Nontoxic Solutions for Landscaping

The impacts of daily landscaping decisions reach far beyond property lines. We can all make positive contributions to the habitats around us and to the fish and wildlife that they support by managing lands in more environmentally sensitive ways, whether they are corporate properties, school sites, or backyards. This is especially true for pesticides, fertilizers and other substances that we put on the land. These substances get washed into local creeks and streams when it rains, eventually ending up in the Delaware Estuary, negatively impacting water quality and living resources. This pamphlet educates users on ways to reduce the use of chemicals on landscaped areas through the use of native plants, soil testing, and using organic lawn treatments.Funding for this fact sheet was provided by U.S. EPA, Region II, in support of the Delaware Estuary Program. Special thanks to U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Natural Lands Trust