Beyond Lawns Videos

With 2 million acres of monoculture lawn in the Commonwealth, these spaces present an important opportunity for communities to be part of the solution to issues of watershed and stream health, water and air quality, and weather and climate stabilization. In this session, we’ll start with the big picture, learning about soils from a Penn State Extension Urban Forester, and zoom in to hear more about a few conservation landscape programs working to improve habitat, decrease stormwater problems, and offer low-cost climate resiliency. Leave inspired with ideas for local initiatives and policies which could be enacted in your community. Speakers: Vincent Cotrone, Penn State Department of Ecosystem Science; Jamie Anderson, Eastern Delaware County Stormwater Collaborative; Chris Bunn, Pennsylvania Resources Council.

DCNR launched its Lawn Conversion program in 2020. Born out of the Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts, this statewide program’s goal is to improve water quality through converting mowed grass lawn areas to either forest or meadow, both of which help to improve infiltration and remove pollutants in stormwater runoff. In this session, we will cover how the lawn conversion program was envisioned and how it is currently operating, how DCNR is working to make lawn conversion funding and technical assistance available to partner organizations working with landowners in Pennsylvania, the basics of designing and implementing lawn conversion projects, and the challenges that come with converting lawn to meadow or forest.

Join WeConservePA and guest speakers from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Bureau of Forestry, Rural and Community Forestry section for a two-part presentation on the whys and how-to’s of lawn conversion and green infrastructure. Staff from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council will review how meadows can be integrated into the built environments of our cities and towns. The presentation will include tips and strategies on (1) how to communicate benefits with neighbors and stakeholders, and (2) how to overcome barriers like weed ordinances, aesthetics concerns, and common misconceptions about lawn conversion. This presentation follows-up on Part 1, which addressed lawn conversion funding and technical assistance, along with the basics of designing and implementing projects.

Lawns are a ubiquitous sight across Pennsylvania, with over 2 million acres of land growing turf grasses that are mowed regularly and tenderly fertilized. There’s social pressure to maintain order around homes, in parks, and on campuses, however a growing number of Pennsylvanians want to do more to improve the landscape for now and into the future. Join guest speakers from PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) to learn more about the what, why, and how of implementing lawn conversion and other green infrastructure in your municipality.

Today, Americans spend approximately $30 billion every year to maintain over 23 million acres of lawn. Lawns in the U.S. consume around 270 billion gallons of water a week. And American homeowners apply 10 times more fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides to their grass than farmers do to their crops, which results in chemically dependent lawns that negatively affect the health of people, pets, plants, and wildlife. Find out how to convert your lawn and turf areas to native meadows with the lessons learned by Natural Lands staff over the last 20 years. The techniques discussed can be scaled to accommodate the conversation of small lawns or multiple acres.

Heather Andrews, The Thoughtful Gardener, will share information and resources that EAC members can use when making the case for municipal ordinances that are more friendly to nontraditional landscapes, including pollinator plantings and lawn-to-meadow. Included will be information on the resulting co-benefits to communities, including: less maintenance, water, and chemicals utilized; and, increased pollinator habitat and use of native species.