Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process

Nitrogen in our groundwater is a problem. Certain areas of Charlestown are experiencing rapidly increasing Nitrogen levels in drinking water. 

This Nitrogen mainly originates from septic systems (up to 80% of it), but the increased levels are due to cumulative impacts of all land use activities, especially in densely developed areas of Town. 

The septic systems that contribute 80% of pollutants to the groundwater are currently being managed under the Town's On-Site Wastewater Management Program. Therefore, the Town Council has taken steps to Voluntarily mitigate the next largest contributor of Nitrogen to the aquifer, fertilizer use. 

Models conducted by the University of Rhode Island (URI) have demonstrated that fertilizer use inputs as much as 20% of the groundwater Nitrogen in densely developed areas where high maintenance lawns are clustered together and from 9-14% in low to moderately densely developed areas. Therefore, the Town developed a Voluntary Charlestown Recommended Landscapers Process. The development of this process is the result of extensive research of peer review academic papers, collaboration with turf grass and lawn care professionals and academics, other municipalities and the URI Cooperative Extension.  Additionally, the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process has been endorsed by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM).

Landscapers who sign onto the program are Town of Charlestown registered businesses that conduct work in South County Rhode Island and have agreed to the Town's established landscaping process. The process is intended to promote best management practices in lawn care and landscaping in order to protect our critically sensitive and impacted groundwater and surface water resources. A major practice of the process is to utilize less than 2 pounds of water non-soluble fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn per year. The process also establishes local retailers and sod companies that have agreed to the practices. We recommend that property owners seek alternatives to applying lawn fertilizers especially considering topdressing with compost as an alternative. 

 

How to Enroll in the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process:

• The Process details can be accessed by clicking here, and
• The Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process Application can be found here. 
• Landscapers and Homeowners who still choose to utilize fertilizer can use the Fertilizer Calculator below to be sure that the rate of 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn per year is not exceeded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Town encourages any landscaper who has clients in Charlestown to apply and join the list. See below for the list of enrolled landscapers, retailers and sod companies.

Applications can be submitted to:

Town of Charlestown

C/O Landscaper Process

4540 South County Trail

Charlestown, Rhode Island 02813

364-5030

 

Charlestown Recommended Landscapers

1.  855-RILAWNS; A Cut Above, 251 Exeter Road, North Kingstown, RI  (401) 783-2660

2.  Dana Designs, 32 Hillsdale Road, West Kingston, RI 02892  (401) 486-0495

3.  Grandscapes, 61 Tuckertown Road, Wakefield, RI (401) 783-2631

4.  Golden Root Gardening, 89A Country Drive, Charlestown, RI (401) 439-8007

5.  Larlham Landscape Construction Co, Inc., Charlestown  (401) 364-0303

6.  Kingsley Tree and Landscape Service, LLC, PO BOX 41 Rockville, RI 02873  (401) 447-8421

7.  Rose Landscaping & Construction, 270 Ross Hill Road, Charlestown, RI 02813 (401) 741-8590

 

Retailers/Wholesalers that have enrolled in the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process

1.  Allen’s Seed, Exeter, Rhode Island - Phone 294-272

2.  Compass Hardware, Charlestown, Rhode Island - Phone 364-9607

3.  Earth Care Farm, 89A Country Drive, Charlestown, RI (401) 364-9930

3.  Pat’s Power, Charlestown, Rhode Island - Phone 364-6114

4.  SiteOne, Warwick, Rhode Island - Phone 739-3161

 

Sod Farms that have enrolled in the Charlestown Recommended Landscaper Process

1.  Sodco, Inc., Slocum - Phone 294-3100 - Sodco has developed a sod that requires NO Fertilizer and is currently used successfully in NYC Parks