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Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat or Backyard Buffer on your property

The National Wildlife Federation’s program for creating wildlife habitats in residential backyards, schools, campuses, commercial properties, and communities has resulted in the creation of almost 140,000 Certified Wildlife Habitat sites in the country. The requirements for a Certified Wildlife Habitat are the provision of food, water, cover, and a place for wildlife to raise young. Learn more about the Certified Wildlife Habitat program.

Residents who have a stream, lake, pond, or other waterway on or adjacent to their property are eligible for participation in the Department of Natural Resource’s Backyard Buffers program. By signing up, you can receive 25 free native trees and shrubs. The removal of natural riparian buffers has been a large contributor to nutrient and sediment pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Riparian buffers are ecosystems lining waterways that help to hold together soil and remove nutrients and other pollutants from stormwater. Learn more about the Backyard Buffers program.

Have your septic system pumped every 3-5 years

A properly working septic system delivers wastewater to the soil where it is filtered before reaching groundwater. However, a malfunctioning septic system can be a health threat and degrade the quality of groundwater and nearby surface waters. A septic system must be pumped by a licensed septic contractor every three to five years to remove solid waste and grease. To learn more, check out A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems., or our Septic and Well Maintenance Tip Sheet.

Upgrade your septic system to increase nitrogen removal

Traditional septic systems do not remove nitrogen from wastewater. Leaking septic tanks are a major contribution to nitrogen pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. An outdated septic system can be upgraded to a new Pretreatment System which reduces nitrogen by at least 50% and often extends the life of the drainage field.

Residents living within 1,000 feet of tidal waters may be eligible to receive funding for a septic system upgrade through the Bay Restoration Fund. To learn more, contact Frederick County’s program contact, the Canaan Valley Institute, at 304.940.3443.

Follow an urban nutrient management plan completed by a contractor

Soil tests can be useful for a number of reasons when trying to decrease your household’s environmental impact. Overuse of lawn fertilizers is a large contributor to nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Testing your soil can help you determine whether or not you need to fertilize your lawn, and how much fertilizer is appropriate to use. A soil test can also help you design a rain garden, vegetable garden, xeriscape, tree planting, or other landscaping feature and warn you of dangerous contaminants such as heavy metals. Learn more about soil testing from University of Maryland Extension. Check out our Tips for Green Leaders Lawn Maintenance Fact Sheet for more information.

Refrain from using fertilizers on your lawn and gardens

The overuse of lawn fertilizers is a large contributor to nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Excess nutrient loading, or eutrophication, can cause algae blooms, leading to low dissolved oxygen and high water turbidity, or cloudy water. Excessive use of fertilizers can also damage beneficial soil life that helps plants grow. Learn more about proper fertilizer use and lawn maintenance from our Tips for Green Leaders Lawn Maintenance Fact Sheet, the EPA GreenScapes program, or the University of Maryland Extension.

Have a stormwater audit or landscape plan completed for your property that includes landscape practices to filter stormwater