Watershed-Friendly Certification Expands to Include New Residents

Watershed Winds – Meagan Hopkins-Doerr

Large, complex problems aren’t solved by individuals, but collective individual actions can make a difference. It is thus exciting that over four hundred Pennsylvanians have committed to making watershed-friendly decisions and behaviors where they live and became certified through the award-winning Watershed-Friendly Certification Program, https://watershedfriendlypa.org. Recent expansions to the certification will allow even more residents to apply.

The Watershed-Friendly Certification provides a holistic, comprehensive framework that connects environmental goals with obtainable criteria related to landscaping choices, interior decisions, and community actions that can positively impact clean water. The program not only recognizes those who are currently committed to these actions but also provides educational resources for those who wish to learn and do more.

Application criteria are consolidated into five buckets:

• Reducing Stormwater Runoff – These criteria focus on increased on-site infiltration including best management practices, decreased impervious surfaces, and native vegetation.
• Reducing Water Pollution – These criteria focus on reducing non-point source pollution from our properties and homes. Some existing criteria pertain to washing your car, pet waste, pesticides, and proper storage of potential toxins. New or updated criteria focus on lawn reduction and specifically address the Pennsylvania Fertilizer Law requirements.
• Conserving Water – Although Pennsylvania is considered water-rich, the water that comes out of our faucets is treated to make it safe to drink. Reducing wasted treated water and using collected rainwater for certain needs helps decrease the use of treated potable water.
• Supporting Wildlife – A watershed is the interconnected bodies of water and surrounding land that drain to a certain body of water. The ecosystems within a watershed are impacted by our backyard and in-house decisions and many of the decisions that benefit wildlife also benefit the watershed.
• Community Action – new criteria – This category was created for the Urban/Small Lot or Apartment application because we recognize that not everyone controls the property surrounding their home or has enough space for multiple best management practices. Samples of community action criteria are removing invasives or planting natives with a community group, picking up litter near your home, or removing debris from a storm drain grate.

Who can become certified? The application is open to all PA residents, schools, places of worship, municipal buildings, hospitals, businesses, public spaces such as parks, and others.  Applicants select between three application versions – Urban/Small Lot or Apartment (new application) for properties under 10,500 square feet, or apartment dwellers and others who do not control their property. Rural/Suburban Mid-sized Property for properties between 0.25-15 acres.  Large Property (new application) for properties over 15 acres. The application is open to all residents, schools, places of worship, municipal buildings, small businesses, and others.  

What does certification look like? Certified properties will vary in size, aesthetics, and other aspects. Certified individuals will vary in their interior behaviors and community actions. The unifying factor is that all certified individuals and properties include enough best-management practices for reducing stormwater runoff and pollution, conserving water, and providing beneficial habitats for wildlife and pollinators to reach the qualifying 85% score.

Why should you or your property be certified as watershed-friendly? The goal of the Watershed-Friendly Certification program is to unite residents, both within individual watersheds and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to improve and maintain the quality of water resources, as well as improve and maintain habitat for wildlife and pollinators. Residents, communities, educational institutions, and businesses will simultaneously be educated about the value of a healthy watershed and best practices for improving water quality. Healthy landscapes make healthy communities. Your certification has many benefits, including:

• Recognizing your commitment to make a positive difference and improve/maintain the quality of water resources in your watershed, for your family, your community, and wildlife. 
• Raising awareness with others on how they can improve water resources within the watershed and the need to include wildlife and pollinator habitats on their property. 
• Providing you with tools and resources to continue improving your watershed-friendly status.
• Giving you “bragging rights” for all your hard work.

How can you become certified or certify your property? To apply for certification, complete the application that best reflects your residence or the property you manage through the Watershed-Friendly Certification site, https://watershedfriendlypa.org/. A pdf of the application can be downloaded prior to applying. If your application meets the requirements, you will be notified upon submission and receive a digital certificate verifying that watershed-friendly status.

There is no cost associated with the application or digital certificate.  However, successful applicants will be eligible for the Watershed-Friendly Certified yard sign or decal. The certificate and the signs show your commitment to making a difference, improving the quality of water resources, and maintaining habitat for wildlife and pollinators in your watershed.

What resources are available? The Watershed-Friendly Certification site provides information and numerous resources related to the criteria. Applicant-submitted photos are also visible on the site and can provide inspiration for future watershed-friendly features. It is recommended to view the resources and photos before submitting an application and they are publicly available anytime.

The Watershed-Friendly Certification Program and educational outreach is a collaboration between the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program and The Nurture Nature Center and received funding from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2020 and 2022 Environmental Education Grants Program. The certification program received the 2022 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.