscapes.

The collaboration of diverse stakeholders will result in a number of project activities including the following:

1. Creation of a multi-stakeholder steering committee.

2. Development and dissemination of a broadly accepted and endorsed set of guidelines or principles for responsible lawn care and landscaping to lawn care operators, public policy officials, home builders, and consumers.

3. Organization of a national stakeholder conference to develop a collaborative strategy for public awareness and education.

4. Development and implementation of a collaborative program for public education, such as point of sale displays, web sites, consumer brochures, etc.

5. Development of one or more local/regional demonstration projects.

Initial funding for the project is being provided by EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs. Additional funding will be sought from private foundations, corporate sponsors and other government grants.

*USA Today, “Lawn and Disorder,” April 22, 2002, pg. 1D.