JACKSON, Wyo. — On April 13, the annual Trout Friendly Landscaper Certification Workshop will invite experts to present on soil health, drought management, native plants and more.
A study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that residential landscaping is one of the major sources of nutrient pollution in the Fish Creek watershed, and other parts of Jackson Hole are seeing nutrient loading issues as well.
“As the caretakers entrusted with the maintenance of hundreds of properties in our community, we take seriously the responsibility to be good stewards of the natural resources in our care,” says Dan Tolson, owner of Valley Landscape Service.
Community engagement is one of the best tools for minimizing non-point source water pollution. People can improve water quality by making these small changes to landscaping practices:
- Limit fertilization. Use slow-release or organic fertilizer only if needed, not to exceed two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of a yard per year. Do not fertilize within 20 feet of water.
- Be water-wise. Sprinkle your lawn with water at dawn or dusk every other day and don’t water while it’s raining. Raise your mower blade height to three to four inches so that less water and fertilizer are needed.
- Plant natives and maintain streamside buffers. Maintain a five-foot buffer of unmanicured landscaping around water to act as a natural filter between lawns and water bodies.
- Use herbicides and pesticides appropriately. Only apply herbicide for state and county-listed noxious weeds, using spot spraying or mechanical removal techniques where appropriate. Contact Teton County Weed & Pest District for invasive species management information.
“The adoption of Trout Friendly practices not only benefits water quality, but also aquatic habitat, pollinators, native fish, wildlife, pets and humans,” said David Lee, water resources specialist for Teton Conservation District. “We are excited to see both residents and landscapers continue to share their interest in this growing program. Anyone can be a steward of their local waterways by following these simple practices – we hope you’ll join us to protect water quality.”
The Trout Friendly Program is hosted by the Jackson Hole Clean Water Coalition, who invites landscaping professionals and interested individuals to learn more about how lawns and gardens can support our ecosystem. With the addition of Friends of the Teton River as a Coalition partner, the program now includes Teton Valley, Idaho. Landscaping professionals in Jackson Hole, Teton Valley and beyond are encouraged to join.
Not a landscaper? Encourage your landscaper or landscaper friends to attend the workshop. As a resident, you can also get your lawn Trout Friendly Certified.
“The Trout Friendly Lawns program is an excellent vehicle to educate the public and establish a set of best practices that all landscapers can follow to fulfill that stewardship responsibility,” Tolson said. “We’re proud to be a part of it.”
The Jackson Hole Clean Water Coalition, a group of ten local nonprofits and agencies working together to improve water quality, launched the Trout Friendly Lawns program in 2018 to help residents and businesses create and maintain quality lawns and gardens while also limiting impacts on water from fertilizer and pesticide runoff. In 2022, fifteen local landscaping and lawn care companies became certified Trout Friendly.
The annual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, at Teton County Library’s Ordway Auditorium. The workshop is FREE and open to anyone to attend.
The Jackson Hole Clean Water Coalition collaboratively initiates community-wide action to improve and protect Jackson Hole’s surface and groundwater quality. Partners of the Coalition include Teton Conservation District, Trout Unlimited, Jackson Hole Land Trust, Snake River Fund, Teton County Weed & Pest District, PAWS of Jackson Hole, Friends of the Teton River, Wyoming Nature Conservancy, Wyoming Ducks Unlimited and Flat Creek Water Improvement District.
