BACT| Barrington Area Conservation Trust BMPs for Your Yard
Conservation@Home is a program that educates, supports and recognizes homeowners who incorporate a variety of eco-friendly practices into their yard. The foundation of the program is native plants, storm water stewardship, and eco-friendly lawn care.
History The Trust was established in 2001 by citizens who shared a concern about disappearing open lands in the Barrington area.
BACT’s Mission The mission of Barrington Area Conservation Trust is to preserve open lands, natural resources, equestrian character, and scenic beauty for the Barrington communities.
What We Do Provide a variety of tools to help people preserve their land and make it healthier. Conservation Easements Heritage Corridors (Roadside Easements) Owning Land Stewardship Conservation @ Home
Created by The Conservation Foundation to recognize homeowners that were implementing eco-friendly practices in their yards. These simple practices, like adding natives to our yards, are the solution to reversing 2 alarming trends……
BIODIVERSITY “We simply have not left enough intact habitat for most or our species to avoid extinction.” - Doug Tallamy
Every 20 minutes another species goes extinct, an alarming rate. . Extinct 1983 . 1914 1932 1920 Passenger Pigeon Heath Hen Carolina Parakeet
Edward O. Wilson says that extinction is happening 1,000 times faster than it did before the coming of humanity. Eastern Elk, Extint in 1880
E.O. Wilson says people know about the loss of species, but they don’t grasp what that means….. It means that the living shield of organisms that maintain the environment (the biosphere) is being shorn away…. - source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSd2QFMoWxM
By human activities: H: Habitat destruction I: Invasive species P: Pollution P: human over-Population O: Overharvesting by hunting and fishing
Illinois 36 Million Acres Illinois has lost more than 90% of its original wetlands, 99.99% of its original prairie. 2007. Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund. Illinois State Land Conservation Funding Report.
Another trend that we can solve with native plants is…. The Hydrologic Cycle
Barrington, Illinois
Flooding According to FEMA- Floods are the #1 natural disaster in the United States
How can I make a difference?
Illinois 36 million acres 95% Privately Owned! . 2007. Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund. Illinois State Land Conservation Funding Report.
“It is now within the power of individual gardeners to make a difference. Unless we restore native plants to our suburban eco- systems, the future of biodiversity in the US is dim.” - Doug Tallamy
“Our native insects will not be able to survive on alien plant species. This may sound like a gardeners dream: a land without insects! But because so many animals depend partially or entirely on insect protein for food, a land without insects is a land without most forms of higher life.” - Doug Tallamy
Landscape as if life depended on it… because it does.
Landscaping is not just Décor!
Native plants are the BMP ! • Provide food and habitat for wildlife • Remove pollutants • Reduce flooding
Native plants provide food Insects are essential ! Of the 4 million or so insect species, merely 1% interact with humans in negative ways. The remaining 99%: • Pollinate Plants • Eat “bad” insects • Provide food for other animals, especially birds!
Food During the Winter Native plants provide food for birds in winter
Native Plants Provide Shelter Common Green Darner
Shelter Red-headed Woodpecker
Native Plants Alleviate Flooding And Remove Pollutants • Filtering and Absorbing Water • Breaking up clay soil allowing percolation • Removing pollutants from soils and water • Stabilizing soils – reducing erosion • Sequester carbon
Rain Water Picks up sediment and pollution (like Phosphorus) from lawns and pavement and carries it directly into our water ways through the storm sewer system….
Native Plants Filter out Phosphorus (P) P feeds algae blooms, which cloud the water and lower the amount of O2 for fish. P is often bound to soil particles. Placing native plants in the flow path of stormwater runoff is critical for managing P. - source: US EPA: Landscaping with Native Plants Exploring the Environmental, Social and Economic Benefits Conference. Dec. 2004. http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/conf12_04/conf_knwldge.html
Infiltration Rates 0.29” per hour Turf Grass 7.5” per hour Native Switchgrass Source: US EPA: Landscaping with Native Plants Exploring the Environmental, Social and Economic Benefits Conference. Dec. 2004. http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/conf12_04/conf_knwldge.html
Install Rain Gardens to Keep Water on Your Property and Soak into the Soil
Do Rain Gardens Really Work? The City of Burnsville, MN wanted to protect Crystal Lake from excess phosphorus and large volumes of storm water runoff. After (2004) Before
Paired Watershed Study 2 very similar residential areas were monitored
17 new rain water gardens were added to a 25- lot, 5.3 acre neighborhood with traditional curb and gutter
Rainwater Gardens were sized to handle a 0.9 inch rainfall event .
The gardens were designed to capture street runoff via curb cuts .
SUCCESS! 90% Reduction of Runoff into Crystal Lake
Add a Shoreline Buffer of Native Plants 15’ of planted buffer removes 30 -60% of P 30’ of planted buffer removes 75 -85% of P -source:US EPA: Landscaping with Native Plants Exploring the Environmental, Social and Economic Benefits Conference. Dec. 2004. http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/conf12_04/conf_knwldge.html
Shoreline and stream buffers situated in flat soils effectively remove sediment, nutrients and bacteria from stormwater runoff and septic system effluent. - Source USEPA http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/swbmp/Riparian-Forested-Buffer.cfm
Native Plants are BMP for Shoreline Erosion Turf grass cannot anchor the shoreline – roots are not deep enough.
Shoreline Stabilization • Native Shoreline • Turf Grass Shoreline
Pond behind Onion Pub and Brewery before Restoration
After
Pond Restoration Geothermal Heating Vermi Composting of Food Waste Spent grains from brewery composted Growing some of the food Locally-sourcing food as much as possible Bio-swales in parking lot Native planting throughout the campus Recycling brewery water
More things we can do to help biodiversity and the hydrologic cycle….
Lets think about our lawns!
The Dollars and Sense? • Americans spend 27 Billion dollars yearly on grass care – 20 Million Acres! • Lawnmowers account for over 5% of total air pollution • Watering of lawns account for 30% of total water use
Installation and Maintenance Costs First Year Installation Costs/Acre Landscape Treatment Low-End High-End Turf Grass $7,800 $14,825 Native Landscaping $3,400 $ 5,975 Source: Natural Landscaping for Public Officials: A Sourcebook . Chicago: Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, 2004
Installation and Maintenance Costs 10 Year Average Maintenance Costs/Acre Landscape Treatment Low-End High-End Turf Grass $5,550 $6,471 Native Landscaping $1,600 $1,788 Source: Natural Landscaping for Public Officials: A Sourcebook . Chicago: Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, 2004
Our Lawn Care Fertilizer and pesticide application practices produce polluted, nutrient-rich runoff that increases algae growth and reduces dissolved O2 in nearby lakes, streams and wetlands.
Create a Place for Biodiversity! Replace Lawn with Native Gardens
Reduce or Eliminate Chemicals
Native Oak Trees Bur Oak White Oak Red Oak
Oaks No.1 for Wildlife • Oak trees support an astounding 543 species of Lepidoptera (i.e., moths and butterflies). • 60 species of birds feast on the insect life • Blue jays, flickers, turkeys, squirrels, deer, mice and more rely on acorns.
Conserve Water with a Rainbarrel!
Remove Invasives Garlic Mustard Teasel Buckthorn
Permeable Sidewalks and Driveways
Get Certified!
“I hope to convince you that, for our own good and certainly for the good of other species, we must do better. Native plants will play a disproportionately large role in our success.” - Doug Tallamy Bringing Nature Home
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