Pennsylvania Lawn Conversion Project

Removing Turf and Making Space for Trees and Bees

One of the practices that can easily be implemented on private land is a practice we call lawn conversion. This involves replacing lawn cover with trees or native meadows and eventually reducing mowing.

Mowed lawns are all too common throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed and do little to filter runoff, provide habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, or store carbon. By converting your lawn to native habitat, you can bring these environmental benefits of native habitat back to your own property, where you can also enjoy these wonderful species whenever you’d like. Use your own property to limit erosion, reduce runoff, provide habitat for native animals, and sequester carbon.

Our Programs

The Pennsylvania Lawn Conversion Project is open to all Pennsylvania landowners who own a property and meet the requirements below:

  • Currently, the property has lawn cover (regularly mowed grass, e.g. kept so that one could potentially play soccer on it year-round)
  • The property is located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed (can check if your location is within the watershed here)
  • Less than 30% canopy cover currently (when you are standing in the potential planting area and look up at the sky, less than 30% of the sky is blocked by vegetation)
  • Willing to sign landowner agreement form

 

Lawn-to-Forest Program

 

Lawn-to-Meadow Program

 

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Programs

Lawn-to-Forest Program

Forests provide areas of wildlife habitat, shade, biodiversity, and respite. Lawn cover does not provide these benefits, so converting lawn to forest can have a big impact on you and the local environment. Another added benefit, is that over time, lawn mowing will be reduced when you convert from lawn to forest. This program is great if you want forest cover on an area larger than 0.5 areas with full support from the Alliance.

Site criteria:

  • Located in south-central or southeastern PA
  • At least 0.5 acres for the tree planting area

Contact Rebecca Lauver at rlauver@allianceforthebay.org to get started!

Lawn-to-Meadow Program

Upland meadow habitat is full of pollinator and wildlife diversity; meadows provide diverse blooms and native grasses that are visually appealing while also being great for the local environment. Converting your lawn to meadow cover is a great option when trees aren’t quite the right fit or when you are looking to almost completely stop mowing within the first year of installation. This program is a good fit if you have an area larger than 0.5 acres that isn’t near a stream.

Site criteria:

  • Private Land
    • Located on private property
    • Must be 100 feet away from a stream (plant trees if the area is within 100 feet of a stream- check out the Riparian Forest Buffer program)
    • Located in south-central or southeastern PA
    • At least 0.5 acres for the meadow area
    • Willing to contribute funding towards the project
  • Public Land
    • Located on a site that is publicly accessible (parks, companies, churches, etc.)
    • Must be 100 feet away from a stream (plant trees if the area is within 100 feet of a stream- check out the Riparian Forest Buffer program)
    • Located in south-central or southeastern PA
    • At least 0.5 acres for the meadow area

Contact Emily Broich at ebroich@allianceforthebay.org to get started!

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Programs

If you are looking to convert an area smaller than 0.5 acres to either forest or meadow, these guides are right for you. They will walk you through the Alliance’s DIY Lawn Conversion programs and show you how to create a small future forest or meadow on your property, with technical assistance and material support from the Alliance.

  • Located within Lancaster or York counties
  • Around or smaller than 0.5 acres (see lawn to forest section for larger areas)
  • Willing to do planting and maintenance independently

Contact Us to Get Started!

  • Located within Lancaster or York counties
    Around or smaller than 0.5 acres (see lawn to meadow section for larger areas)
  • Willing to do site preparation and seeding independently
  • Must be 100 feet away from a stream (plant trees if the area is within 100 feet of a stream- check out the Riparian Forest Buffer program)

Contact Us to Get Started!

Don’t qualify for one of the Alliance’s programs?

 Reach out to lawnconversion@allianceforthebay.org still, and we can connect you to the right partner or resource!

Contact Us