These organizations are part of the movement to reform lawns and lawn care. To be added to the list, just send a message to Susan@Sustainable-Gardening.com to tell us what you're doing or plan to do to promote lawn reform. We also ask that you mention and link to this website on yours.
The California Chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers is a professional organization that promotes sustainable approaches to landscape design. APLD California members enjoy on-going educational opportunities on topics ranging from low water planting design, to cutting edge irrigation strategies to green roof design. For the general public, the APLD California website maintains an interactive Find a Designer feature and tips on how to choosing the right designer for your project.
The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) recently held its biennial conference at the George Washington University, Washington, DC. The conference had tracks on sustainable landscape design, the science of sustainable landscaping that deals with soil compaction, "lawns, landscapes and identity", and how local governments promote rain gardens to filter stormwater in the residential landscape. In the fall of 2010, field days that showcase low-impact development projects will be held in Maryland and Virginia. We have an email group that reaches over 300 horticultural and landscape professionals interested in conservation landscaping.DC Urban Gardeners brought Safelawns.org founder Paul Tukey to DC to spread the word about organic lawn care, and promotes this website.
Grass Roots Program offers practical information about the best-rated, sustainable turf and lawn watering systems for the West, based on the premise that irrigation efficiency and grass type should be intertwined in order to maximize water conservation, pollution control, and owner satisfaction, To make these choices most affordable, it provide incentives and identify other available rebates to streamline the savings process.
Green the Grounds is a national media campaign that encourages First Families to adopt sustainable landscape practices at their official residences, and a major component of which is to do no environmental harm in the management of the lawn. Maryland's governor's grounds were certified as Bay-Wise, and Ohio and Pennsylvania are examples of responsible stewardship of the land. Kentucky's First Lady recently announced big plans for sustainability, too.
Healthy Communities Project in Milwaukee, WI is an informational tool on the risks pesticides pose to health and the environment, and solutions, like their Natural Lawn Care Calendar and Tips for Southern Wisconsin. They also do natural lawn care workshops and event tabling.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association Organic Land Care Program (NOFA OLC) is an educational non-profit whose mission is to "extend the vision and principles of organic agriculture to the care of the landscapes where people carry out their daily lives." They wrote the first standards for organic land care[pdf] and offer professional training courses throughout the Northeast on organic landscaping, including organic lawns and turf. They've just launched a "Homeowners Campaign" with a series of workshops, and their website now has an online searchable database of NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals.
The Safer Pest Control Project is a nonprofit organization in Illinois that s dedicated to reducing the health risks and environmental impacts of pesticides and promoting safer alternatives. We promote this mission through training, education, advocacy and outreach. Natural Lawn Care has been one of our main program areas since our inception in 1994. We conduct trainings for homeowners, professional landscapers and municipalities that focus on how to transition away from conventional chemical lawn care. We offer a website full of resources that can provide you with up to date information and practical solutions on how to create a sustainable landscape.
The Urban Oasis Project in South Florida encourages the public to "re-think the lawn and plant vegetable gardens, fruit trees, butterfly gardens, and plants which attract pollinators, birds, and wildlife." They share gardening advice, experience, anecdotes, knowledge, trials and errors. They "have fun with work parties, field trips, and potluck suppers starring our garden goodies, learning to make kitchen concoctions from what we grow." They also teach gardening methods, composting, always "working work with Nature, not against her.
