Water Pollution¹

Lawn and Yard Care

Yard Waste

Wondering what you can do in your yard to help keep our creeks clean?

Compost your leaves, brush, grass clippings, and other yard waste. It’s easy, inexpensive and a natural way to dispose of organic waste. Compost can be used as fertilizer around the yard, which reduces the need for chemical fertilizers that can contaminate storm water runoff draining into creeks and rivers. Locate compost bin(s) away from areas prone to flooding or other areas where rainwater runoff would cause leaching of nutrients out of the compost into nearby storm drains or waterways. Never dispose of yard waste in a nearby creek or allow yard waste to be washed down or put into the storm drains. Do not sweep or blow grass clippings and leaves along the street or into a storm drain. Do not dump grass or yard waste onto a creek bank or area where it will be washed into creeks and rivers. Control soil on your property by planting native trees and ground cover to stabilize erosion-prone areas. Use any community resources offered by your municipality or county for further assistance. Check with your municipality to get information about curbside yard waste pick-up. Mow grass higher and leave grass clippings on the lawn to retain moisture and provide nutrients to the soil as they decompose. When you mow, set the blades to cut the grass two or three inches high. Most grasses are healthiest at this height, and this also helps control weeds. Also, taller grass along storm water drainage areas helps filter runoff and stabilize soil better with deeper roots. Never allow pesticides, fertilizers, or any other materials to be washed down or put into storm drains. Never allow roof gutters to drain directly to the street or storm drains. Instead, allow the water to flow over your lawn. Reduce the amount of paved area and increase the vegetated areas on your property where stormwater can soak into the soil. Consider more natural and sustainable ways of maintaining your lawn. See examples of yard waste problems and solutions on the City of St. Peters's website. What you choose to do can be the difference between water flowing—and disaster.

Lawn Care Tips for Fall

Wondering what to do with all those fallen leaves? Here are a couple of options:

Just leave them in place wherever possible where they can breakdown naturally and recycle nutrients back into the ground in addition to providing habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators that rely on fallen leaves for protection over winter. Move any excess leaves from your lawn into your perennial flower or garden beds to provide habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators that rely on fallen leaves for protection over winter or compost to help replace the need for mulch and synthetic fertilizers in the spring. If you want to speed up the decomposition process of the remaining leaves on your lawn, use your mower to “mulch in place” and chop the leaves into finer particles to recycle nutrients back into the ground and replace the need for synthetic fertilizers in the spring. Leaf litter Leaves aren't litter! Decaying leaves are also inviting to a host of beneficial organisms that create a healthy soil full of life. Among these organisms are earthworms. Native earthworms improve the water holding capacity of the soil by shredding and mixing organic material into the soil enhancing its structure. Earthworms also increase infiltration and the soils ability to absorb rainfall by creating burrows deep into the ground. Increasing soil absorption alone helps reduce runoff and pollutant transport to streams.

The fall is a great time to get your soil tested allowing you to know what your lawn and garden needs are for spring. Soil testing is the only way to find out exactly what nutrients your soil needs allowing you to appropriately apply fertilizers. Applying only the type and amount of fertilizer needed for your lawn leads to cost savings for the homeowner, as well as improves the quality of our water resources. For more information on getting your soil tested and for a list of locations to drop off your samples, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/st-louis/soil-testing.

Salt Alternatives and Other De-icing Tips

Since the 1940s, sodium chloride, commonly referred to as rock salt, has been the most widely used de-icer. In the United States, we use an estimated 8 to 12 million tons of rock salt on our roads each year, according to the National Research Council. Despite its wide use, sodium chloride has proven to be unsafe in excess amounts to children and pets during winter outings, as well as harmful to aquatic and plant life, the environment, and infrastructure.

If you use rock salt or other common de-icers, make sure to use the recommended amount. Adding more does not increase its effectiveness. Applying brine or saltwater to roads can dramatically decrease the amount of salt used, expense, and the amount of salt that ends up in streams. Reducing Road Salt Use in St. Louis County Why Spraying Saltwater On Roads Could Save Missouri Money And Reduce Runoff Tyson Implements Brine System for Treating Icy Roads Did you know MODOT uses a mixture of beets and brine? Remove as much snow as you can manually before it freezes over so that de-icers become unnecessary. Cover important areas with plastic prior to a storm to prevent snow and ice from accumulating directly on these surfaces, and then remove the plastic before it has a chance to freeze in place. Put down salt and de-icers as soon as a storm appears evident to prevent the ice from bonding to the pavement in the first place. Salt stops functioning under 15° Fahrenheit. Safe Paw is a salt & chloride free, pet friendly alternative that is effective down to -2° Fahrenheit. Sand and gravel can be spread over icy, slick areas to provide traction, eliminating the need to use de-icers in certain situations. Alfalfa meal and wood ash provide traction in addition to actually melting the ice and are natural fertilizers, so they will not harm the plants along your sidewalk or area of use. Check with your local garden center for alfalfa meal which is different from the pellet form sold in feed stores.

Auto Care

Washing your car and degreasing auto parts at home can send detergents and other contaminants, such as oil and toxic metals, to the storm sewer. Use a commercial car wash or wash your car on your lawn or other unpaved surface so the water flows into the ground. Repair fluid leaks as soon as possible, an dispose of used auto fluids at designated recycling centers. Clean up spilled fluids with an absorbent material like kitty litter or sand and properly dispose of the waste material.

Nature Therapy²

Key Takeaways

Your environment can have immense impacts on your health. Nature therapy incorporates the synergistic benefits of spending time in green spaces to support mental and physical health. This form of evidence-based preventive practice offers potential benefits by encouraging people to be more active, more relaxed, healthier, and happier with reduced stress and a supported sense of well-being.

You can take simple steps to incorporate nature therapy into your daily life that may have health benefits. Daily habits like taking a walk in your local park or gardening in your backyard are accessible and practical tools for supporting your health and wellbeing.

As you start increasing the time you spend in nature and your appreciation of green spaces near you, you may enjoy embracing nature therapy for wellbeing!

Wildlife Rehabilitation

Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center

1128 New Ballwin Rd, Ballwin, MO 63021

(636) 394-1880

Intake: Missouri wildlife mammals (except deer), non-venomous reptiles, non-venomous amphibians, waterfowl and game fowl

Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic

1864 Little Brennan Rd, High Ridge, MO 63049

(636) 677-3670

Intake: squirrels, opossums, raccoons, skunks, bunnies

World Bird Sanctuary

125 Bald Eagle Ridge Rd, Valley Park, MO 63088

(636) 225-4390

Intake: native raptors and large birds

Wild Bird Rehabilitation

9624 Midland Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63114

(314) 426-6400

Intake: native songbirds and migratory birds; will not accept invasive species such as Eurasian doves, Eurasian sparrows, or European starlings

Bi-state Wildlife Hotline

375 Uthe Ln, Black Jack, MO 63033

(636) 492-1610

(855) 945-3435

Intake: water mammals such as river otters, beavers, and mink. Also offers a mange-by-mail program with medication and instructions for coyotes and foxes.

Opossum Rehab & Education of Missouri

Connie Light — (314) 780-9770

Intake: opossums

LeeAnn Tapscott

(314) 402-3191 (accepts calls 24/7)

Intake: unknown; has accepted small mammals. Also a good source of advice and resources.

Fancy Lad Farms and Wildlife Sanctuary

13140 Pat Daly Rd, Cadet, MO 63630

(314) 640-6521

Intake: specializes in raccoons; also accepts opossums and squirrels

Treehouse Wildlife Center

23956 Green Acres Road, Dow, IL 62022

(618) 466-2990

Intake: essentially all wildlife; Illinois side only

Additional Local Help

Wildlife Information Project

(314) 798-7552

Animal Help Now

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Missouri Department of Conservation Local Contacts

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources — Region V Office (Southern Illinois)

11731 State Highway 37, Benton, IL 62812

(618) 435-8138