September is for River Lovers

River Hero Homes receive a colorful garden flag 

September marks the beginnings of crisp mornings, kids going back to school and the fall planting season. At the James River Association it also means River Hero Home month. All month long, we will be sharing river-friendly tips, highlighting our partners and introducing you to River Hero Homes in our watershed.

Let’s start with the basics. What is a River Hero Home?  If you work to reduce runoff from your yard through a river-friendly practice like installing a rain barrel or planting native plants, you’re eligible to sign up for our River Hero Homes program. All you need to do is commit to a few simple, every day actions like picking up after your pet or smart lawn maintenance. Once you do that, fill out a form and send us a picture of your river-friendly practice and we’ll take care of the rest. River Hero Homes certification includes a membership card that gives you discounts at local home and garden shops, a colorful lawn flag and an invitation to our annual River Hero Home Lawn Party.

Rain barrels capture stormwater from your roof, 

which you can use to water your plants

Want to know more? Follow us on Facebook to learn about ways you can protect the James at home. Check our blog to see posts about homeowners like you who are turning their lawns into river-friendly havens for wildlife. Join us at the annual James River Regional Cleanup to show your dedication to a healthy James River - there are 14 locations throughout the watershed, so where ever you live, you can get involved.

And of course, we invite you to certify your home as a River Hero Home. 

Native plants filter stormwater runoff and provide habitat for wildlife