What is Bay-Wise Landscape Management?

"Better water quality through smarter gardening"

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Most Maryland residents live within a half-mile of a storm drain, stream or river. Most of those waterways eventually drain into the Chesapeake Bay. What we do to maintain our own landscapes can affect the health of our local waterways (drainage ditches, streams and rivers), the Chesapeake Bay and our environment. We all need to do our part to take care of our waterways and environment. By changing a few simple landscape practices, you and your family can help keep Maryland communities healthy.

The MD Bay-Wise Program is a homeowner education program conducted by Maryland Master Gardeners^SM in several counties.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can create and maintain a healthy landscape visit these links:

Click here for general gardening information: HGIC’s Publications page

Take the Bay-Wise Challenge

Visit one of these links to test yourself on how many Bay-Wise actions you are currently doing to maintain your landscape and protect our environment:

If you scored well on the Bay-Wise MD Yardstick and you want to Show Your Bay-Wise Pride to all your neighbors this certification program might be for you.

If you need information on Water, Wells and Contamination, Well Records and Maintenance Guidelines, or Septic Records and Maintenance Guidelines click on appropriate links.

If you have questions about the Bay-Wise Landscape Management Program, contact: Wanda MacLachlan
Area Educator, Residential and Landscape Management
Central Maryland Research and Education Center
11975 Homewood Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
Phone 410-531-5973

The MD Bay-Wise Certification Program
Explains how a MD resident can have their landscape certified as environmentally sound
Home Landscape Best Management Practices
List of the 10 groups of best management practices with an explanation of each.
Show Your Bay-Wise Pride
explains how a MD resident can have their landscape certified as an environmentally sound landscape.
For Bay-Wise Master Gardeners Only
Bay-Wise Master Gardeners can order signs, BW publications in bulk and borrow display boards from here.
How Much Fertilizer Do I Need to Fertilize My Lawn?
explains how to calculate the proper amount of fertilizer needed to fertilize the lawn
Example of How to Determine Amount of Fertilizer Needed to Fertilize a Lawn
example of how to determine how much fertilizer is needed for one application
Bay-Wise Newsletters

For more information, contact Wanda MacLachlan

Last updated: 03/3/2008