Water experts get down to business

Preserving the nation’s water supply is closely tied to residential water use and lawn care, said a panel of experts during a July 22 teleconference called, “Water and Lawns: Putting Environmentalism to Work in Our Own Backyards.”

Sponsored by the Garden Writers Association (GWA), Alliance for the Great Lakes and Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the conference provided a forum for these experts to discuss ways the government and environmental groups are improving the quality of the water supply through professional and consumer education in lawn care.

“Most homeowners have lawns, so it’s our position to educate homeowners in best practices,” said Jonah Smith, director of sustainable business for the Alliance for the Great Lakes. More specifically, Smith spoke about the care of mature lawns, keeping track of rainfall to keep from overwatering and avoiding fertilizing before a storm to decrease runoff.

Terril Nell, chair and professor of the University of Florida’s Environmental Horticulture Department, spoke about the tightening of Florida laws on water and fertilizer usage. One recently passed piece of legislation mandates that 150,000 commercial applicators be trained in proper application of fertilizer between now and 2013. Nell also described several long-term goals in his state, including “reducing runoff, protecting the waterfront, attracting wildlife and protecting against erosion.”

Rich Shank, chief environmental officer of Scotts Miracle-Gro, said that his company has a large research and development program focused on increasing the the environmental benefits of lawns and gardens. “We’ve been working with grass seed to come up with drought resistant varieties; improving our slow-release and controlled-release fertilizers; and coming up with organic and hybrid technologies,” Shank said.

Finally, Gary Felton, associate professor at the University of Maryland and a representative of the Chesapeake Bay program, presented a brochure his organization has developed with Scotts Miracle-Gro to show consumers how to conserve water while caring for their lawns. “Our research has shown that people want to do the right thing, but they don’t always know how to do it,” he said.