Consider removing unused portions of the lawn and replacing them with a native plant meadow, native edible garden (yes, there are many native edibles!), or diverse and layered planting.Ī great way to transform a patch of lawn into a native planting is by “sheet mulching” it. The shallow root systems of common lawn species like Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) are not nearly as effective at absorbing runoff as native bunchgrasses or wildflowers with much more aboveground and belowground mass to soak up water. Though lawn is not completely impervious, a mowed lawn is not infiltrated by water very well. Photo by Heather McCargo, courtesy of Wild Seed Project Here are several ways to maximize your landscapes “spongability” with native plants.Ī street-side rain garden with Joe-Pye weed and grasses. Virtually any space that is not paved can be planted: this includes yards, sidewalk hellstrips, between pavers, and around community gardens. So, how do we mitigate runoff and make our built landscapes as spongy as possible? Native plants attract butterflies, bees and birds while helping absorb rainwater back into the earth. It then washes into waterways and shorelines to cause atrocities like toxic algal blooms and poor water quality for aquatic and human life. Runoff is water that moves quickly across roads and sidewalks causing erosion and flooding as it picks up pollution from cars, human waste, fertilizers and pesticides along the way. In cities and suburbs, rainwater that is not absorbed or intercepted by plants becomes dangerous runoff. Unfortunately, the majority of land space in our developed areas is made up of impervious roofs and pavement, with this vital sponge largely missing. They soak up massive amounts of rainfall, slow and clean water as it flows into streams and rivers and even help recharge the water table. In a changing climate with extreme storms and floods in our present and future, forests, meadows and wetlands are increasingly vital as densely vegetated areas that act like sponges in our landscapes. Absorbing rain water back into the earth with native vegetation
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