Green Landscaping: Greenacres
Greenacres Links
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- Landscape Water Conservation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other Great Native Plants Site
Landscaping Resources
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- Wild Ones Handbook
- Homeowners' Resources
- Landscaping Naturally (video)
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Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards
The United States Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago and Chicago Wilderness developed the Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards to recognize outstanding efforts by corporations, park districts and municipalities to use native plants in the landscape or use conservation development practices within the Chicago Wilderness region.
The Chicago Wilderness region encompasses the crescent of land around southern Lake Michigan, including southeast Wisconsin, northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.
This awards program began in 2000. During the first two years of the awards program we focused on recognizing local government and park district efforts. In 2002, we expanded to include corporate efforts. In 2005, we are expanding the program to recognize development projects which bring life to the principles of conservation development.
- Why Native Landscaping?
- How Does Landscaping Affect the Environment?
- How do Land Use and Development Practices Affect the Environment?
- Who is Chicago Wilderness?
- And the winners are:
Why Native Landscaping?
After European settlement, people planted gardens with plants
brought from their home country. They were tiny, comfortable garden
plots set in a huge wilderness. Today, however, the reverse is true.
Agricultural and garden plants introduced from all over the world
dominate the landscape, while native plants are managed in small
preserves. In recent years, natural landscaping - using native
plants and plant communities in landscaping - has become more
common.
Native plants provide a beautiful, hardy, drought resistant, low
maintenance landscape while benefiting the environment. Native
plants, once established, save time and money by eliminating or
significantly reducing the need for fertilizers, pesticides, water
and lawn maintenance equipment.
How Does Landscaping Effect the Environment?
Maintenance practices for manicured turf landscapes negatively
effects the environment.
Spending one hour mowing (gas) a lawn is equivalent to driving a car
20 miles. Based upon elimination of mowing, blowing and trimming for
an acre of turf grass, there is a calculated emission reduction of
about 100 lbs VOC/acre/year and 10 lbs NOx/acre/year. These
emission estimates were based upon going from mowing, blowing and
trimming 30 times per year to 0 times per year.
Pesticides and fertilizers applied to lawns run off and pollute
surface and ground water.
Native plants have long roots which retain stormwater, reducing
runoff. Planting natives increases biodiversity.
Who is Chicago Wilderness?
Chicago Wilderness is a regional nature reserve that includes more
than 250,000 acres of protected natural lands. It stretches from
southeastern Wisconsin, through northeastern Illinois and into
northwestern Indiana. The protected lands in Chicago Wilderness are
forest preserves, state parks, federal lands, county preserves, and
privately owned lands. There are also many unprotected natural areas
that offer refuge to native wildlife.
The Chicago Wilderness coalition is an alliance of more than 170
public and private organizations working together to protect,
restore, study and manage the precious natural ecosystems of the
Chicago region, enrich local residents’ quality of life, and
contribute to the preservation of global biodiversity. More
information is available at
www.chicagowilderness.org