yardscaping… for a healthy maine gary fish, yardscaping coordinator maine board of pesticides...
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YardScaping…YardScaping… for a healthy for a healthy
MaineMaineGary Fish, YardScaping CoordinatorMaine Board of Pesticides Control(207) [email protected]
The Partnership is very diverse!
YardScapingYardScaping
• A new paradigm?A new paradigm?
• Some call it “Sustainable Some call it “Sustainable Landscaping” or Landscaping” or “Ecological Landscaping”“Ecological Landscaping”
• We want to keep it simpleWe want to keep it simple
YardScaping MissionYardScaping Mission
• To inspire Maine people To inspire Maine people to to
– create and maintain create and maintain healthy landscapes healthy landscapes
– through ecologically based through ecologically based practices that practices that
– minimize reliance on minimize reliance on water, fertilizer and water, fertilizer and pesticidespesticides
Maine pesticide use more common Maine pesticide use more common than perceivedthan perceived
Dramatic 3x increase in Dramatic 3x increase in use!use!
Pounds of Home Use Pesticides Distributed into Maine
11
800000
2900000
800,000
1,300,000
1,800,000
2,300,000
2,800,000
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003
Year
BayScaping ProjectBayScaping Project
• Friends Of Casco Bay did some Friends Of Casco Bay did some detective work in 2001, 2002, 2003, detective work in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 & 20062005 & 2006
• Sampled runoff water from intensive Sampled runoff water from intensive lawn care areas in Cumberland, S lawn care areas in Cumberland, S Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth, Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Brunswick, Freeport, Yarmouth, Brunswick, Freeport, Portland and Cape Elizabeth & Back Portland and Cape Elizabeth & Back Cove areaCove area
• Sampled sediments for pyrethroids in Sampled sediments for pyrethroids in 2006 – All samples were 2006 – All samples were
– ““no detectable levels”no detectable levels”
Friends of Casco Bay Friends of Casco Bay SamplingSampling– 2001 Sampling2001 Sampling
• Found Diazinon in 1 of 3 samples Found Diazinon in 1 of 3 samples (2.6 ppb)**(2.6 ppb)**• Found 2,4-D in all 3 samples Found 2,4-D in all 3 samples (36.4 ppb)(36.4 ppb)• Found Dicamba in 1 of 3 samples (3.8 ppb)Found Dicamba in 1 of 3 samples (3.8 ppb)• Found MCPP in 2 of 3 samples Found MCPP in 2 of 3 samples (26 ppb)(26 ppb)• Found Nitrogen & Phosphorous in all samplesFound Nitrogen & Phosphorous in all samples
– 2002 Sampling2002 Sampling• Found Diazinon in 4 of 11 samples Found Diazinon in 4 of 11 samples (.71 ppb)(.71 ppb)• Found Nitrogen & Phosphorous in all samplesFound Nitrogen & Phosphorous in all samples
– 2003 Sampling2003 Sampling• Found Dicamba in 3 of 10 samples (4.1 ppb)Found Dicamba in 3 of 10 samples (4.1 ppb)• Found Clopyralid in 1 of 10 samples (0.91 ppb)Found Clopyralid in 1 of 10 samples (0.91 ppb)• Found Propiconazole in 2 of 10 samples (0.075 ppb)Found Propiconazole in 2 of 10 samples (0.075 ppb)
**Values in red exceed ALC
Back Cove ProjectBack Cove Project
– 2005 Sampling2005 Sampling• Found 2,4-D in 2 of 5 samples Found 2,4-D in 2 of 5 samples (4.62 ppb)(4.62 ppb)
• Found MCPA in 2 of 5 samples (0.45 ppb)Found MCPA in 2 of 5 samples (0.45 ppb)
Aquatic Life CriteriaAquatic Life Criteria
• EPA criteria for nuisance algae growth EPA criteria for nuisance algae growth – Nitrogen - 250 ppbNitrogen - 250 ppb Phosphorous – 20 Phosphorous – 20
ppbppb
• EPA just proposed diazinon level of EPA just proposed diazinon level of 0.1 ppb for fresh water0.1 ppb for fresh water
• Other criteria proposed by various Other criteria proposed by various sources for fresh water sources for fresh water (from USGS Fact Sheet 097-(from USGS Fact Sheet 097-99)99)
– 2,4-D – 4 ppb2,4-D – 4 ppb Dicamba – 10 ppbDicamba – 10 ppb
– MCPA – 2.6 ppbMCPA – 2.6 ppb Triclopyr – 560 ppbTriclopyr – 560 ppb
– Carbaryl – 0.02 ppbCarbaryl – 0.02 ppbChlorpyrifos – 0.001 ppbChlorpyrifos – 0.001 ppb
USGS National Water USGS National Water Quality AssessmentQuality Assessment
• Sampled urban streamsSampled urban streams– Insecticides occurred more Insecticides occurred more
frequently in urban streams than frequently in urban streams than they did in agricultural area streamsthey did in agricultural area streams
– Herbicides detected in 99% of Urban Herbicides detected in 99% of Urban stream samplesstream samples
– Phosphorous found at same levels as Phosphorous found at same levels as in agricultural streamsin agricultural streams• 70% of those samples exceeded the 70% of those samples exceeded the
EPA level for causing excessive algal EPA level for causing excessive algal growthgrowth
The Tenets of The Tenets of YardScapingYardScaping• Use site appropriate, non-invasive plants Use site appropriate, non-invasive plants
• Right plant, right place, right purposeRight plant, right place, right purpose
• Use diversity of plants & grassesUse diversity of plants & grasses
• Create wildlife habitatsCreate wildlife habitats
• Reduce lawn areaReduce lawn area
• Use low input lawns & landscapesUse low input lawns & landscapes
• Use vegetative buffers to protect surface watersUse vegetative buffers to protect surface waters
• Reduce runoffReduce runoff
• Reduce reliance on pesticides, fertilizers and waterReduce reliance on pesticides, fertilizers and water
• Promote sensible pest management (IPM)Promote sensible pest management (IPM)
Use site appropriate, non-Use site appropriate, non-invasive plantsinvasive plants
• Native plants are well adaptedNative plants are well adapted– Fewer problems, less work, more Fewer problems, less work, more
rewardsrewards
• Invasive plants are easy to grow Invasive plants are easy to grow but crowd out native vegetationbut crowd out native vegetation– Our local forest habitats are Our local forest habitats are
changing rapidlychanging rapidly
– Invasive plants ruin wildlife habitatInvasive plants ruin wildlife habitat
Right plant, right place, Right plant, right place, right purposeright purpose
• Choose plants based on the Choose plants based on the area to be planted not just area to be planted not just for their colorfor their color
• Select plants that thrive Select plants that thrive under existing conditions under existing conditions rather than trying to alter rather than trying to alter the conditions to meet the the conditions to meet the needs of a plantneeds of a plant
• Minimize disturbance of the Minimize disturbance of the existing landscapeexisting landscape
Right plant, right placeRight plant, right place
Cinnamon Fern – wet shady site
Staghorn Sumac – large open dry bank
Common Ninebark – dry sunny site
Use a diversity of plants & Use a diversity of plants & grassesgrasses
• Less noticeable damage Less noticeable damage from pests and diseasefrom pests and disease
• Incorporate many layers Incorporate many layers of plant typesof plant types– TreesTrees
– ShrubsShrubs
– Ground coversGround covers
– Perennials, andPerennials, and
– LawnsLawns
Create wildlife habitatsCreate wildlife habitats
• Diversity and plant layers go Diversity and plant layers go hand in hand with habitat hand in hand with habitat creationcreation
• Add nectar and fruit producing Add nectar and fruit producing plantsplants
• Strive for continuous bloomsStrive for continuous blooms
• Add water, walls, feeders, Add water, walls, feeders, woody debriswoody debris
Reduce lawn areaReduce lawn area
• ReducesReduces– Water & air pollutionWater & air pollution
– Water usageWater usage
– MaintenanceMaintenance
– CostsCosts
• GivesGives– More free timeMore free time
Mower exhaust = 40 small cars’ exhaust
Use low input plant Use low input plant varietiesvarieties
• No-mow fescue vs No-mow fescue vs Kentucky bluegrassKentucky bluegrass
• Pagoda dogwood vs Pagoda dogwood vs flowering cherryflowering cherry
• River birch vs paper River birch vs paper birchbirch
Protect lakes & streams Protect lakes & streams with bufferswith buffers
• Preserve existing Preserve existing landscape landscape
• Winding pathsWinding paths
• Don’t mow to lake’s Don’t mow to lake’s edgeedge
• Pitch the rakePitch the rake
Reduce runoffReduce runoff
• Reduce Reduce amount of amount of pervious pervious (hard) surfaces(hard) surfaces
• Create rain Create rain gardens or gardens or install rain install rain barrelsbarrels
• Direct water Direct water into vegetated into vegetated areasareas
Rain gardens are beautiful and functional
Reduce reliance on Reduce reliance on pesticides, fertilizers and pesticides, fertilizers and waterwater• Grow plants that are Grow plants that are
resistant to insects & resistant to insects & diseasesdiseases
• Use plants that tolerate Use plants that tolerate low fertilitylow fertility
• Use drought resistant Use drought resistant plantsplants
Sweet Fern
White Fir
Use common sense pest Use common sense pest managementmanagement
• Integrated pest Integrated pest managementmanagement– Know your pestKnow your pest
– Pick it, trap it or exclude itPick it, trap it or exclude it
– Know the good bugsKnow the good bugs
– Mow, prune or waterMow, prune or water
– Use pesticides as last resortUse pesticides as last resort
Where to learn moreWhere to learn more
http://www.yardscaping.org
http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/pesticides/gotpests/
Where to learn moreWhere to learn more
http://131.128.91.217/maynard_susplants/html_spl2000/index.htm
Where to learn moreWhere to learn more
Where to learn moreWhere to learn more
http://orb.at.ufl.edu/TREES/index.html
Other resourcesOther resources
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/lawn/almanac
•http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/turf/htms/turfman.htm
http://dspace.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/3574/2/Lawn+Care+without+Pesticides.pdf
http://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/b2c/catalog/products.do#
YardScaping… YardScaping… Protecting the beauty of Protecting the beauty of MaineMaine