The D.C. Department of the Environment is offering to green the yards of eight D.C. homes at no charge — except the condition that the owners open up their environmentally friendly landscapes to tourists.
Through the program, the D.C. government will install free landscaping enhancements, including a large shade tree, a rain garden, “Bayscaping,” pervious surfaces and a rain barrel.
The projects are designed to demonstrate how the average homeowner can reduce river and stream pollution by controlling stormwater runoff.
The winning applicants, one from each ward, must meet certain criteria, among them the visibility of the home, accessibility to public transportation, a willingness to continue maintaining the installations and a “willingness of the homeowner to allow tours” to showcase the technologies.
“Selected homeowners for these initial demonstration sites will get an attractive makeover of their property that reduces stormwater pollution at no cost to them,” said Candace McCrae, DDOE spokeswoman. “In return, the District Department of the Environment is asking for them to allow limited access to their property through a few tours set up in advance to fit with the homeowner’s schedule.”
A rain barrel captures and stores rainwater from the rooftop, to be reused in the yard, while Bayscaping introduces native plants that require little watering, fertilizing or pesticide.
The $110,000 project will be funded with a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The District in 2008 will launch a campaign to reduce pollution, featuring incentives for homeowners to adopt stormwater reduction techniques such as those promoted in the demonstrations.
Applications, available at ddoe.dc.gov, must be submitted by Aug. 10.
