Press Room

YardScaping - QUICK FACTS

YARDSCAPING PARTNERS: Maine Board of Pesticides Control, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine Soil & Water Conservation Districts, The Friends of Casco Bay, Congress of Lake Associations, Maine State Planning Office, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, Southern Maine Community College, City of Portland Town of Brunswick (and growing all the time)

THREE REASONS TO YARDSCAPE:

Water pollution. Heavy rains or watering can wash away lawn fertilizers and pesticides and impact water quality. They can end up in bays, rivers and lakes and groundwater—our drinking water source.
People’s health. We do not know exactly the long-term effects of pesticide use or exposure. Medical experts believe we should avoid using them unnecessarily. Children, pregnant/nursing women and seniors should especially avoid exposure.
Air pollution. Reducing your lawn size to what you really need is YardScaping 101. Using a power mower consumes fossil fuels and causes air pollution. A lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as a car driving 350 miles.

YARD CARE PESTICIDES PURCHASED IN MAINE IN 2004: 3 million pounds (this number has more than tripled since 1995)

YARD CARE PESTICIDES FOUND IN CASCO BAY FROM 2001–05:

Diazinon
Dicamba
2,4-D
Clopyralid
Propiconazole
MCPA
MCPP

ACRES OF LAWN IN THE U.S.: 20 million

AMOUNT OF GRASS CLIPPINGS 1/3 ACRE PRODUCES ANNUALLY: 2 tons

TIME ONE PERSON SPENDS MOWING ANNUALLY: 40 hours (a typical work week)

SOIL TEST KIT: University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 207-581-3591, $12

BENEFICIAL WILDLIFE & INSECTS: Bats, bees, wasps, birds, earthworms, ladybugs, lacewings, dragonflies, spiders, toads

GRASS THAT REQUIRES THE MOST NITROGEN FERTILIZER: Improved Kentucky bluegrass (which happens to be the most commercially available seed)

Program INFORMATION

Press Room

YardScaping - QUICK FACTS