New National Water Gardening Group to Dive into Industry Issues

BATAVIA, Ill. – Lovers of ponds and water gardens now have a national organization dedicated to the “enjoyment, education, promotion and protection of the water gardening hobby.” The North American Water Garden Society (NAWGS) is a new, non-profit organization that plans to aggressively address issues of serious concern to water gardeners throughout North America.

The group plans to be active in both public education and regulatory issues nationally. Issues at the forefront of their agenda include: water restrictions, plant and fish regulations, mosquito-born pathogens such as West Nile Virus and national standards for building, safety and insurance regulations.

These and other issues surrounding ponds and water gardens are likely to be of increasing importance to backyard America, as increasing numbers of water gardens dot the national landscape. In a poll conducted last spring by lifestyle and how-to publisher Taunton Press, “adding a water feature” took the top slot as the improvement homeowners would most like to make to their yards.   Only “adding a deck” received an equal response (16 percent).

INFORMATION, STUDIES & NATIONAL STANDARDS. “Water gardens and ponds are increasingly popular but there’s a lot of misinformation out there, which can lead people to have bad experiences unnecessarily,” said Ellen Beaulieu, the organization’s first administrative director. “Our mission is to make sure everyone from homeowners and hobbyists to local and national legislators have the kind of accurate information they need to make informed choices and decisions.”

Among the issues that NAWGS intends to tackle, said Beaulieu is water conservation. “Studies have shown that ecologically balanced backyard ponds, which recycle the same water through a biological filter, use less water per square yard than a comparable area planted in a traditional green lawn. These types of backyard ponds can save water.” 

Another issue that will get attention from NAWGS is mosquito-control, especially as it pertains to West Nile Virus. “We’ve heard people say that backyard ponds can contribute to the problem of West Nile-infected mosquitoes,” said Beaulieu. “Those of us who’ve had these types of natural ecosystem for years don’t believe that the evidence supports this.  It’s not logical. A well-maintained pond has moving water that mosquitoes don’t breed in.  Also, this kind of pond usually attracts other kinds of wildlife, such as toads and frogs that eat mosquitoes.”

Still, Beaulieu says the organization won’t be satisfied with anecdotal information on a subject so serious. “We plan to sponsor research to see to see if our observations are correct and also to see what else we can do as pond owners to be sure we’re part of the solution.”

On other fronts, citing the need to distinguish between safe and unsafe water gardening practices, NAWGS plans to devise and promote national standards for the safe construction and maintenance of installed ponds and water features to help guide government regulators and the insurance industry. They also will support national standards for regulations concerning aquatic plants and non-native fish for responsible use in contained backyard ponds that do not feed into other waterways.

“JUST SAY NO” TO CHEMICAL DEPENDENT PONDS. Beaulieu says the organization also plans to devote resources to public education to support individual success in an area that is often perceived as difficult or daunting.  Topping the list of issues to be addressed is a popular misconception that ponds are difficult or require lots of artificial chemicals to maintain.

The secret to a low-maintenance pond, maintains Beaulieu, is creating a naturally balanced ecosystem, where nature does the heavy lifting. “If you don’t build a pond to be a balanced ecosystem, you are definitely going to have problems,” agreed Beaulieu. “It can become a chemical-dependent, high-maintenance mess. But if you build a pond with an ecological balance in mind, it can be a real source of enjoyment for the whole family and good for the environment too. We want people to have success with their ponds.”

A National Voice for Water Gardeners
 
The creation of NAWGS was supported by a financial and services grant from water gardening manufacturer Aquascape Designs, Batavia, Ill. Beaulieu, formerly administrator of construction at Aquascape, now devotes her time to the administration of NAWGS as part of the grant agreement.

 “We believe it’s important to sponsor a group such as NAWGS,” said Greg Wittstock, president of Aquascape Designs, and an avid pond lover since the age of 12. “It’s a national organization, open to any and everyone who loves water gardening. It’s going to give water gardeners the strong, credible voice they deserve to have.”

To request more information on the North American Water Gardening Society, visit their Web site, www.nawgs.com.