What Are Some Simple Changes I Can Make to Protect Our Waters?

By following these few simple guidelines, you can make your home more attractive and help prevent erosion:

• Never dump motor oil, grass trimmings, leaves, animal waste or other pollutants into the roadway or stormwater catch basins.

• Landscape your yard to minimize rainwater runoff.

• Divert rain from paved surfaces onto grass to permit gradual infiltration.

• Preserve the established trees in your neighborhood, which help minimize the damage caused by surface runoff.

• Choose the appropriate plants, shrubs and trees for the soil in your yard; do not select plants that need lots of watering, which increases surface runoff.
• Consult your local nursery or your county’s Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension office for advice on which plants, shrubs and trees will grow well in your yard.