At the Neighborhood Scale

  1. Think. What does your ideal neighborhood yard look like? Could your neighborhood support a community garden?
  2. Plan. Research what plants are native to your region and make the most sense for your landscape.
  3. Act. Convert yards and vacant lots to native plants. Reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers and find alternatives to high maintenance grass lawns.
  4. Maintain. Learn what is required to care for your landscape. Assign neighborhood duties to properly care for native plants in vacant lots. 
  5. ​Go Beyond. 
  • Advocate for increasing native plantings in your neighborhood, educate neighbors on the importance of native grasses and flowers.

Resources

Find out what plants are native for your region: 
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
TMACOG “Give Water a Hand” Tip Card #4
Toledo Zoo: Wild Toledo

Where to get native plants: 
Lucas County Soil and Water Conservation District Trees, Shrub, & Garden Sale
Toledo Botanical Garden, Spring and Fall Plant Sale
Wild Ones: Oak Openings Region Chapter

Gardening assistance: 
Toledo GROWs
Ask an OSU Extension Expert or Master Gardener 
Lucas County OSU Extension

Get your soil tested: 
Lucas County Soil and Water Conservation District
OSU Extension, 419-578-6783

Install a rain garden with native plants:
Rain Garden Initiative

Alternative lawn pesticides and fertilizers: 
Beyond Pesticides
TMACOG “Give Water A Hand” Tip Card #2

Tree management for the right of way: 
City of Toledo requests related to public trees or stump removal, 419-936-2020

Find vacant lots most suitable for conversion to rain gardens, natural plantings, or wetlands:
TMACOG, Lucas County Vacant Land Reuse ​

    Community Projects
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