Better water quality begins in your own back yard

Excess nutrients, such as those found in common lawn and garden fertilizers, are among the leading threats to Delaware's water quality. Excess nutrients run off the land during rain events and are transported to streams, rivers, and bays where they can trigger blooms of stringy green algae which deplete dissolved oxygen levels and can lead to fish kills. This type of pollution is called nonpoint source pollution because if comes from so many sources.

Currently, many of the State's waterways are impaired by nutrients, including the Appoquinimink River. The Appoquinimink Tributary Action Team, composed of individuals living and working in the watershed, is currently developing pollution control strategies to help reduce nutrient inputs to our local waterways. We need everyone's help to achieve these water quality goals because our individual landscaping decisions can have a lasting impact on the health of our environment.

Discover how your landscaping choices can benefit local water quality and wildlife by participating in the Delaware Nature Society's Backyard Habitat program. The program allows individuals to certify their properties or residences as Backyard Habitat sites by meeting four criteria. They must provide food, cover, water, and places for wildlife to raise young on their property. Certified habitats may range from those meeting the minimum requirements, such as a small urban balcony or rooftop, to extensive naturalized areas that meet a variety of wildlife needs. By adopting practices beneficial to wildlife such as planting native species and limiting use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, participants also help to improve local water quality by reducing their reliance on products that contribute to nonpoint source pollution.

In Delaware, the Backyard Habitat program is carried out by the Delaware Nature Society through a partnership with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the state's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the University of Delaware Water Resources Agency, Gateway Garden Center, and Wild Birds Unlimited. The Delaware Nature Society has tailored the program specifically to Delaware by focusing on local watersheds, wildlife, and native plant species. In addition, the Nature Society has added a strong water quality element to help address Delaware's water quality concerns.

Get Started This Spring

With the return of spring, many of us are once again turning our attention to the outdoors and our home landscapes. Spring is a great time to get started on a Backyard Habitat project. Many property owners are concerned about the State's water quality, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity, but they are often unaware of how their actions can help Delaware move forward with these important efforts. One Backyard Habitat can make a difference and anyone can do it. The first step toward certification is to purchase a starter kit from the Delaware Nature Society or the Wild Birds Unlimited store, located in Hockessin, Delaware.

The packets include everything you will need to begin planning your habitat including:

• Pre-paid Application for certification
  

• Delaware Nature Society Nonpoint Source Pollution Checklist
  

• Delaware Nature Society Native Plant List
  

• Delaware Nature Society Invasive Plants Brochure
  

• Backyard Habitat Planning Guide
  

• Various tip sheets on attracting birds and butterflies
  

• Landscaping stencil and graph paper
  

• Coupon for two FREE pounds of Wild Birds Unlimited Custom Bird Seed Blend

Need Some Help?

Through the program, you can receive free technical assistance from Delaware Nature Society Habitat Stewards to help evaluate your yard and find ways to attract wildlife and help water quality. By fostering a sense of ecological awareness and responsibility in children and adults alike, Habitat Stewards make a difference in Delaware. Native wildlife, local waterways, citizens of the community, and neighboring communities all feel the rewards of these efforts.

For more information about the Nature Society's Backyard Habitat program call 302-239-2334 or visit the Delaware Nature Society's website.