Yards for Kids

The City of Cedar Falls Parks Division has reduced its use of pesticides so that now only 10% of park areas are sprayed; further reductions are planned. Since 1998, the City has saved $18,627 and 228 gallons of weed killers.
The Covenant Health System and affiliates (a major hospital and clinics in Waterloo, Iowa) have adopted ecological lawn care practices. No pesticides were applied during 2001.
The City of Waterloo had added 8 new parks to a growing list of pesticide-free parks.
The Cedar Falls Community Schools has committed to significant reduction in pesticide appication on school grounds.
The Cedar Falls and Waterloo Public Libraries have expanded their books and resources on natural and pesticide-free gardening.
University of Northern Iowa Physical Plant reduced herbicide application by half in the last three years with no observed decrease in overall turf quality.
We have organized several workshops for park directors and school & city grounds staff on integrated turf management where other practitioners shared their success stories on significant pesticide reduction.