Holly Drinkuth, Director, Watershed and Connecticut Outreach Programs for The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut, spoke to members of the New Canaan Garden Club regarding the Conservancy’s efforts and strategies to continue to restore and protect clean water and healthy habitats in and along Long Island Sound.
Garden Club members heard that one of the continuing problems for the Sound is the amount of nitrogen entering the Sound water which fuels toxic algae blooms. As stated by the Nature Conservancy, “By changing management practices at home and supporting community plans to set and meet nitrogen limits, we can safeguard clean and healthy conditions in rivers, harbors and bays.”
Drinkuth suggested that if homeowners are willing to slightly change their lawn care routine there will be an impact on the health of our local streams and rivers and ultimately the Sound. Reducing or eliminating the uses of lawn fertilizer is one of the recommendations.