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Greenscapes: Beautiful landscapes that protect our water

Greenscapes: Beautiful landscapes that protect our water. www.Greenscapes.org. What are Greenscapes?. Greenscapes are beautiful landscapes that will save you time and money, and protect our environment by reducing the need for water and chemicals. The South Shore Program.

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Greenscapes: Beautiful landscapes that protect our water

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  1. Greenscapes:Beautiful landscapes that protect our water www.Greenscapes.org

  2. What are Greenscapes? Greenscapes are beautiful landscapes that will save you time and money, and protect our environment by reducing the need for water and chemicals.

  3. The South Shore Program • Multi-faceted regional education campaign • Primary audience: homeowners • Secondary audience: landscaping professionals • Addresses both water conservation and water quality • Provide information, goods and services • Centrally managed by NSRWA • Support from MBP and MBEA

  4. South Shore Sponsors • North and South Rivers Watershed Association • Massachusetts Bays Program • Mass. Bays Estuary Association • 13 South Shore communities and water companies: Cohasset, Duxbury, Hanover, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Scituate and Weymouth; Aquarion Water Company (Hingham and Hull), Pinehills Water Company (Plymouth).

  5. S.S. Grant Funders MA Office of Coastal Zone Management (2005) MA Dept. Environmental Protection (2005, 2006) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2006) Massachusetts Environmental Trust (2006)

  6. Other S.S. Partners • Ecological Landscaping Association • Northeast Organic Farming Association • Plymouth County Cooperative Extension • Smart Watering Company • EPA GreenScapes Program (HQ, Region 1) • MA Riverways Program • South Shore nurseries • Landscaping professionals and retailers

  7. Program Goals • To educate citizens and professionals about how to change their landscaping practices (particularly irrigation and chemical use) to reduce their impact on the environment; • 2. To create an informed and proactive citizenry armed with the knowledge to act as responsible environmental stewards in their own backyards; and • 3. To generate broad public support for improved public management of both water quality and water quantity.

  8. Water Quantity

  9. Water Quality

  10. S.S. Program Management • NSRWA is primary program manager • 2006 Budget of $67,000 (estimated 39% is labor) • Average 12 hour/week staff time to implement • Cost shared by communities on sliding scale • Benefit: Economies of scale • Benefit: Consistent messaging • Benefit: Program consistent with mission • Pro/Con: Lots of ideas and partners • Con: Diverse geology/geography/audience

  11. Guiding Principles • 1. All program components shall appeal to the mainstream general public so that they might be adopted by a diverse population of citizens. • 2. All content shall be based on widely-accepted science and be non-controversial. • 3. A palatable tone shall be maintained in all representations of the Greenscapes brand, image, and information.

  12. What is Greenscapes NOT? NOT Extremist NOT Radical NOT an Endorsement

  13. Who Pays for the Program? 25% Orgs 50% Towns 25% Grants

  14. How Do Towns Pay? • Enterprise funds • Add-on to stormwater grants (319, CZM) • Water conservation fees (Weymouth) • Town Meeting appropriation (Cohasset) • BOH/Con Com Funds?

  15. WiiFM -- Citizens • Good for you and your wallet: • reduced water bills • less money spent on chemicals • less work for you or your contractor • more free time • less exposure to chemicals • more habitat for wildlife • more beautiful landscapes • increased property values

  16. WiiFM -- Municipalities • Cost-effective, simple way to help achieve: • Regulatory requirements: EPA Phase II and Water Mgmt Act • Customer service • Community goodwill • Cleaner and more plentiful water resources(potential savings of future expenses to seek/permit/develop new water supplies, manage stormwater, restore environmental damage)

  17. Advertising • www.Greenscapes.org • Email listserves • Watershed Associations • Nurseries, garden clubs • Local cable TV • Newspaper ads • Direct mail: Ref. Guide • Utility bill inserts • Media kits, press releases • Posters • Tabletop displays • Radio spots • E-newsletter

  18. How Did You Hear? 45% Reference Guide 31% Newspaper Article 30% NSRWA Newsletter 19% Utility bill inserts 16% Friend 6% Web search/links Source: Survey of 2005 workshop attendees (N=135)

  19. 1. Reference Guide • 20-page, full color • 80,000 distributed • $0.50 to print/mail • Details of special offers • Helpful hints for mowing, fertilizer alternatives, pesticide alternatives, watering, composting, LID • New for 2006: Rain Gardens, Lawn Care Calendar • Also available at town halls, libraries, nurseries, garden clubs, WA’s, www.Greenscapes.org (1675)

  20. 2. Website • 3,213 hits peak season (April-June) • 2,676 unique visitors • 1675 copies of Reference Guide downloaded • “Hire a Pro” (416 hits) • Special offers • Email newsletter

  21. 3. Public Presentations • 15 workshops in participating communities (garden clubs, festivals, DPW days, church groups, NSRWA events) • 3 South Shore conferences • 6 conferences outside region

  22. 4. Email Newsletter • 8 monthly issues (spring through fall) • 650+ subscribers • ~ 5% growth each issue • Timely and seasonal recommendations • Watering restrictions

  23. 5. Utility Bill Insert • Marginal utility • Seen by 1 in 5 workshop attendees • $0.10 each to produce • Towns pay distribution cost • 6 of 13 towns participated

  24. 8. Media Relations • Media kits in early spring • Series of press releases throughout season • 3 Boston Globe stories • Numerous in local papers • 2005 purchased ads

  25. 9. Radio Commercials • Purchased sixty 30-sec spots in 2006 in early April • “Watch Your Mailbox” • Purchased 120 spots in 2005 • 1-1 donated airtime • Free on-air interviews

  26. 11. Lawn Signs • Free to anyone who commits to 5+ Greenscapes recommendations. • Adopt-an-island committees • Garden clubs • ~230 distributed

  27. 12. Sprinkler Timers • “Water your lawn at dawn” • Sold at cost ($20) • Wholesale from Orbit Inc. • 95 sold to date

  28. 13. Irrigation Audits • ~ 30% water savings • Ted Moriarty of Smart Watering Company (certified auditor) • Free audits offered to top summertime users (6) • 20% discount all others (3) • Commitment pledge • Free workshop May 25

  29. 14. Consultations • Private on-site consultation with “Greenscapes Advisor” • $75 for 90 minutes • 50-point checklist • Site inspection, soil analysis, review of current maintenance, recommendations • Commitment pledge • 20 consults in 7 towns

  30. 16. Plant Discounts • 15% discount on 25 Greenscapes plants • Honored by 5 local nurseries • Incentive to replace lawn

  31. 17. Rainbarrels • Partner with New England Rainbarrel Co. • 55 sold in 2005-2006 • Demo at NSRWA • Workshop door prize • Promote towns that sell through DEP program

  32. Composting • Promote towns that sell through DEP program • Step-by-step directions in Reference Guide • Free workshop May 11

  33. 18. Workshop Series May 4: Creating Raingardens May 11: Easy Composting May 18: Sustainable Plants May 25: Irrigation Systems • Registration/surveys source for marketing info • Doorprizes in exchange for completed surveys • Recorded and aired on cable TV (spring – fall) • Available on DVD at cost or at public libraries.

  34. Workshop Participation • 2005 (6-part series): 432 registrants from 20 towns • 2006 (4-part series): 268 registrants from 25 towns • Average 70 registrants (45 attendees) per workshop • 84% of attendees from Greenscapes communities • 99% would implement one/more GS principles • 99% would recommend to friends • 99% want community to continue funding program

  35. 20. Landscape Contest • Early Sept. 2006 • Promoted as a tour • 3 winners/entries • Testimonials, photos useful for promotional materials

  36. 21. Raingardens • Step-by-step directions and suggested plants in 2006 Reference Guide • Free workshop on May 4 • Promote existing demo sites in region • 13 demos in GS communities through EPA 104b3 grant

  37. Professional Training • Feb. 2005: six-part workshop series with UMass Cooperative Extension. Only 18 attended. • Feb. 2006: ½ day workshop with ELA; 40 attended. Focus on LID. • August 2006: NOFA organic lawn and turf course (full-day training). 65 attendees • Contractor selection guidelines on website, links to databases of accredited professionals

  38. Future Ideas? • CBSM Research (Survey/Evaluation) • Measures of success: water conservation • Stronger promotion of irrigation audits • Interactive Greenscapes display for indoor/outdoor venues • Street signs promoting town participation in program: “The Town of ___________ is a Greenscapes Community”. • Expansion to North Shore and Cape Cod region? • Further collaboration with EPA GreenScapes? • User-specific marketing (POP)? • Other ideas?

  39. How Can You Help? • Concerned citizen • Municipal official • Municipal employee • Consultant • Local environmental group

  40. References Mr. George Crombie, Plymouth DPW Director Mr. John Patch, Marshfield Water Superintendent Mr. Mike Valenti, Pembroke DPW Director Mr. Victor Diniak, Hanover DPW Director Ms. Jane Peirce, DEP 319 Grant Coordinator Mr. Duane Levangie, DEP Water Management

  41. For More Information Wendy Garpow, Assistant DirectorMassachusetts Bays Estuary Associationwendy@massachusettsbays.org#781-378-1610 Samantha Woods, Executive Director North & South Rivers Watershed Associationsamantha@nsrwa.org #781-659-8168

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