Chapter 2 Site Design: Harness Natural Processes to Improve Quality of Life
Learn More: Sustainable Sites Initiative: http://www.sustainablesites.org/hydrology/ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Water Efficient Landscaping: www.epa.gov/WaterSense/docs/water-efficient_landscaping_508.pdf Increase plant diversity When your landscape contains many different kinds of plants it will generally be healthier. A plant inventory provides essential information to help you face potential pest problems, such as the emerald ash borer, by making proactive treatment or replacement choices. Native plants provide many benefits. For example, once they are established, they are naturally able to cope with the weather conditions of your region without needing extra rain or fertilizers. They also support beneficial wildlife like butterflies and birds. While native plants are gaining in popularity, some people aren't used to them. Options include: • • • • • •
Evaluate all plants on the site for their contribution to the overall goals of the site's design. Keep or add plants that perform ecological functions, such as wildlife habitat, water management, erosion prevention, biodiversity, etc. If plants are diseased or prone to pests, replace them with disease-resistant varieties or different types of plants that have better chances of staying healthy. If plants are healthy and attractive but in the wrong place, relocate them to a better place. Native plants can be incorporated into any garden, from formal to casual. Gradually increase the number of native plants you use in existing gardens. If you have invasive species—plants that are deemed unhealthy for natural areas because they choke out other plants—replace them with better behaved plants.
Learn More: Chapters 6: Woodlands, Trees and Shrubs and Chapter 7: Herbaceous Plantings (in this manual) Sustainable Sites Initiative: http://www.sustainablesites.org/vegetation/ The Conservation Foundation: http://www.theconservationfoundation.org/page.php?PageID=50 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Green Landscaping: http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/toolkit/chap2.html Wild Ones: http://www.wildones.org/ National Wildlife Federation - Garden for Wildlife: www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-forWildlife.aspx Reduce your property's carbon footprint The environmental costs of maintaining a landscape are often overlooked. There are many ways to improve your landscape's carbon footprint. Options include: • • • • • • •
Plant trees, woody shrubs, and other plants with extensive root systems. These plants capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it in their leaves, stems, and roots. Reduce the mowing schedule during the height of summer, when your lawn grows slowly. Reduce the square footage of your lawn to reduce mower use. Replace your turfgrass with slow-growing, drought-tolerant grasses. Request that contractors use mulching mowers instead of leaf blowers in the fall. Request that walkways be broom-swept. Weed whips and mowers damage trees; apply a ring of mulch around trees to keep equipment away and weeds down.
30