There are several preventative measures that you can take to manage mosquitoes and prevent the spread of West Nile Virus. Make sure that there is no standing water in your yard. Turn buckets, kiddie pools, garbage cans, flower pots, old tires, and other containers upside down so that rain water does not collect. Keep garbage and recycling bins covered to prevent the collection of stagnant water and scrub the insides if you suspect mosquito eggs were laid. If you have a bird feeder, inspect it often for larvae. Learn more about backyard mosquito management.
Bats and certain bird species such as the Baltimore Oriole, bluebirds, chickadees, “gnatcatchers”, catbirds, cardinals, and other songbirds feed predominantly on flying insects. Bats are especially good at eating mosquitoes because they are nocturnal, and mosquitoes are most active in the evening hours. Build a bird house or a bat house to encourage nesting of these helpful creatures.
Invasive plant species, also known as non-native, exotic, or alien species, are plants that were introduced to the region from other parts of the world. While some introduced species are not harmful, others cause serious damage to native ecosystems, agriculture, and industries. Harmful invasive plants out-compete native plants for light, space, water, and nutrients, causing many native species to become endangered. And, since native wildlife has evolved to eat native plants, wildlife often cannot feed on invasive plant species. Some invasive plant species of Maryland include the Tree of Heaven, Norway Maple, Japanese Stiltgrass, Mile-a Minute Vine, Purple Loosestrife, and Japanese Honeysuckle. Learn more from our Tips for Green Leaders Native Plants Fact Sheet.
Invasive plant species can be very difficult to eradicate. The best practices for invasive plant removal vary between manual removal, chemical treatment, and a combination of both depending on the plant, extent of growth, and available means. Click for more information on invasive species from the Maryland Invasive Species Council, the Maryland Cooperative Extension, or the Department of Natural Resources.
Reduce your use of deicing chemicals or use an environmentally-friendly alternative
Road salt, or sodium chloride, can be harmful to the environment when it washes off of roads, sidewalks, and driveways into surrounding land and waterways. In order to reduce your use of deicing chemicals, clear as much snow as possible by hand, use only the amount of deicing chemical instructed, or try an environmentally-friendly alternative.
Use a push reel or electric mower instead of a gas-powered mower, or refrain from mowing sections of your lawn
Gas-powered lawn mowers consume gas, emit pollutants, and generate greenhouse gases. A gas-powered lawn mower emits as many pollutants as eight new cars driving 55 mph for the same period of time. Or put another way, mowing your lawn with a typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower for one hour produces the same amount of harmful emissions as driving a car 340 miles! Americans use 800 million gallons of gas each year just to mow their lawns. Learn more about the environmental impact of lawn mowers.
The EPA recommends the use of push reel mowers because they do not consume fossil fuels or emit greenhouse gasses. If you do use a power mower, use an electric mower with mulching capabilities to reduce grass clippings.
The best alternative to using a gas-powered mower is to not mow your lawn at all! Consider replacing all or a section of your lawn with native plants.
Refrain from using pesticides on your lawn and gardens
Exposure to pesticides may contribute to cancer, endocrine disruption, and other human health risks. Plus, pesticides can actually kill beneficial insects and soil organisms that help plants grow; they can also harm wildlife.
Instead of using synthetic pesticides, consider an organic alternative or refrain from pesticide use completely. Plant perennials among your annual crops to maintain a beneficial predator insect population, which keeps pest populations in check. Or try an alternative to synthetic pesticides, such as natural store bought products, homemade recipes, and techniques that don’t use any chemicals, like planting marigolds to ward off nematodes or leaving a dish of flat beer outside to kill slugs.
Before resorting to any type of pest management, identify the pest, whether it is actually harmful, and the degree of harm that it is causing. When trying any pesticide, start with spot treatments, rather than spraying the whole lawn or garden, and see if it works before using more of it.
Replace 30 square feet or more of turf grass or other surface with conservation landscaping using native plants
Traditional grass lawns compete for space with native habitat, reduce rainwater absorption, contribute grass trimmings to landfills, and often require harmful chemicals, gas or electricity-consuming machines, and money to maintain. Over 50 million acres of land in the U.S. are covered by turf grass, and 30% of the water consumed on the east coast is used for watering lawns! Learn more about the environmental impacts of traditional lawns.
A section of your grass lawn can be converted to a lawn alternative, such as nitrogen-fixing plants, native plants, a food forest, moss, ground cover, clover, flower and shrub beds, or rain gardens. You can even attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds by planting native wildflowers. Learn more from our Tips for Green Leaders Lawn Maintenance Fact Sheet.
Neighborhood Green is a Frederick County program that provides local homeowners with educational tools, such as workshops and expert advice, to help them convert their lawns into native plant and wildlife havens. For more information, contact the Community Restoration Coordinator at 301.600.1741. Check out our Tips for Green Leaders Neighborhood Green Fact Sheet.
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