In the course of our day-to-day going from home to work and school and shops along convenient roadways and across bridges, we don’t think much of how the landscape used to look and function. In pre-development landscapes, rainfall soaks into the ground and nutrients are recycled, preventing large pulses of polluted stormwater from rushing into our creeks and bays. Yet even in developed landscapes, there are still many opportunities for us to implement small-scale solutions to help bring back some of the historic function of our yards to retain, clean, and store water before it reaches Phillippi Creek.
What Did Your Yard Look Like?
Water World: Do you live in what once was a wetland or floodplain? Your yard may have a lot of potential to help clean and store water and reduce pollution to Phillippi Creek. Check out resources on how to build a rain garden or bioswale.
High and Dry: If you live in an upland area, you may have the perfect spot for some native trees and plants. Check out resources for local native nurseries.
Solutions for Every Landscape: No matter what your land once was, everyone can implement easy steps to take care of Phillippi Creek:
- Reroute your spout towards a grassy or planted area
- Install a rain barrel or cistern
- Remember to pick up Pooky’s poop from your backyard
- Replace turf grass with native or FL Friendly plants
- Skip the fertilizer
- Plant a rain garden