| Mar. 14, 2003
2003 Archived News News Release King County has teamed up with seven Puget Sound cities to bring the county's grassroots Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods program to area neighborhoods in 2003. Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods teaches residents natural yard care techniques that contribute to personal and environmental health and safety. Neighborhoods in Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Federal Way, Shoreline and Sammamish will implement the Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods program this year. The program helps residents understand and accept responsibility for the potential resource and environmental impacts created by their yard care habits. Participants are expected to practice grasscycling or mulch mowing, eliminate the use of harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and practice Smart Watering. "We're very pleased that the concept of natural yard care is resonating with our residents," said Doug Rice, King County's Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods coordinator. "Almost 150 families participated in Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods in 2002. The program's growth in 2003 reflects the high level of interest people have in the natural approach." A series of three free educational workshops and numerous resource materials are the underpinnings of the program. Workshops cover topics such as natural lawn care, using native plants, reducing lawn size, building healthy soils, and managing yard and garden pests without the use of harmful chemical pesticides. Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods, an outgrowth of the county's Natural Lawn Care campaign, began with a pilot program in Renton in 2000. In 2002 it was launched in central Shoreline, where residents eagerly embraced the idea of environmentally friendly yard care. The program was expanded to include Shoreline's Richmond Beach community when more than 80 residents in that area expressed their interest in learning natural yard care techniques. Rice believes the appeal of natural yard care is that healthier, safer, easier yard care is just smarter. "These new techniques take advantage of natural processes instead of expensive artificial, chemical 'I.V.' feeding," said Rice. "We've found that once people try it, most of them are hooked." The expanded 2003 Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods program will be offered beginning in March. Residents of King County who are interested in natural yard care techniques should contact a representative of their city, or call Doug Rice at 206-296-8360.
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