PROJECT OVERVIEW

Conventional landscaping practices—characterized by turfgrass, hardscaping, and non-native ornamental species—alter hydrological function, reduce floodplain connectivity, accelerate bank erosion, and increase water consumption and impurities. Project Big Wood’s Grants for Grass program provides matched funding to incentivize property owners, both riparian and upland, to convert high-water-use, non-native vegetation to regionally adapted, drought-tolerant native flora. 
 

How the program works

• Eligibility: Properties adjacent to the Big Wood River and those in upland zones are eligible.

• Funding: Up to 50% of project costs covered, capped at $5,000.

• Planning: We’ll meet with you to discuss your goals, funding, and the best strategies for restoration of your property.

• Design & Implementation: PBW partners with home owners, landscapers and designers to create and carry out a plan tailored to your site.

• Monitoring: We check in to ensure plants are thriving and share conservation tips along the way.
   

Grants for Grass is more than just a backyard makeover – transitioning to native vegetation is a scientifically validated strategy for conserving water, enhancing riparian stability, and maintaining long-term ecosystem function along the Big Wood River corridor.

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PROJECT GOALS AND BENEFITS

• Reinforce natural floodplains: Reduce erosion and give the river room to move

• Improve water quality: by filtering runoff and reducing chemical use from herbicides and pesticides

• Promote native landscaping: Replace thirsty turf with drought-tolerant plants adapted to Idaho’s climate

• Support wildlife habitat: Provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and fish

• Build community resilience: Help homeowners protect their properties while contributing to river health

• Establish healthier riparian buffers: to stabilize banks and filter runoff

• Document projects: as community examples of conservation in action

• Conduct ongoing monitoring: to ensure plantings thrive and continue benefiting the river over time

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PARTNERSHIPS

We recognize that restoring the Big Wood River - property by property and reach by reach - requires expertise from many fields. Grants for Grass is made possible through collaboration with 5B Climate Action, Ecosystem Sciences, Webb Landscaping, Treeline Design, and the homeowners themselves. Together, we combine scientific guidance, community leadership, and on-the-ground action to create landscapes that benefit both people and the river.