Help Protect the Wetlands by Disposing of Yard Waste Properly

Post date: Nov 17, 2008 7:39:54 PM

Plant specialists from the Boston Natural Areas Network, along with the City of Boston's Parks Department, have advised and requested that all neighbors help protect the Roslindale Wetlands by doing the following:

Limit the use of lawn fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. These products contain nitrates, phosphates, and toxins that damage the water quality and the fragile wetlands ecology. Organic products are safer for you, your children, pets, and the wetlands.

Do not dispose of lawn or tree clippings, garden waste, leaves, compost, soil, or Christmas trees in the upland buffer area or the wetlands. This smothers native plants and spreads invasive species. Dumping of yard waste contravenes the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act, which is enforced by the Boston Conservation Commission. Please use the city's leaf recycling program. On request, the city will collect Christmas trees in early January.

For more information about the city's leaf recycling program, visit http://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/recycling/yardwaste.asp.

Home compost bins for yard and kitchen waste can be purchased at the Boston Building Materials Co-op: www.bbmc.com.