For many of us in the 48 continental United States, what we do in our own back yard — literally — can directly impact what happens in the Gulf of Mexico. Nearly 40 percent of the continental United States — and even a small portion of Canada — drains into the Mississippi river and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. We visit central Ohio where the Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District is helping its community restore and protect its natural lands, farmlands and waters while also helping countless communities downstream, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Learn about rain gardens and rain barrels and how all of us can work together to make our back yards more beautiful and our communities – and the Gulf of Mexico –healthier and more vibrant.

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