"Growing Places"
with Backyard Conservation

Bringing conservation from the countryside to your backyard—Just as they do on the farm, conservation practices on non-agricultural land can help increase food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, control soil erosion, reduce sediment in waterways, conserve water and improve water quality, inspire a stewardship ethic, and beautify the landscape.

"Backyard Conservation" shows you how conservation practices that are used on agricultural land across the country to conserve and improve natural resources can be adapted for use on the land around your home. These practices help the environment and can make your yard more attractive and enjoyable.

Whether you have acres in the country, an average-sized suburban yard, or a tiny plot in the city, you can help protect the environment and add beauty and interest to your surroundings. Conservation practices can be scaled down for homeowners and city residents to use in their yards.

The following tip sheets offer "how to" steps and helpful hints on backyard conservation practices. Some of these tip sheets are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Web page (HTML) versions of the PDF files are available on the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) website.

Backyard Pond
Backyard Wetland
Composting
Mulching
Nutrient Management
Pest Management
Terracing
Tree Planting
Water Conservation
Wildlife Habitat
Butterfly Gardens
Patio Plants for Birds and Butterflies
Wonders of Worms

The tip sheets and a colorful 28-page booklet on Backyard Conservation are available free by filling out this form, or calling 1-888-LANDCARE (single copies only). This campaign is a cooperative project of the National Association of Conservation Districts , the Wildlife Habitat Council , and USDA's NRCS.

More tips and topics...

Also check out Creating Native Lanscapes in the Northern Great Plain and Rocky Mountains.

Content for this page provided by USDA NRCS.

This site updated on:
November 29, 2005

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