Watershed Friendly Property Certification Program

The certification program is a collaboration between the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program and The Nurture Nature Center.

What can you do to make your property more watershed-friendly?

1. Conserve water by:

• Using native plants in your yard. They usually do not require watering once established.
• Mulch flower beds so they retain water better.
• Instead of cleaning patios and driveways with water, use a broom.
• Use water from your rain barrels to water flower beds if necessary.
• Limit lawn watering. Grasses are adapted to drying out periodically, and they will green up again once it rains.

2. Reduce pollution from your property by:

• Reducing or eliminating the use of commercial herbicides and pesticides on your property.
• Testing your soil before using commercial fertilizer and limit applications to the recommended amounts.
• Avoiding the use of salt in the winter; instead, try using sand, which can be swept up after the ice or snow has melted.
• Picking up pet waste and put it in the trash.
• Removing any litter from your property that could wash away, and store motors, batteries, and chemicals indoors - in a shed or garage.
• Don't wash your car on the driveway or street. The water will run to your nearest stream. Wash your car on the lawn or at a facility that recycles the water. Make sure safe, nontoxic soaps are used.

3. Reduce stormwater runoff by:

• Installing a rain barrel, creating a rain garden, and reducing lawn area with native plant beds. Rain and snowmelt may run into storm drains, which empty into your nearest stream. Impervious surfaces, such as asphalt, sidewalks, and lawns don't allow water to soak into the ground. This intensifies the amount and speed of water in streams, and greatly increases the erosion of streambanks.

4. Choose native plants to support wildlife and protect stream banks.

• By planting native plants in your yard, you can reduce the need for pesticides and watering.
• Native plants - including native trees - provide habitat and food for birds, butterflies, and pollinators. Non-natives do not provide this benefit.
• Native plants are more resistant to local diseases and insect pests.
• Native plants are better at holding soil, reducing soil erosion, and flooding from stormwater. This helps protect streambanks.

Who can certify their property?

The application is open to all residents, schools, places of worship, municipal buildings, small businesses, and others who manage properties between 0.1-15 acres.

What does a certified property look like?

Certified properties will vary in size, aesthetics, and other aspects. The unifying factor is that all properties 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.

An example of a best management practice - bird and pollinator habitat - on a certified property. Photo: Meagan Hopkins-Doerr

Why should you certify your property as watershed-friendly?

The goal of the Watershed-Friendly Property Certification program is to unite land owners, both within individual watersheds and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to improve and maintain the quality of water resources, as well as improve and maintain habitat for wildlife and pollinators. Residents, communities, educational institutions, and businesses will simultaneously be educated about the value of a healthy watershed and best practices for improving water quality. Healthy landscapes make healthy communities. Your property certification has many benefits, including:

• Recognizing your commitment to make a positive difference and improve/maintain the quality of water resources in your watershed, for your family, your community, and wildlife.
• Raising awareness with others about how they can improve water resources within the watershed and the need to include wildlife and pollinator habitat on their property.
• Supporting the Watershed-Friendly Yard Certification and Master Watershed Steward Program.
• Providing you with tools and resources to continue improving your watershed-friendly status.
• Giving you "bragging rights" for all your hard work.

How can you certify your property?

To certify your property, complete the online application for review. The recorded webinar, additional information and resources are provided throughout the process. If your application meets the requirements, you will be notified upon submission and receive an email with a certificate verifying that your landscape is watershed-friendly.

There is no cost associated with the application or certificate. However, successful applicants will be eligible for the Watershed-Friendly Property sign. The certificate and the sign show your commitment to making a difference, improving the quality of water resources, and maintaining habitat for wildlife and pollinators in your watershed.