Fertilizers account for 16% of the watershed nutrient load in Pleasant Bay. The Pleasant Bay Fertilizer Management Plan provides strategies with the potential to reduce the overall controllable nitrogen load by up to 7.2%. The plan identifies three areas where efforts need to be focused:
- Working with municipalities to reduce fertilizer use on town fields and parks;
- Working with golf course managers to establish a targeted reduction in nitrogen from fertilizer use;
- Targeting public education to year-round and seasonal residents and lawn care professionals to reduce fertilizer applied to residential and business properties.
- Limiting the size of newly constructed lawns in the watershed.
Recommended Policy for Municipal Turf Management: Memorandum and Policy