Green-Blue Grants Program:
Clean Water through Residential Integrated Pest Management

In 2007, more than 100 professionals gathered near Philadelphia to explore connections between IPM and water quality in turf and structural settings. To build on the momentum of that event, the Northeastern IPM Center launched the Green-Blue Grants Program, which disbursed approximately $12,500 to promote clean water through residential IPM. The goal of this program was to raise the level of education among northeasterners by supporting specific educational workshops and promotional materials that enhance residents' ability to implement IPM. The seven funded projects have provided direct training to nearly 1,000 homeowners and lawn care professionals in six states, while posters and brochures spread the word to many more residents in the region.

DELAWARE
Project title: IPM in Suburbanizing Watersheds: Workshops for Changing Communities
Project director: Brian A. Kunkel, Extension Ornamentals IPM Specialist, University of Delaware, Newark, DE. E-mail: bakunkel@udel.edu
Summary: This project provided educational workshops to residents and community associations who face pest and water quality management issues. Faculty, Master Gardeners, and Extension agents presented information regarding invasive plants, importance of compost, recommendations for turf management, promoting and protecting water quality, alternatives to lawns in suburban landscapes, and native plants. A poster was used to promote plant selection, plant diversity, tolerance of insect feeding, and use of reduced risk pesticides to manage pests. Nearly 75 people attended the workshops.
Products (pdf): IPM and Native Plants poster

MAINE
Project title: Outreach to Professional Landscapers and Lawn Care Providers in Southern Maine: "Go Green to Get Green"
Project director: Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Portland, ME. Email: rbrz@umext.maine.edu
Summary: To help reduce nutrients and pesticides in Maine's Casco Bay, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension partnered with the Board of Pesticides Control, Friends of Casco Bay, and the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation district to present a one-day workshop for professional lawn care providers and landscapers in the region. The workshop presented information on the issue of overuse of fertilizers and pesticides on lawns and its effect on water quality and the environment. Homeowners were surveyed prior to the event to determine the degree of demand for natural lawn care. Survey results were presented to the professionals. In addition, educational presentations were made on lawn care without pesticides; soil science as it relates to turf management; weed management on lawns and environmentally-friendly plantings. More than 150 professionals participated in the educational event.

MASSACHUSETTS
Project title: IPM and Water Quality Training for Home Gardeners
Project director: George Kingston, President, Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Assn., Inc. East Longmeadow, MA. Email: gcking@yahoo.com
Summary: A presentation titled "Being a Good Gardening Neighbor to a Stream: IPM and Water Quality" was developed and presented at three different symposia sponsored by the WMMGA in western Massachusetts. The presentation showed home gardeners how to use IPM techniques to minimize the impact of residential lawns and gardens on water quality. The presentation was transferred to CD and can be used by Master Gardeners for future presentations to garden clubs and others. Approximately 45 home gardeners and gardening professionals attended the initial series of presentations, and project leaders received requests from garden clubs to have them repeated at meetings during the 2008-2009 season.
Products (pdf): Good Neighbor presentation, Good Neighbor brochure

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Project title: Univ. of New Hampshire (UNH) Train the Trainers: Landscaping at the Water's Edge Program
Project director: Sadie Puglisi, Extension Educator, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Boscawen, NH. Email: Sadie.Puglisi@unh.edu
Summary: UNH Cooperative Extension has developed a two-day program called "Landscaping at the Water's Edge: An Ecological Approach" aimed at landscape professionals, lakes associations, members of town Conservation Commissions and other decision makers. Participants learn how pesticides and fertilizers can reach surface water and ground water through leaching, run-off and erosion, and they learn how to protect and improve the quality of water resources by using ecologically-based design and low impact maintenance practices. The Green-Blue grant funded a condensed one-day training delivered to UNH Extension volunteers (Master Gardeners, Community Tree Stewards, Coverts Volunteers) who then presented a 1 or 2 hour program to community organizations (town boards, lakes associations, libraries, residential associations, etc). Using volunteers to deliver the program locally made it possible for UNH Cooperative Extension to reach approximately 400 people, a much wider audience than professional staff could reach alone.
Products (pdf): Lawn Care brochure

NEW JERSEY
Project title: Teaching Sustainable Lawn Care Practices to Professionals and Residents
Project director: Amy Weaver, Watershed Stewardship Specialist, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, Pennington, NJ. Email: aweaver@thewatershed.org
Summary: This project involved hosting two individual workshops over two days. Day one offered presentations for land care professionals on becoming familiar with various sustainable landscaping techniques, IPM, and reducing negative impacts on water quality. During day two presentations, homeowners learned and discussed practical approaches for utilizing IPM techniques and making a positive impact on the environment. At both workshops, organizers provided guidance on creating an open and meaningful dialogue between homeowners and landscapers. Workshops reached 42 attendees, and an additional 250 people were reached via a mailing. Approximately 300,000 people may have been reached through exposure to educational posters located throughout municipalities in the watershed.
Products (pdf): River Friendly Residents poster

NEW YORK (2 projects)

Project title: Turf Love Workshops for Nursery Retailers and Landscapers
Project director: Dianne K. Olsen, Extension Resource Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County, Brewster, NY. Email: dko3@cornell.edu
Summary: This pilot project educated landscapers and nursery/garden center retailers about the Turf Love program, an IPM lawn care program for homeowners. The pilot workshop prepared professionals to answer questions from homeowners about fertilizing, pest management, mowing, seed varieties and other IPM issues. This program was developed following requests by homeowner participants in the 2007 Turf Love IPM lawn care education program who wanted to know if their landscapers and garden centers would be aware of these Turf Love and IPM issues. The landscapers who participated in the workshop together have a total of 175-200 clients. Independent retailers who participated own 25% of the retail market share in Putnam County.
Products (pdf): Brochure: 10 Tips to Water Right, Mow Sharp; Brochure: 10 Tips on How to Fertilize Your Lawn; Brochure: 10 Tips on How to Protect the Environment; Presentation for Landscape and Lawn Care Professionals (14.3 mb file), Presentation for Nurseries and Retailers (8 mb file)

Project title: Educating Capital District Consumers about Lawn Care and Water Quality
Project director: David Chinery, Senior Extension Resource Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County, Troy, NY. Email: Dhc3@cornell.edu
Summary: The Capital District Counties of New York (Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady) are home to over 600,000 people, and the region's streams and rivers empty primarily into the Hudson River. This project was designed to educate a large number of residents directly about how proper lawn care can positively impact water quality and the environment. A total of 224 people attended one of six programs offered. A survey conducted several weeks after the programs found that 100% of respondents gained a great or moderate amount of knowledge on four lawn care topics. Additionally, 42% adopted one or more IPM practices that will improve water quality.