OLC Publications
Publications
Please note that the NOFA Organic Land Care Program makes The NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care and other publications available for individuals and land care practitioners for their individual use. Please contact the OLC Program Director if you wish to reproduce and use the Standards or other publications for education, training, or outreach purposes.
NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care, 6th Edition
The NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and Maintenance for Ecological Landscapes present a vision of how organic agricultural principles can be applied to the landscaping profession.
The written Standards are the core of the Organic Land Care Program and the Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP) credential. Their intent is not to provide all of the information needed for successful land care but to present fundamental land care principles and define preferred, allowed, and prohibited practices. The Standards are a jumping-off point for a robust organic land care practice and a point of common reference among professionals and homeowners and land managers.
First developed in 2001, the Standards are reviewed and updated periodically by a multi-state volunteer group of practicing land care professionals, scientists, and concerned citizens, with support from technical advisors. The Standards are currently in their 6th Edition (2017). The 7th Edition is scheduled for 2024/2025.
Suggestions for changes to the Standards are welcome. If you are a scientist, land care professional, or concerned citizen with a suggested change for the Standards, please submit your suggestion here.
Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards
The Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards is an excellent primer for people new to organic landscaping. Professionals may want to share this rich publication with clients, new employees, and others.
"This is a fantastic primer for organic lawn and garden care that provides the inspiration and scientific guidance to carefully look at our landscaping practices in a wider environmental context." -Cormac Collier, Executive Director, Nantucket Land Council, MA
NOFA Organic Lawn Care Guide
The Organic Lawn Care Guide includes sections on salt and fresh water ecology, soil health, introduction to organic land care, organic lawn care business practices, and three detailed sections on organic turf care. This work was developed with support from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund.
Organic Lawn Fertilizer Fact Sheet
Overuse of fertilizer has devastating environmental consequences. Chip Osborne and Bernadette Giblin crafted this excellent resource for calculating and applying accurate amounts of organic fertilizer. This is a great resource for professionals to double check your lawn fertilizing practices.
