You can have a beautiful yard without using chemicals that may harm children, pets and the environment. Please join us for a series of free workshops, Healthy Landscaping and Lawn Care, presented by the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition in cooperation with area libraries from 7 to 8:30 pm in these locations:

 • May 10 Conant Public Library, Sterling - Peter Hinrichs

• June 7 Leominster Public Library - Ann McGovern

• June 21 Rutland Free Public Library - Peter Hinrichs

Pesticides and lawn chemicals may have unforeseen impacts on human health and can move through the soil into drinking water supplies, ponds, streams and rivers. Children and pets are especially susceptible to harmful effects of pesticides because of their size. Birds and other wildlife suffer injury and even death from long term exposure to traces of pesticides in the environment.

But with a few simple changes, you can have a beautiful lawn and landscape without the use of harmful chemicals. By developing healthy soil, choosing plants that are appropriate for site conditions and following some basic guidelines in caring for them, you can have a very rewarding, attractive landscape that contributes to the health of your family, neighbors, pets, wildlife and water quality.

Hear about healthy landscaping choices (flowers, shrubs, vegetables). Learn how to create healthy soil by using compost, mulch and other practices. Learn what lawns need to grow well and what practices you can use to establish and maintain a healthy landscape with minimal inputs of chemicals, water, time and money.

 Our speakers...

Ann McGovern is the Consumer Waste Reduction Coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. She coordinates Massachusetts' home composting education program and compost bin grant program, through which over 110,000 compost bins have been distributed to the public. She has taught the composting session for the Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA) Organic Land Care Certification Course since 2003, and for the Mass. Horticultural Society’s Master Gardener Training program since 1994.

Peter Hinrichs is a landscape designer and President of dig in it! Inc., an organic land care company. With 15 years of experience, Peter designs and constructs lawn and garden areas that work with natural systems. He develops lawn and plant care programs based on living ecological systems and cycles, on-site composting and recycling for organic materials and drainage solutions. Peter is a NOFA-Certified Organic Land Care Accredited Professional.

The workshops are part of a series of community programs to help people learn about ways to keep water clean and healthy. Refreshments will be served. These programs are made possible with support from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust with funds from the sale of environmental license plates.

Please join us for a series of free workshops, Creating a Rain Garden for Your Home, presented by the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition in cooperation with area libraries from 7 to 8:30 pm in these locations:

• April 25  Conant Public Library, Sterling

• May 3  Rutland Free Public Library

• May 5  Hubbardston Public Library

• May 12  Forbush Memorial Library, Westminster

• • June 8  Townsend Public Library

MWC's Ed Himlan will present a slideshow on the design and benefits of rain gardens. Rain gardens attract birds and butterflies while also protecting water supplies. They can make yards and neighborhoods more attractive as well as reduce pollution. The slideshow will explain where to place a rain garden, how to select plants, and how to keep the garden flourishing as a beautiful accent to your home or business.

Rain gardens hold stormwater for a few hours and allow it to seep into the ground. This groundwater flows to brooks and ponds between rain events and is essential to the health of stream life. Rain garden plants and soils also cleanse storm water and remove nutrients that can harm water quality.

Stormwater runoff is the greatest cause of flooding and pollution that damage property and spoil local brooks, lakes and water supplies. Rain gardens and other simple solutions can prevent problems and restore community uses of local waters.

The workshops are part of a series of community programs to help people learn about ways to keep water clean and healthy. Refreshments will be served. These programs are made possible with support from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust with funds from the sale of environmental license plates.

Massachusetts Watershed Coalition Annual Meeting: Community Stormwater Solutions to Protect and Restore Your Streams

The upcoming Massachusetts Watershed Coalition 2011 Annual Meeting will be held at the Doyle Center of the Trustees of Reservations on March 17th, 2011, 5 pm to 8 pm. There will be a number of speakers on issues regarding water conservation and we will discuss current business of the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition. Please stand by for further information, to be posted here when available.

Find out more & register...