Two Dubuque Parks Go Organic: A Smarter Way to Care for Our Green Spaces

As an avid outdoorsman, hiker, hunter, parent, and coach. I visit a LOT of parks; both state and local. Whether it's for a soccer game or testing out a new fishing rod, you never know what you'll find. Will it be overrun with weeds? Will the insects be terrible? Will my shoes end up with a seemingly eerie orange tint from fertilizer or treatment? I've seen it all.

Get our free mobile app

The balance between taking care of or managing a property usually has two schools of thought. One: blast the property with chemicals until only what you want survives. Or Two: go au-natural and become victim to every blood sucker and weed known to man. But what if I told you there might just be a way to manage our parks and keep more of those chemicals out of the equation? Well, that's exactly what the city of Dubuque is looking in to as it transitions two local parks to organic land management practices.

Jackson Park and Washington Park are the first two city parks being used as demonstration sites for this shift. The effort is a partnership between the City of Dubuque Parks and Recreation Department and Beyond Pesticides, with technical support funded by Natural Grocers. In simple terms, they’re testing a different way to care for grass, soil, and green space by focusing on soil health instead of chemical quick fixes.

Traditionally, many parks rely on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides made from petroleum products. These can work fast, but they don’t always help in the long run. Organic land management flips the script. Instead of “feeding” the grass chemicals, it feeds the soil itself. Healthy soil grows healthier grass, which naturally crowds out weeds, holds water better, and stands up to heat and heavy use.

According to the press release, Dubuque has been cutting back on synthetic pesticides since 2016, when the city adopted an Integrated Pest Management program. Today, there are already 15 pesticide-free parks, and most regularly mowed grass areas don’t get pesticide treatments at all. The Parks for a Sustainable Future program, run by Beyond Pesticides, takes that idea a step further by focusing on organic fertilizers and long-term soil health.

Beyond Pesticides works with cities across the country to show that organic practices can work at scale. These two Dubuque parks are meant to be real-world examples that you can have safe, playable, good-looking parks without soaking them in chemicals. The program also helps city staff learn new techniques so these practices can eventually expand citywide for management.

There are other benefits, too. Healthier soil means better water retention, which can reduce how often parks need to be watered. Organic practices also support pollinators like bees and butterflies, protect birds and wildlife, and create safer spaces for kids, pets, and anyone who likes to kick off their shoes in the grass. It also keeps our water healthier, and that's especially important since we're a river town!

At the end of the day, this isn’t about letting parks "go wild" or "turning them into weed patches." It’s about finding some sustainable middle ground: parks that are well-managed, affordable, and safer for everyone who uses them. So, keep an eye on Jackson and Washington Parks; Dubuque might just be proving that you can have nice things, without the extra chemicals.