Welcome to the Natural Landscapes
Project Site

We are a nonprofit organization striving to protect human health, water quality and the environment by providing educational outreach to our community. We teach people about the hazards of using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides while also promoting organic gardening methods and natural lawn care.

About this site...

Did you know?

• Pesticides/herbicides have been linked to cancer, birth defects, immune system damage, lower sperm count and impaired neurological development in children? Learn more about the hazards of common weed and bug killers on our Pesticides Hazards page.

• Pesticides have been found in drinking water wells not only in agricultural communities but also in residential communities. Lawn and garden products in streams can kill fish directly or cause impaired migratory behavior, reproductive harm and deformities. Detergents from car washing, oil and anti-freeze from motors, as well as pet and livestock waste all create polluted runoff from your driveway or yard. Learn more about pesticides and stormwater runoff on our Protecting Water page.

• Building healthy soil with compost creates plants that are naturally disease and pest resistant. Using compost eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Learn more about organic gardening using compost and how to create your own on our Compost and Soil page.

• Home lawns cover approximately 30 million acres, an area larger than Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire combined. According to EPA estimates, homeowners apply an estimated 134 million pounds of herbicide and insecticide active ingredients per year to their gardens and lawns. Natural yard care, without toxic chemicals, is safer for your family, cost effective and simple to do. Learn how to take your lawn off drugs on our Natural Lawn Care page.




• Solving pest and weed problems with organic and nontoxic solutions is the hottest trend in gardening. According to Ann Lovejoy, a nationally known horticulturist and author, “gardeners today want to know their children and pets can safely play on their lawns and gardens without fear of exposure to dangerous agrochemicals. Bird and wildlife lovers want their gardens to be safe havens.” To learn more about natural, organic gardening methods and products, see our Natural Garden Care page.

• Stormwater pollution is plaguing Puget Sound, threatening salmon and other marine life. With more people moving here and developing more land, we will need to find long term solutions to stormwater and nutrient pollution. Oyster baskets hanging from docks around eagle Harbor will help filter "nutrient" pollution from the water. To learn more about the Oysters for Salmon project click here.

This project is funded by the City of Bainbridge Island and by Washington State Department of Ecology’s Public Participation Grant.