10 SIMPLE THINGS TO DO IN YOUR YARD TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

1. If you plant anything (tree, shrub, grasses, flowers, etc.) then plant a native plant.

CONEFLOWER

2. Replace invasive species on your property with native, pollinator-friendly plants.

3. Stop regular watering of your law and instead water only when necessary or better yet, just let your lawn go brown. Once it rains again, your lawn will come back green.

4. Replace one area of your lawn with a planting bed of pollinator-friendly plants.

5. Do not spray pesticides including mosquito or tick spraying.

6. Plant an oak tree (if you have room). It is the #1 species of plant for butterflies.

7. In the Fall, do not blow the leaves out of your planting beds. It provides valuable nesting sites for insects and small animals.

LEAVE THE LEAVES

8. Leave a brush pile on your property for insects, bees and small animals to live and hibernate.

9. Do not cut back perennials in the Fall. Leave it to the spring after it warms up. The seed heads help to feed birds through the winter and you won't disturb nesting insects.

10. Grow some food. It can be vegetables or fruit in containers, raised beds or in the ground.