The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy’s LakeScapes program is now Yard Smarts – Native Plants, Happy Waters. Photo by Carol Markham

It’s that time of year when snow echoes its beautiful silence. Most people are watching this beautiful display of winter all cozy and snuggled from the comfort of their warm living room and not thinking much about the plants and perennials that lie beneath nature’s white. But we at the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy are!

The Conservancy’s LakeScapes program, a watershed-friendly landscaping and lawncare program, was launched in 2020. Since then, we have been traveling around the county spreading guidance and knowledge to nearly 800 Chautauqua County homeowners. Not only have we been helping create critical wildlife habitat and beautiful backyards, but we have also been teaching homeowners how to better absorb and filter their yard’s runoff and improve water quality.

We cannot forget that our yards are part of a vast interconnected ecosystem and that everything we do in them affects our local lakes, waterways, and drinking water. Contaminants from every home and community – such as sediments, sewage, manure, pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, motor oil – are all carried into our lakes and waterways from storm drains. It is more important than ever for us to realize that we as homeowners hold the power to clean water no matter where we live or what size property we own. And this is the most important concept to understand and what has inspired us to make a change!

As we welcome in the new year, please also welcome in a new name for this program . . . YARD SMARTS – Native Plants, Happy Waters!

Although the program has a new name, consultations will remain free and available to all Chautauqua County residents. And remember, you do not need to live by or on a lake to take advantage of it!

Let us help you take a step towards a more watershed-friendly landscape! We can help you create a yard that is friendlier to pollinators and wildlife. We can teach you about native plants and controlling invasive species. And we can discuss ways you can help to conserve water and protect Chautauqua County’s water quality.

Working together, we can create a healthy community . . . one yard at a time!

Please contact the Conservancy (carol@chautauquawatershed.org) and find out how a few simple YARD SMART changes to your landscape can make a huge difference to the water quality and health of our watersheds!

Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to preserve and enhance the quality, scenic beauty, and ecological health of the Chautauqua region’s lands and waters for our community. For more information, visit chautauquawatershed.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.