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Upcoming Workshop: Establishment and Growth of Backyard Conservation Practices
Tuesday, July 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m. - Noblesville
This workshop will feature a tour of a 2-year-old rain garden and a 2-month-old pond shoreline planting.
See how quickly the native plants have established and started providing water quality benefits, and learn how to identify
some common native species while you're there!
Download the workshop flyer here.
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Click here to download the new booklet "Build Your Own Rain Garden"
Download a list of our Demonstration Sites you may visit at any time.
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Hamilton County
Soil and Water Conservation District Funds Backyard Conservation
Practices
The Hamilton County Soil
and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has awarded just over $9,000 to eight different landowners to implement Backyard Conservation
Practices including rain gardens, pond shoreline plantings, wildlife habitat plantings, and much more. These practices will help improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect soil quality in
Hamilton County’s
quickly growing urban areas.
Rain gardens are shallow,
depressional areas planted heavily with native flowers and grasses. These special
gardens are placed strategically to capture stormwater runoff from a downspout, sidewalk, driveway, or other impervious area. The water is then filtered and absorbed into the ground instead of running into the
street, storm sewers, and eventually our streams and rivers. They are beautiful
landscape features that serve a water-quality function as well.
Pond shoreline plantings
include native grasses, sedges, and flowers that grow in and along the water of a retention pond, stream, or other body of
water. The deep root systems of these native species stabilize the soil, preventing
shoreline erosion and sedimentation. They also filter the water in the pond,
and provide bird, butterfly, and amphibian habitat.
Wildlife habitat plantings
include native tree and shrub plantings, prairie gardens, and windbreaks in backyards and neighborhood common areas that provide
food and shelter for native songbirds, pollinators, and other wildlife.
The Hamilton County SWCD
offers cost-share funding for urban, suburban, and rural best management practices that would not otherwise be installed without
financial assistance. The SWCD Board of Supervisors reviews competitive applications
twice a year; the applications must be based on a Conservation Plan written by an SWCD employee. For more information on this program, please contact the Hamilton County SWCD at (317) 773-2181.
The Hamilton County SWCD
is a local government agency providing the community with conservation leadership and quality service dedicated to improving
and sustaining our natural resources. The SWCD offers educational, technical,
and financial assistance to landowners interested in conservation practices to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality,
and create wildlife habitat. Their Agriculture Stewardship Initiative assists
rural landowners while the Backyard Conservation Program services urban/suburban landowners.
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Thank You to the Following Sponsors for 2009!

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| Aquatic Control, Inc. |

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| Central Indiana Pheasants Forever |

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| Cicero Parks Department |

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| City of Carmel Engineering Department and Urban Forestry |

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| City of Noblesville Utilities / MS4 |

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| IDNR Division of Fish & Wildlife |
Hamilton County Council

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| Hamilton County Parks & Recreation Dept. |

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| Hamilton County Urban Conservation Association |

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| Indiana Wildlife Federation |

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| Indiana Native Plant & Wildflower Society |

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| Mark M. Holeman, Inc. |

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| Mud Creek Conservancy |

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| Myrene's Garden |

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| Native Plants Unlimited |

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| RATIO Architects, Inc. |

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| Rita's Backyard |

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| Tiffany Lawn & Garden Supply Inc. |

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| Town of Fishers |

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| Waterscapes + |

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| Williams Creek Management Corporation |

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| Woody Warehouse Nursery, Inc. |
Haven’t Thought About Building a Rain Garden
Yet? Get With It!
Rain gardens are
popping up everywhere, and if you haven’t seen one yet, you probably will soon.
These depressional, landscaped beds are strategically placed to capture stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces
in urban areas (your roof, patio, or sidewalk). This reduces the quantity of
stormwater flooding our streets and streams. Any pollutants in the stormwater
are also filtered by the water-loving, native plants in the garden. The water
infiltrates into the soil, which recharges our groundwater aquifers as well. And
of course, these gardens are beautiful, colorful, and low maintenance additions to a homeowner’s yard! If you would like more information on rain gardens, download our Rain Garden Tip Sheet (scroll down the
page). Once you are ready to join the growing number of homeowners dedicated
to improving our water quality, create your own! The photos below show the creation
of two rain gardens installed just this spring. We’d love to see photos
of yours!
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| First you have to kill the grass |
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| Dig until the raingarden is 6-8 inches deep with sloped edges (bowl-shaped) |
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| Plant flowers and grasses about 12 inches apart |
The next rain garden is a demonstration site at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds. You'll
notice is very large, not a typical homeowner's rain garden, because this one is designed to capture all the water running
off new the Llama Barn. Go see it for yourself!
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| Heavy equipment dug the hole |
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| We planted nearly 1,000 plants! |
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| Planting - you have to make sure the right plants are in the right places. |
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| Make sure to water after planting |
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| Mulching is the last step |
Homeowners in Fishers Quickly Turning Backyard into a Wildlife-Friendly
Area!
A couple in Fishers is quickly implementing the recommendations
in their Backyard Conservation Plan! Their first step was to plant a new tree, common chokecherry, in their front lawn.
This native species will attract butterflies and birds with its flowers and fruits. Soon thereafter, they purchased
and installed a rain barrel to conserve water resources and reduce their stormwater runoff. They are also creating a
small brush pile in the backyard to provide escape and nesting cover for small animals. A prairie planting was their
next endeavor, and the one which will take the most patience. As their native prairie plants begin to grow, they will
spend much of the first year putting down deep roots. Larger flower blooms and full, swaying grasses are not typically
seen until the second year (but are so worth the wait!). This prairie planting will provide cover, seeds, and nectar for
wildlife. Besides having more birds and butterflies to watch from their patio, the couple will have more time to enjoy
their yard since they won't be mowing this large hillside anymore! This home is a wonderful example of what can be done
with a typical backyard. If you have not had a conservation plan written for your yard yet, call us today to get started!
We could be featuring YOUR project next!
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| Make sure the planting hole is plenty wide and the correct depth |
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| Mulch only needs to be a few inches deep and NOT mounded around the trunk |
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| They chose a brown rain barrel that you barely notice! |
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| Brush piles are an easy way to help wildlife |
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| You have to kill the grass before planting wildflower seed |
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| The prairie has been tilled and planted - now it is time to water |
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| A biodegradable erosion control blanket keeps the seed and soil from washing downhill |
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Do you live in one of Hamilton County's quickly growing urban areas? Are you concerned with environmental quality,
stormwater runoff, soil erosion, or wildlife habitat? Then the Backyard Conservation Program is for you! This
program offers educational, technical, and financial assistance to homeowners and homeowner associations. If you would
to learn more about how the Backyard Conservation Program can benefit you, contact Shaena Smith, Urban Conservationist, at
(317) 773-2181 ext. 107 or shaena.smith@in.nacdnet.net.
Backyard Conservation Program Brochure
Learn More About These Backyard
Best Management Practices:
Backyard Ponds
Backyard Wetlands
Composting
Filter Strips
Invasive Plant Control
Land Grading
Mulching
Native Plants
Nutrient Management
Pervious Pavement or Pavers
Pest Management
Rain Barrels
Rain Gardens
Terracing
Tree Planting
Vegetative Streambank Stabilization
Water Conservation
Water Edge Enhancements
Wildlife Habitat
The Indiana Wildlife Federation (IWF) offers a certification program for wildlife-friendly
backyards, schoolyards, businesses, neighborhoods, and nearly any other area! If your site offers food, water,
shelter, and nesting habitat for wildlife, it could be eligible for certification. If certified, you will receive a
certificate of achievement and a beautiful sign to display in your habitat area. For more information, click on the
link below, or call them at (800) 347-3445.

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