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Bringing Nature Home News: 100 Resilient Yards Project

Maine Audubon’s Bringing Nature Home is pleased to announce an exciting partnership with the City of South Portland on a new initiative, 100 Resilient Yards. Focused on revitalizing South Portland, one yard or home at a time, the program will provide technical expertise and resources to residents and/or businesses in order to promote the transformation of 100 properties into resilient, organic landscapes.  

The goal of this project is that, like a pollinator spreading pollen from one plant to another, the information and knowledge about resilient landscapes will be spread across the community. And likewise, the project in South Portland can then be replicated in communities all across Maine!

This spring, the City of South Portland is looking for 100 public-facing yards or green spaces to help transform into resilient, organic landscapes. Participants of the project will receive one-hour technical assessments by area experts who will then provide recommendations to transform the space into one of five resilient landscapes: pollinator garden, rain garden, vegetable garden, native plantings, and/or organic lawn. Maine Audubon will be providing expertise on pollinator gardens and how to create habitat for wildlife.

Once a project type is selected, participants will work with trained volunteers on the implementation process, having access to resource packages including native plants, seeds, plans, and other materials. This is a free program and applications will be open through April 1, 2023. More information >  

Partners on the project include Maine Audubon, Friends of Casco Bay, Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District (CCSWCD), Osborne Organics, the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA), Wild Seed Project, UMaine Cooperative Extension, and Garbage to Garden.

The project is made possible by funding from the City of South Portland, Healthy Babies, Bright Futures & Beyond, Coastal Communities, and the David Conservation Foundation grant to Friends of Casco Bay.