Survey
had an exceptional return rate of 17%
(Falmouth, MA) - - Nearly two thirds of
respondents to a recent fertilizer awareness survey in Falmouth believe lawn
fertilizers leach nitrogen into Falmouth’s bays and ponds. The Ashumet Plume Citizens Committee and The
Town of Falmouth Board of Selectmen commissioned Delahaye Media Link
World Wide Communications Research of Portsmouth, NH. to conduct a survey in
March to gauge citizens’ awareness of nitrogen pollution in Falmouth’s bays and
ponds. The survey was taken as a benchmark for measuring the success of the Preserve
Falmouth’s Bays and Ponds community outreach campaign to encourage
residents to adopt lawn care practices that prevent nitrogen leaching. A second survey will be conducted in
September.
“The results of the survey were very positive,” says David Palmer, President of FACES (Falmouth Association Concerned with Estuaries and Saltponds) and a member of the Ashumet Plume Citizens Committee. “This basically tells us that we have an educated audience that doesn’t need to be convinced that nitrogen pollution is a problem. So we hope they will be receptive to learning how they can help through proper lawn care practices.”
According to the survey, almost two thirds (65%) of Falmouth residents responding believe that nitrogen pollution could have an adverse effect on property taxes and property value in the near future.
The survey also found that nearly half (47%) of all respondents fertilize their own lawns and (18%) hire a lawn service. Close to one-half of respondents (43%) who fertilize reported that they use chemical fertilizers on their lawn, slightly higher than the percentage of respondents who reported that they use organic fertilizers (37%). Note that one-quarter (25%) of them said that they do not know whether or not the fertilizer they use is chemical or organic.
“The survey shows there are many people who need to be educated about the value of Falmouth Friendly Lawn care” says Hila Lyman, Chairman of the Fertilizer Subcommittee of the Ashumet Plume Citizens Committee.
The survey consisted of both closed and open-ended questions, as well as a number of rating scales. The survey was administered by first class mail to a list of 6,809 Falmouth residents living in the watershed of Bournes, Great and Green ponds. Respondents were offered the opportunity to enter a drawing for one free Bose Wave Radio as an incentive to respond. John Buskey was announced as the winner a couple of weeks ago.
Preserve Falmouth’s Bays and Ponds is a community outreach campaign dedicated to saving Falmouth’s coastal waters and ponds from excess nitrogen loading. Too much nitrogen causes algae to grow rapidly, depriving water of its ability to maintain plant and shellfish life. The campaign is part of the Town’s ongoing Nitrogen Offset Program for Bournes, Green and Great Ponds as funded by the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE).
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