26
Sep
In Celebrating National Public Lands Day, Many Parks Are Choosing to Transition to Organic Land Management
(Beyond Pesticides, September 26, 2025) National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 27—first established in 1994 and held on the fourth Saturday of September—is organized by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) in partnership with the U.S. National Park Service and participating federal agencies. Events are planned at neighborhood, state, and national parks nationwide, and entrance to National Parks will be free for the day. Coinciding with National Organic Month, this year’s theme, â€Our Home Outdoors,†is explained by NEEF as: “Our public lands are more than just places to visit—they are woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. From the trails we hike to the parks where we gather with family and friends, these spaces are our collective backyard, our shared front porch, our natural playground.â€
Beyond Pesticides began its work on organic land management in national parks nearly a decade ago at National Historic Sites in Arkansas, Kansas, and Iowa. The program, now the Parks for a Sustainable Future program, partners with local communities in pursuit of a future where (1) public lands, from parks to playing fields, are managed without toxic pesticides, (2) children and pets are safe to run around on the grass, and (3) bees and other pollinators are safeguarded from toxic chemicals. The program to establish model sites nationwide, now operating in 11 states, shows that petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers are not needed to manage parks and playing fields cost-effectively. With the current existential health, biodiversity, and climate threats, communities participating in the program exemplify the important role of organic land management.
Parks for a Sustainable Future
By underwriting the development of organic transition plans and staff training on organic land management practices, the Parks for a Sustainable Future program advances practical, resilient, cost-effective techniques that confront urgent threats to the current health crisis, biodiversity collapse, and the climate emergency, which are exacerbated by petrochemical pesticide and fertilizer use. In doing so, the program establishes practical models that demonstrate the viability and cost-effectiveness of organic management systems and offers community land managers site-specific, science-based guidance for a successful program.
Last month, as a part of a nationwide push to stop the use of petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, the City of Excelsior, Minnesota, joined Kansas City, Missouri, and dozens of communities across the country to begin its organic transition of demonstration sites on city park land. As featured by Harvest Public Media and reporter Héctor Alejandro Arzate, Jen Schroeder, a mother of two children in Kansas City, wanted her neighborhood park, where her children play, to be free of toxic chemical use. She saw a flier in her local Natural Grocers [a lifetime sponsor] about the program and reached out to her Parks and Recreation Department. The result: the City is moving ahead to transition two pilot sites to organic practices.
Since laying the groundwork for the program in the early 1980s, Beyond Pesticides has also worked with communities to adopt land management policies in jurisdictions of nearly every state in the country to ensure continuity and accountability. Click here for access to a template for a local pesticide-free model ordinance or policy!
A prime example showcasing the integration of program and policy is the City of New York, where a partnership of environmental, public health, and advocacy organizations— Eco-Friendly Parks for All (EFPA)—teamed up with Beyond Pesticides, New York City Parks and Recreation Department, and Stonyfield Organic Yogurt to celebrate the success of pilot organic land management programs at eight sites across the five boroughs. The program was initiated by the coalition after the city council adopted new legislation on Earth Day in 2021, prohibiting the use of chemical pesticides at all New York City parks.
To incorporate a scientific basis for the transition to organic for local communities, Beyond Pesticides leverages a broad range of tools and resources for the benefit of stakeholders, including the organization’s Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management database to provide decision makers, practitioners, and activists with easier access to current and historical scientific literature on pesticide hazards and safe pest management. In addition, Beyond Pesticides tracks the overall hazards associated with pesticide exposure through its Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database, which documents independent peer-reviewed studies that link pesticides to a range of chronic diseases, including cancer, reproductive harm, neurological illness, respiratory disease, autism and learning disabilities, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. For additional tools and educational materials on the website, please see the Resources page.
Why Go Organic?
The benefits of transitioning to organic land management extend far beyond individual health! Beyond Pesticides believes in building organic communities:
- For health and safety: Organic food and parks are free from harmful pesticides, fossil-fuel-based substances, and toxic chemicals, making them safer and healthier for all ages. Visit Beyond Pesticide’s 40 Common Lawn and Landscape Chemicals page to delve into the health impacts of pesticides in communities, and the factsheet Children and Pesticides Don’t Mix, which highlights data establishing elevated rates of pesticide-induced illnesses among children.
- For environmental stewardship: Opting for organic parks and products supports practices that protect pollinators, improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and eliminate toxic runoff into water bodies. Learn more about how to protect pollinators in your community by reading BEE Protective, and see our archives in the Daily News Blog on soil health, biodiversity, and water runoff.
- For trust and transparency: The USDA Certified Organic label ensures strict standards and regulations for organic products, providing trust and transparency for consumers worldwide. We provide oversight for parks that use organic land management. Take Action via the Keeping Organic Strong page to keep USDA accountable to the principles and values in the Organic Foods Production Act.
- For just communities: Supporting organic farming practices can benefit local communities and economies, as well as promote responsible animal welfare, and protect farmworkers who are at disproportionate risk from pesticide exposure in marginalized communities. Organic parks are the ethical choice to promote environmental justice. Please see the Black Institute’s Poison Parks report, which shines a spotlight on New York City’s previous reliance on glyphosate-based herbicides and how people of color communities bear the burden of health impacts.
- For climate resilience: Organic farming typically exhibits better performance during droughts and challenging weather conditions. Watering needs are very site-specific, and the type of soil impacts drainage. Once established, a deep root system from organic land management and healthy soil with increased water retention requires less water. Additionally, organic soil management results in the drawdown of atmospheric carbon, contributing to efforts to reduce the adverse effects of carbon on climate.
How To Go Organic
As outlined in Beyond Pesticides’ previous Daily News post, autumn is an ideal season to transition to organic land management, with a focus on the cultivation of healthy soil and proper maintenance practices. High-quality lawns and landscapes can be achieved with practices that build soil health through natural fertilization and cultural practices, such as soil aeration, mowing height, and timing and volume of water.
Image by Sara Grantham, “Vine and Dandy.”
This method, which eliminates synthetic fertilizers and nurtures soil microorganisms, is a “feed-the-soil†approach. By helping to prevent problems that typically arise from chemical-intensive practices via nurturing a soil environment rich in microbial life, it is not only feasible but also economically viable to produce a healthy lawn able to withstand pressures from heavy usage, insects, weeds, drought, and heat stress.
Below are a few steps that can be taken to transition toward organic landcare! For more information, please see Beyond Pesticides’ guides on how to establish and maintain a pesticide-free lawn, as well as the Organic Land Care 101 factsheet!
- Fertilize without fossil fuels: Fertilizing in the early fall allows for plant growth and root development. Nitrogen, the most abundant nutrient in lawn fertilizers, promotes color and growth; however, too much can weaken the grass, alter the pH, and promote disease, insect, and thatch build-up. If applied too late, nutrients can leach directly into nearby surface waters. Be aware of local phosphorus or nitrogen loading concerns. Use safer fertilizers, such as grass clippings, tested compost, and compost tea. Learn more from Beyond Pesticides’ page on Fertilizers Compatible with Organic Land Management under the Tools for Change.
- Analyze the soil: It is highly recommended to test the soil to determine specific needs. In addition to nutrients and pH, ask for organic content analysis and request organic care recommendations. The ideal soil pH should fall between 6.5-7.0, with over 5% organic matter content. Soil test results will ensure that only the materials that are needed are applied. Read Maintaining a Delicate Balance: Eliminating phosphorus contamination with organic soil management for in-depth information on the problem of fertilizer contamination and how to apply fertilizer properly.
- Aerate: If a lawn is hard, compacted, and full of weeds or bare spots, aerate to help air, water, and fertilizer enter the soil. If a screwdriver cannot be easily pushed into the soil, it is too compacted. Getting an aerator on the turf will be especially helpful. Once you have an established, healthy lawn, worms and birds pecking at your soil will aerate it for free!
- Mow high and keep the blade sharp: Mowing with a dull blade makes the turf susceptible to disease, and mowing too close invites sunlight in for weeds, so be sure to sharpen your mower blades frequently. For the last and first mowing, mow down to two inches to prevent fungal problems. For the rest of the year, keep it at three/three-and-a-half inches to shade out weeds and foster deep, drought-resistant roots.
- Overseed with the right grass seed: Grass varieties differ enormously in their resistance to certain pests, tolerance to climatic conditions, growth habit, and appearance. Endophytic grass seed provides natural protection against some insects and fungal disease—major benefits for managing a lawn organically. A local nursery would know the best seed for the area. Remember to check the weed content of the grass seed and that there are no pesticide coatings.
- Develop your tolerance: Many plants that are considered weeds in a lawn have beneficial qualities. Learn to read your “weeds†for what they indicate about your soil conditions. Monocrops do not grow in nature and diversity is a good thing. See more information on our Least Toxic Control of Weeds factsheet.
How To Take Action
There is no better time than the beginning of a new season to reflect on what can be done individually and collectively to have a meaningful effect on health, the health of families and communities, and the legacy to be left behind. Let this weekend’s celebration, and National Organic Month, serve as a reminder of the need to create an equitable and sustainable world for all. This can be achieved by seeking the adoption of a transformative solution that recognizes the urgency to address disproportionate harm caused by toxic pesticide production, transportation, use, storage, and disposal with the organic alternative.
🆕 All national parks that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission this Saturday! We encourage the public to use the National Park Service’s “Find a Park†page and enjoy a trip to our nation’s public lands with friends and family!
Does your community have a pesticide-free park managed with organic practices? Do you wish it did? The time to take action to protect parks and create new ones is now!
 Beyond Pesticides is reaching out to its network and urging people and organizations to tell their mayor to implement pesticide-free, organic policies and practices in local parks and public spaces. See our Action page for additional ways to take action locally in your community!
ℹ️Â For more information, please email our team at [email protected] or click here to sign up to take the first step towards becoming a Parks Advocate!
Help defend organic standards against USDA changes weakening public trust in the organic food label!
From the very beginning, with the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990, “organic†has meant “continuous improvement.†The primary mechanism for continuous improvement in organic production is the high level of public involvement that comes from twice-annual meetings of the National Organic Standards Board.
ℹ️ See this past weekend’s Action of the Week to submit written comments in preparation for the in-person and virtual meeting from November 4-6, 2025. Beyond Pesticides provides draft language via the Keeping Organic Strong webpage and urges public participation, including the opportunity to provide oral testimony virtually in late October. Register here.
  The public can sign up and access the site to leave a message for the NOSB by clicking here to go to the Action page! Please feel free to “copy and paste†Beyond Pesticides’ comments when submitting.
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.
Sources: National Public Lands Day [NPS]; National Public Lands Day [NEEF]
