Large, complex problems aren't solved by individuals, but collective individual actions can make a difference.
It’s exciting that over four hundred Pennsylvanians have committed to making watershed-friendly decisions and behaviors where they live and became certified through the award-winning Watershed-Friendly Certification Program.
Recent expansions to the certification will allow even more residents to apply.
The Watershed-Friendly Certification provides a holistic, comprehensive framework that connects environmental goals with obtainable criteria related to landscaping choices, interior decisions, and community actions that can positively impact clean water.
The program not only recognizes those who are currently committed to these actions but also provides educational resources for those who wish to learn and do more.
Application criteria are consolidated into five buckets:
-- Reducing Stormwater Runoff – These criteria focus on increased on-site infiltration, including best management practices, decreased impervious surfaces, and native vegetation.
-- Reducing Water Pollution – These criteria focus on reducing non-point source pollution from our properties and homes. Some existing criteria pertain to washing your car, pet waste, pesticides, and proper storage of potential toxins.
New and updated criteria focus on lawn reduction and specifically address the Pennsylvania Fertilizer Law requirements.
-- Conserving Water – Although Pennsylvania is considered water-rich, the water that comes out of our faucets is treated to make it safe to drink. Reducing the amount of treated water that is wasted and using collected rainwater for certain needs helps decrease the use of treated potable water.
-- Supporting Wildlife – A watershed is the interconnected bodies of water and surrounding land that drain to a certain body of water. The ecosystems within a watershed are impacted by our backyard and in-house decisions, and many of the decisions that benefit wildlife also benefit the watershed.
-- Community Action (new criteria) – This category was created for the Urban/Small Lot or Apartment application because we recognize that not everyone controls the property surrounding their home or has enough space for multiple best management practices.
Samples of community action criteria are removing invasives, planting natives with a community group, picking up litter near your home, or removing debris from a storm drain grate.
Who can become certified?
The application is open to all Pennsylvania residents, schools, places of worship, municipal buildings, hospitals, businesses, public spaces such as parks, and others.
Applicants select between three application versions –
-- Urban/Small Lot or Apartment (new application) for properties under 10,500 square feet, or apartment dwellers and others who do not control their property.
-- Rural/Suburban Mid-sized Property for properties between 0.25-15 acres.
-- Large Property (new application) for properties over 15 acres.
What does certification look like?
Certified properties will vary in size, aesthetics, and other aspects. Certified individuals will vary in their interior behaviors and community actions.
The unifying factor is that all certified individuals and properties include enough best-management practices for reducing stormwater runoff and pollution, conserving water, and providing beneficial habitats for wildlife and pollinators to reach the qualifying 85% score.
Why should you or your property be certified as watershed-friendly?
The goal of the Watershed-Friendly Certification program is to unite residents, both within individual watersheds and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to improve and maintain the quality of water resources, as well as improve and maintain habitat for wildlife and pollinators.
Residents, communities, educational institutions, and businesses will simultaneously be educated about the value of a healthy watershed and best practices for improving water quality. Healthy landscapes make healthy communities.
Your certification has many benefits, including:
-- Recognizing your commitment to make a positive difference and improve/maintain the quality of water resources in your watershed, for your family, your community, and wildlife.
-- Raising awareness with others on how they can improve water resources within the watershed and the need to include wildlife and pollinator habitats on their property.
-- Providing you with tools and resources to continue improving your watershed-friendly status.
-- Giving you "bragging rights" for all your hard work where you live and in your community.
How can you become certified or certify your property?
To apply for certification, complete the application that best reflects your residence or the property you manage through the Watershed-Friendly Certification site.
A pdf of the application can be downloaded prior to applying.
If your application meets the requirements, you will be notified upon submission and receive a digital certificate verifying your watershed-friendly status.
There is no cost associated with the application or digital certificate.
However, successful applicants will be eligible for the Watershed-Friendly Certified yard sign or decal.
The certificate and the signs show your commitment to making a difference, improving the quality of water resources, and maintaining habitat for wildlife and pollinators in your watershed.
What resources are available?
The Watershed-Friendly Certification site provides information and numerous resources related to the criteria.
Applicant-submitted photos are also visible on the site and can provide inspiration for future watershed-friendly features.
It is recommended to view the resources and photos before submitting an application, as they are publicly available anytime.
The Watershed-Friendly Certification Program and educational outreach is a collaboration between the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program and The Nurture Nature Center and received funding from the Department of Environmental Protection's 2020 and 2022 Environmental Education Grants Program.
The certification program received the 2022 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence through the Department of Environmental Protection.
Click Here for original article.
Visit the Master Watershed Stewards webpage to learn more about how you could become a Watershed Steward.
Visit the Penn State Extension website to learn more about many other educational opportunities.
Other Articles
-- Replace Your Invasive Plants - PA Invasive Replace-ive Program
-- Using Live Stake Nurseries To Engage Communities In Stream Health
-- Green Roofs: Benefits And Design Considerations
-- Understanding Water Quality Issues With Roadside Springs
-- Register Now For Tree Planting Series Of Webinars Starting April 28
-- Penn State Extension Latest Ag Conservation Currents Newsletter
(Reprinted from the latest Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
Upcoming Extension Events
March 26-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (2 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.
March 29-- Penn State Extension In-Person Rain Barrel Discovery Workshop, Lebanon County 11:00 to Noon
April 1-- Penn State Extension Hosts Private Water Supply Education & Water Testing Webinar; A Free Water Test Included. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
April 1-3-- Penn State ACAP Ag Conservation Con 2025 - Harrisburg
April 2-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (3 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.
April 5-- Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center’s Greening The Lower Susquehanna Program Hosts n-Person Riparian Buffer Maintenance Workshop In Lancaster County 9:00 a.m. to Noon
April 8-- Penn State Extension (8 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - Forest Resilience Scorecard for PA. Noon and 7:00 p.m.
April 9-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (4 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.
April 21-- Penn State Extension In-Person Private Water Supply Education, Water Testing Workshop, Carlisle, Cumberland County, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
April 28, April 29-- Penn State Extension, PA Sea Grant In-Person Educator Workshops On Watershed Literacy & Tree Plantings In Lancaster County
April 29-- Penn State Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Webinar On Effective Outreach Engagement On Adopting Farm Conservation Practices 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
May 6-7-- Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium, Harrisburg
May 13-- Penn State Extension (9 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - Tree Nuts in Pennsylvania. Noon and 7:00 p.m.
May 13-15-- Save the Date: DCNR Watershed Forestry Summit
June 10-- Penn State Extension (10 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - The Use of Slash Walls to Exclude Deer and Regenerate Native Forest Tree Species. Noon and 7:00 p.m.
July 29 to Aug. 1-- Penn State Extension Hosts Soak Up Science - Be A Stream Doctor Day Camp For Youth 8-12 At The Southeast Agricultural Research Farm In Centre County [PaEN]
September 25-- Penn State Extension Dive Deeper Summit For Water Educators. Harrisburg.
Related Articles:
-- Little Lehigh Watershed Stewards: Monitoring Road Salt Pollution And Taking Action At Home [PaEN]
-- Master Watershed Stewards Expand Watershed-Friendly Residential Certification Program To Include New Residents; Over 400 Certified So Far [PaEN]
[Posted: March 24, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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