Falmouth Friendly Lawn Campaign
On July 21, Falmouth Selectmen approved a voluntary program to reward organizations and individuals who agree to limit their use of fertilizer nitrogen. Volunteers will be recognized with a Seal of Approval Certificate that allows the volunteer to use the Preserve Falmouth Bays & Ponds logo [shown above] and the Falmouth Friendly Lawn brand in their publicity and other promotional materials. Curbing fertilizer use is critical to reducing the nitrogen pollution that is destroying our coastal ponds [the reverse side explains why nitrogen pollution is such a major concern].
A. To qualify, a volunteer agrees not to exceed certain established ranges of annual application of nitrogen fertilizer; the ranges reflect how the lawn or turf is actually used. How the lawn or turf is used determines how much extra nourishment it needs to stay healthy and resist weeds and disease.
Q. What are
the established ranges and who decides which range applies to a particular
lawn?
A. There are three ranges, as summarized below;
the volunteer makes the use designation:
Light Duty 0 to 1 lb N/1000 sq ft/yr Example: most home, business lawns
Medium Duty 1 to 2 lbs N/1000 sq ft/yr Example: lawn areas with heavy foot
traffic
Heavy Duty 2 to 3 lbs N/1000 sq ft/yr Example: golf fairways, 3-season
playing fields
Q.
Why characterize fertilizer as “extra nourishment”? What else supplies nourishment?
A. Recycled grass clippings and atmospheric deposition are natural sources of nourishment. Recycling grass clippings [left on the lawn] provides 1 lb N/1000 sq ft/yr. Atmospheric deposition [mostly rain] provides ¼ to ½ lb N/1000 sq ft, depending on how run-off is distributed on the lot. Many established lawns stay healthy from natural nourishment, alone --- they don’t need any fertilizer “extra nourishment” at all.
Q. What do the
references to “1000 sq ft” mean?
A. That’s the usual
measure of fertilizer usage. Fertilizer typically is packaged for 5000 sq ft of
lawn [or multiples thereof]; the bag weighs about 15 lbs and contains about 30%
nitrogen --- about I lb N/1000 sq ft.
Q. To obtain a Certificate, do I have to follow all of
the FFL-recommended lawn care practices?
A. Your formal undertaking is just the nitrogen limit based on the degree of use you designate. Still, we hope you will use all the FFL-recommended practices [recycle clippings, use slow-release nitrogen, limit any single fertilizing to 1 lb or less N 1000/sq ft, use mulching mowers set at 21/2 to 3” cutting heights, test soils and top dress for greater organic content of soils] to the maximum extent practical for your lawn because they make up an integrated program to help you minimize any “extra nourishment” needed.
Q. I support
Falmouth Friendly Lawns; how do I obtain a Seal of Approval Certificate?
A. You can
download the 1-page Application Form from the Ashumet Plume Citizens Committee
link on The Links page of the Town website [www.town.falmouth.ma.us]
or pick it up at the Town Hall reception desk.
Mail the Application to the address shown on the Form and you will be
contacted promptly by FFL.
Q. Who should apply for a Certificate?
A. For the next several months, the FFL
campaign will be contacting owners of sizeable and/or highly-visible lawns; if
you own such a lawn and have not heard from FFL by mid-October, please download
or pick up an Application and mail it to the address shown on the Form. Individual homeowners may mail in the Form
at any time to qualify for a FFL bumper/window sticker. Over the winter, FFL
intends to work with lawn service firms to help them fashion a Seal of Approval
program that they can offer their customers.
Q. How long is the Certificate good
for?
A. The normal term is 1 year, but volunteers
who join in 2003 will be issued Certificates good from the date of issuance
through December 31, 2004.
Applications to renew Certificates for calendar 2005 will be available
in the fall of 2004. Renewal requests
will need to include a report of actual fertilizer use in 2004.