Watershed Friendly Property Program
WATERSHED FRIENDLY PROPERTY PROGRAM
Certify Your Property as Watershed-Friendly
Is your property watershed friendly?
Many property owners strive to lessen stormwater impacts and use sound ecological practices, while others would like to learn how to do more. By making wise choices and following some simple guidelines, managing your garden and lawn, you can help protect Pennsylvania’s watersheds.
Why does this matter? Stormwater runoff is precipitation that does not infiltrate and flows over the ground, roofs, buildings, sidewalks and parking lots, through storm drains, before reaching the nearest waterway. Runoff picks up pollutants such as fertilizer, pesticides, pet waste, trash, sediment, chemicals and more, during this movement before dumping them directly into waterways. This can create inhospitable habitats for fish and other wildlife, potentially affect our drinking water, and increased stormwater can lead to flooding and other issues. However, every property owner can make a positive impact on the health of our waterways.
The Watershed-Friendly Property Certification recognizes Pennsylvania residents who incorporate best practices to minimize and/or eliminate potential harmful impacts to our water resources, as well as provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators. The certification is open to properties with different aesthetics and sizes, from small urban plots up to 15 acres, that include enough best-management practices for reducing stormwater runoff and pollution, conserving water, and providing beneficial habitats for wildlife and pollinators to reach the qualifying 85% score.
How can I get my property certified as watershed friendly?
The Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) is here to help! Upon request, a member of the EAC can assist with performing an assessment of your property, sharing watershed-friendly best practices, and reviewing the certification checklist/application with you. The EAC also hopes to organize a demonstration on the process of auditing a property for watershed friendliness and improvements that can be made with Best Management Practices (BMPs) to help mitigate the impacts of stormwater and enhance the ecological landscape. So stay tuned…
To learn more: Certification application and resources can be found on the Nurture Nature Center’s site (https://nurturenaturecenter.org/programs/community/wfp-cert/) with additional resources on Penn State Extension (https://extension.psu.edu/water/stormwater-management). Stay tuned for a Watershed-Friendly Property Certification information session coming soon.
Financial and other support for the “Watershed-Friendly Properties – an education and certification program” has been provided by the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2020 Environmental Education Grants Program. Project partners include Nurture Nature Center and Penn State Extension.
For more information, or to request support from the EAC, please contact the Upper Gwynedd Township EAC through the Township’s regular contact form.
