Title: Greenscapes: Beautiful landscapes that protect our water
1GreenscapesBeautiful landscapes that protect
our water
www.Greenscapes.org
2What 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.
3The 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
4South 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).
5S.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)
6Other 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
7Program 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.
8Water Quantity
9Water Quality
10S.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
11Guiding 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.
12What is Greenscapes NOT?
NOT Extremist NOT Radical NOT an Endorsement
13Who Pays for the Program?
25 Orgs
50 Towns
25 Grants
14How Do Towns Pay?
- Enterprise funds
- Add-on to stormwater grants (319, CZM)
- Water conservation fees (Weymouth)
- Town Meeting appropriation (Cohasset)
- BOH/Con Com Funds?
15WiiFM -- 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
16WiiFM -- 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)
17Advertising
- 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
18How 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 (N135)
191. 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, WAs, www.Greenscapes.org
(1675)
202. 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
213. Public Presentations
- 15 workshops in participating communities (garden
clubs, festivals, DPW days, church groups, NSRWA
events) - 3 South Shore conferences
-
- 6 conferences outside region
224. Email Newsletter
- 8 monthly issues (spring through fall)
- 650 subscribers
- 5 growth each issue
- Timely and seasonal recommendations
- Watering restrictions
235. 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
248. Media Relations
- Media kits in early spring
- Series of press releases throughout season
- 3 Boston Globe stories
- Numerous in local papers
- 2005 purchased ads
259. 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
2611. Lawn Signs
- Free to anyone who commits to 5 Greenscapes
recommendations. - Adopt-an-island committees
- Garden clubs
- 230 distributed
2712. Sprinkler Timers
- Water your lawn at dawn
- Sold at cost (20)
- Wholesale from Orbit Inc.
- 95 sold to date
2813. 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
2914. 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
3016. Plant Discounts
- 15 discount on 25 Greenscapes plants
- Honored by 5 local nurseries
- Incentive to replace lawn
3117. 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
32Composting
- Promote towns that sell through DEP program
- Step-by-step directions in Reference Guide
- Free workshop May 11
3318. 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.
34Workshop 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
3520. Landscape Contest
- Early Sept. 2006
- Promoted as a tour
- 3 winners/entries
- Testimonials, photos useful for promotional
materials
3621. 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
37Professional 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
38Future 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?
39How Can You Help?
- Concerned citizen
- Municipal official
- Municipal employee
- Consultant
- Local environmental group
40References
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
41For More Information
Wendy Garpow, Assistant DirectorMassachusetts
Bays Estuary Associationwendy_at_massachusettsbays.o
rg781-378-1610 Samantha Woods, Executive
Director North
South Rivers Watershed Associationsamantha_at_nsrwa.
org 781-659-8168