Conservation landscaping, or BayScaping reduces pollution and enhances wildlife habitat by using less fertilizers and pesticides through Integrated Pest Management, preventing soil erosion by maintaining a healthy vegetative cover, and maintaining the proper levels of pH and fertility in the soil. The pH level measures acidity/alkalinity while the fertility level describes the presence of nutrients and minerals in the soil. The pH and fertility levels determine what plants the soil might be able to support. Lime and gypsum may be used to adjust soil pH levels, while introducing organic matter such as leaf mold, manure, bark, peat moss and even sawdust into the soil can improve fertility levels.
A major component to conservation landscaping is the use of native, non-invasive plants indigenous to this region. Being native, these plants are adapted to the mid-Atlantic soil and climatic conditions, and have developed natural defenses to many insects and diseases. As such, they grow with minimal water, fertilizers, or pesticides.
Native plant communities are habitats for indigenous wildlife species. Using native plants in landscaping can preserve natural ecosystems by re-creating natural habitats. Arranging plants in groups or groves, as they would grow in the wild, and selecting plants that fruit or bloom throughout the year provides food and shelter for wildlife year round.
Plants not indigenous to the region are referred to as non-native or exotic plants. But whether native on non-native, certain plants can be invasive with few or no naturally occurring control measures such as insects or competitors. Invasive plants spread rapidly and overgrow other vegetation, especially around newly developed/disturbed areas. Ecosystems impacted by invasive plants do not provide a balanced habitat for wildlife.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) BayScapes Conservation Landscaping Program publishes a booklet entitled Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas that lists invasive plant species to this region. A list of native plants that can be used for habitat restoration and environmentally beneficial landscaping is also available. This list is not a complete listing of all native plants native in Maryland. Plants listed in this resource are considered to have both ornamental and wildlife value, and are generally available at local nurseries.
The City of Bowie, in partnership with the USFWS, created one of the first BayScape Demonstration Gardens. City staff and community volunteers designed and constructed the garden using native non-invasive water conserving plants, reducing the need to apply fertilizers through an integrated pest management system, and providing a diverse wildlife habitat in an suburban community. This project was intended to not only reduce the area of turf maintained, but also to illustrate how homeowners can create Back Yard Habitats.