Conservation@Home in the DuPage River Watershed

The DuPage River Coalition (DRC) has long been partnered with The Conservation Foundation to clean up, protect and restore the DuPage River Watershed. The DRC has adopted the Foundation’s Conservation@Home program as the chief watershed education and outreach tool. The program is designed to work with any size landowner from a small condo patio to the common space of a subdivision to a multi-acre lot along the DuPage River. The program empowers landowners with meaningful conservation practices that can make a positive impact on the health of the DuPage River Watershed and the local environment.

Conservation@Home Goals

• Encourage the use of native plants in residential, school and community yards and gardens.
• Protect and restore existing high quality natural areas in private ownership.
• Promote good water resource practices through the use of rain barrels and rain gardens that reduce runoff, filter water and conserve water.
• Reward landowners that practice good stewardship and conservation measures.
• Educate landowners about how they can improve wildlife habitat.
• Reduce invasive species

Program Components

• Yard/Property Certification
• Conservation@Home presentations for community or school groups, garden clubs, homeowner associations etc. on a variety of topics or series of topics
• Conservation@Home workshops for building rain gardens, rain barrels , native landscape restoration
• Information about invasive species control
• Rain Barrels for Sale
• Conservation@Home for new developments
  

On-Line Resources

Northern Illinois Native Plant, Trees and Shrubs List - PDF
Conservation@Home How-to-Guide - PDF
List of Native Plant Nurseries – PDF
List of Local Ecological Restoration Contractors - PDF