Based in Boulder, Colorado, nonprofit Resource Central has launched a lawn replacement initiative to encourage local homeowners to save water by upgrading their monoculture lawns to those composed of native plants. Several program participants recently shared their successes with the Denver7 news station.
Native plants — that is, plants that occur naturally in a particular region and have adapted to its specific conditions and climate on their own — tend to be a critical cornerstone of any ecosystem, supporting local wildlife and nurturing pollinator populations without the need for human intervention. As a result, they don't usually require human caretakers to provide water; these are plants that are already well-suited to the amount of moisture their native environment has to offer.
In the long run, homeowners with a native lawn save big on water bills as well as on pesticide and fertilizer costs and long-term maintenance.
Resource Central can offset $750 of lawn removal. The upfront costs of rewilding your yard include those required to remove nonnative plants to make room for a natural overtaking by native plants. "Now's a great time to apply," Rachel Staats, Resource Central marketing director, told Denver7.
"While the city provides the financial piece of it for our residents," City of Englewood sustainability coordinator Mel Englund said, "Resource Central takes care of everything else: the implementation, the lawn removal, and answering questions about what will or will not work with their space."
Making eco-conscious home upgrades can help protect the planet as it overheats and becomes more arid under the mounting pressures of the changing climate, all while encouraging other homeowners to do the same. Projects such as Resource Central's initiative are delivering tangible, measurable results to people's backyards, leaving "a big impact on residents," according to Englund.
"I can already hear the birds chirping and sitting out here not having to worry about watering the lawn or mowing the lawn," said Gail Reeder, one homeowner who made the swap in her yard.
|
If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
