St. Joseph County Backyard Conservation
	SWCD Staff Contacts Rick Glassman, Environmental Education Coordinator Stationed in South Bend – 574.291.7444 x 3   Email: richard.glassman@in.nacdnet.net    Andy Fox, County Conservationist Stationed in South Bend – 574.291.7444 x 3   Email: andrew.fox@in.nacdnet.net
	Whether you have a large country lot, a suburban yard, or a tiny plot in the city, you can help protect the environment and add beauty and interest to your surroundings.    Backyard conservation refers to a number of different practices you can establish on your property. The practices include native vegetation plantings, buffer strips, wetland restoration, composting, nutrient management, chemical use reduction, erosion control, and water quality protection.
	Wildlife Habitats
	Planting trees in your yard will improve nesting habitats for birds and save you money on heating and cooling your home if placed strategically. Planting native trees, shrubs, grasses, and plants look great and also provides food for birds, butterflies, mammals, and many other critters. Water is an effective way to draw wildlife to your backyard. A small pond can be a scenic addition that provides habitat to frogs, turtles, birds, fish, and aquatic plants.    For more information: Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat (National Wildlife Federation)    Wildlife Habitat Fact Sheets (Indiana Department of Natural Resources)
	Water Quality
	In Indiana many backyards border lakes, streams and wetlands. It is important to keep natural buffers around these areas to protect water quality and wildlife habitat.    Backyard conservation techniques located adjacent to natural communities will extend areas that wildlife can inhabit. Planting native grasses and plants will increase the rooting depth which may help curb erosion problems on rivers and streams.    Controlling erosion and reducing rainwater runoff will decrease the amount of nutrients and sediment entering our lakes and rivers. Keeping leaves and clippings off of pavement will also reduce nutrients entering stormsewers that route rainwater directly to lakes or streams.     To learn more about how your LAWN impacts our streams and lakes, check out the CLEAR CHOICES for CLEAN WATER website and take the pledge to go Phosphorus-Free. Water quality friendly lawn care includes practices such as using phosphorus-free fertilizer, landscaping with native plants, managing yard and pet wastes, and overall lawn reform.
	Water Quality and Getting Your Water Tested
	From our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) webpage: Q. Where can I get my water tested?      A. In St. Joseph County, Indiana Options for testing your water include sending it to the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), sending it to a commercial lab, buying a home test kit, or participating in screening programs offered by various groups that may offer discounted or subsidized test kits. Currently, the SWCD is unaware of any groups that are offering these discounts.    The following links should be helpful, but give us a call if you still have questions:  WATER TESTING LABORATORIES Fact Sheet prepared by Jane Frankenberger, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Indiana State Department of Health's list of Indiana Certified Microbiology Drinking Water Laboratories
	Water Quality and Rain Barrels
	Rain Barrels help reduce roof rainwater runoff and improve water quality... A great way to further reduce rainwater runoff is to use Rain Barrels. Rain Barrel (sometime scalled cisterns) are aboveground water storage vessels.  A Rain Barrel collects water from your roof downspouts and stores it for later use.  Rainwater can be used for any non-potable purpose such as watering plants, washing cars, or bathing pets. Rain Barrels divert water from storm drain systems and thus reduce pollutants and the velocity of water entering local rivers and streams;    Save Water! Rain Barrels will collect the water on a rainy day and conserve it for use on a dry day.  A typical house has a roof area of 1,200 square feet and four downspouts that will each drain about 300 square feet of roof. That means a rainfall of 0.3 inches will fill a 55-gallon rain barrel placed under each downspout.    Save Money! Save money on your water bill by using water stored in Rain Barrels    For more information about Rain Barrels:   Check out our educational brochure: "Recycling Rain Water: How to Save Money and Conserve Water with Rain Barrels" by CLICKING HERE       Want to make your own Rain Barrel? CLICK HERE.    We are selling Rain Barrels, and about our Rain Barrels, Rain Barrel Accessories and Composter on a PRE-ORDER BASIS, to be picked up on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the St. Joseph County 4H Fairgrounds.  You can download the Order Form, which is included as an insert to our 26th Annual Tree Sale Order Form, by CLICKING HERE    Want to learn where else you can buy a Rain Barrel in the St. Joseph County, Indiana area? CLICK HERE    Want to learn more about an community project being conducted by a Fellow with IU South Bend's Center for a Sustainable Future that is working to promote rain barrels?  CLICK HERE
	Water Quality and Rain Gardens
	Rain Gardens help reduce roof rainwater runoff and improve water quality... What's a Rain Garden?   A Rain Garden is NOT a garden that has standing water, even though its name kind of sounds like it. Rather, Rain Gardens are gardens that contain flowering plants and grasses (preferably native species of both) that can survive in soil soaked with water from rain water.      Rain Gardens are attractive additions to your yard, and they collect and slow stormwater run off and increase its infiltration into the soil. By helping reduce the rapid flow of stormwater from homes and businesses to storm drains, Rain Gardens protect streams, rivers, and lakes from pollutants that are washed from house roofs.   Rain Gardens...  provide a low maintenance, attractively landscaped property with minimum cost.    reduce the amount of household or business stormwater and associated pollutants to area streams and lakes-improve local water quality.    reduce potential of basement flooding.    improve or eliminate wet spots in yard.    increase habitat for beneficial insects, butterflies and birds.    For more information about Rain Gardens: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has an especially informative page on Rain Gardens.  Take a look by CLICKING HERE    The University of Wisconsin Extension website features a wonderful guide called "Rain Gardens: A How-to Manual for Homeowners".  You can buy this 31-page booklet for $4.25 plus shipping by CLICKING HERE. Scroll down a bit once you've clicked over to the University or Wisconsin Extension website and you can even download the booklet for free.
	Soil Quality
	Composting and Soil Quality
	Composting improves soil quality... Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose. Basically, backyard composting is an acceleration of the same process nature uses. By composting your organic waste you are returning nutrients back into the soil in order for the cycle of life to continue. When the compost is ready, it looks like soil–dark brown, crumbly and smells like a forest floor.    Composting can be done in a small space with little time involved. Composting leaves, plants, and selected domestic wastes is a great way to enhance soil productivity and reduce refuse costs. For more information about Composting:    The St. Joseph County SWCD provides composting workshops on a regular basis.  Give us a call at the phone number at the top of this webpage to see when the next one is scheduled, or ask about having our staff provide a composting workshop for your group.     The St. Joseph County SWCD has also prepared a composting guidebook.  You can view it by CLICKING HERE.    The Purdue Cooperative Extension has a few composting guides you can purchase or download for free online.  CLICK HERE to explore these items.      Check out the Eureka Recycling's Make Dirt Not Waste website at www.makedirtnotwaste.org for lots more information on composting.    Create Your Own Compost Pile (Environmental Protection Agency)
	Soil Testing and Soil Quality
	Soil testing improves soil quality... Evaluating the nutrient status of your soil is an important step in developing a quality turf. The best way to find out what your soil needs to nourish healthy turf is to test it.l  Most soil testing labs recommend that you check the status of your soil every three to five years.     Soil testing: Saves money by avoiding over application of costly fertilizer    Instructs homeowners how to fertilize for optimal health of lawn or garden.      Reduces polluted runoff     The results of a soil test will answer four critical questions: What nutrients does my soil need?    What type of fertilizer should I use?    How much fertilizer should I use?    How often should I fertilize?    Testing your soil ... Option 1: Test it yourself: The website, About.com's article "Ready To Garden: A Guide To 4 Soil Tests" features simple ways to test your own soil, 3 of which are free and 1 that is very inexpensive. Read the article in full by CLICKING HERE, which is summarized by About.com as follows:   1. The Squeeze Test: "One of the most basic characteristics of soil is its composition. In general, soils are classified as clay soils, sandy soils, or loamy soils. Clay is nutrient rich, but slow draining. Sand is quick draining, but has trouble retaining nutrients and moisture. Loam is generally considered to be ideal soil because it retains moisture and nutrients but doesn’t stay soggy."  (Materials needed: Your hands.)    2. The Percolation Test: "It is also important to determine whether you have drainage problems or not. Some plants, such as certain culinary herbs, will eventually die if their roots stay too wet." (Materials needed: A small shovel or your hands.)    3. The Worm Test: "Worms are great indicators of the overall health of your soil, especially in terms of biological activity. If you have earthworms, chances are that you also have all of the beneficial microbes and bacteria that make for healthy soil and strong plants." (Materials needed: Perhaps a thermometer to make sure the soil is at least 55 degrees, a small shovel or your hands, a small piece of tarp or cardboard)    4. The pH Test: "The pH (acidity level) of your soil has a large part to do with how well your plants grow. pH is tested on a scale of zero to fourteen, with zero being very acidic and fourteen being very alkaline. Most plants grow best in soil with a fairly neutral pH, between six and seven. When the pH level is lower than five or higher than eight, plants just won’t grow as well as they should." (Materials needed: A pH test kit that can be purchased from any garden center.   These kits are inexpensive and fairly accurate (if you follow the instructions precisely. Once you know whether your soil Ph is a problem or not, you can begin working to correct the problem.)    *  If you find that you’ve done all of these tests, and amended the soil as needed to correct the issues, and your plants are still struggling along, the next step is to contact your local cooperative extension service. They will tell you how to go about collecting a soil sample and sending it into their lab for analysis (see below). Find your local Extension office by CLICKING HERE.           Option 2:  Send a soil sample to a professional laboratory: The results are much more accurate. You will know your soil pH value within a tenth of a pH unit and your nutrient results will accurate within a few parts per million.    Your soil sample will be handled by a professional staff of technicians who run these types of samples every workday.    You will receive recommendations specific for whatever type plant you want to grow. The recommendations are based on the latest university research data base.    If you need further assistance, an Extension county agent can give you follow-up advice.     For more information about soil testing: Purdue University maintains a list of certified labs that provide soil testing.  Learn more by CLICKING HERE.    To give you a rough idea on cost and to provide links to the labs' websites, visit THIS LINK (.pdf) to see a comparison of many of these same labs prepared by the Maryland Cooperative Extension.    Learn how to take a soil sample by Purdue University by CLICKING HERE.      The Indiana Wildlife Federation explains why Phosphorus in fertilizers are harmful to our local streams, waterways and rivers.  Learn more by CLICKING HERE.       Again, your county's local Purdue Cooperative Extension office can provide additional information on soil testing, including how to take a soil sample.  Find your local Extension office by CLICKING HERE.
	Mulching and Soil Quality
	Mulching improves soil quality... Mulching leaves or grass clippings into the soil is another alternative to bagging. Some benefits of mulching include:    Mulching is a saving device for the gardener. A layer of mulch will help prevent the germination of many weed seeds, reducing the need for cultivation or the use of herbicides.    Mulches also help moderate the soil temperature and retain moisture during dry weather, reducing the need for watering.    Mulches protect the soil from the impact of raindrops that can cause crusting. Crusting can prevent the germination of seedlings.    Mulch not only keeps soil nutrients from being washed away with the rain, but it also can release nutrients into the soil if you are using an organic material. This happens as the organic material slowly decomposes on top of the soil.    By using organic material for mulching, this can encourage earthworms to occupy your garden soil. In turn, earthworms help improve soil structure and nutrient cycling.    Mulching can give your garden an attractive, finished look by filling in the empty spaces. Mulch is easy to care for and doesn't compete with your other plants. Alternatively, grass and other fillers may take extensive care, such as mowing and watering, and may compete with your other garden plants,         For more information about Mulching:    The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has an article on the "Benefits of Mulch" that you can read by CLICKING HERE.    The Indiana.gov website discusses the benefits of mulching at THIS LINK.    Your county's local Purdue Cooperative Extension office can provide additional written and video information on lawn and turf care.  Find your local Extension office by CLICKING HERE.
	Program Information
	Does your school, agency, company, organization, or other group need a speaker on topics related to Backyard Conservation?     Contact our office to see if we have a program for you and/or if we can provide a reference that meets your needs!
	Links
	Backyard Conservation (Natural Resources Conservation Service)    Purdue University's Turfgrass Website    Your county's local Purdue Cooperative Extension office can provide additional written and video information on lawn and turf care.  Find your local Extension office by CLICKING HERE.       Purdue Extension GardenTIPS website is a fantasit resource (CLICK HERE)    The Purdue Extension Home*A*Syst & Healthy Homes website (CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE to visit the Home*A*Syst site) includes information: Drinking water Stormwater management Household wastewater Hazardous household products Lead Lawn and garden Fuel storage Household waste Indoor air quality       CLEAR CHOICES for CLEAN WATER is another great site to check out.    Great resources for teaching & learning about water conservation (from Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…)