Ecologically Sound Lawn Care

Lawn Care: An Ecosystem Approach
Like forests or prairie grasslands, lawns are dynamic ecosystems: communities of plants, soil, and microbes; insects and earthworms and the birds that feed on them; and humans who mow, water, fertilize, and play on the lawn. The interactions of all these community members shape the dynamic equilibrium we see as a lawn. Understanding and working within the natural processes that shape the lawn and its soil community can yield a durable, beautiful lawn that is easier to care for. As it turns out, these ecologically sound methods will also help reduce water use, waste generation, and water pollution.

Why Make A Change?
The ecological approach to lawn care described in this report has several advantages, including:

• Reduced mowing time and fertilizer needs, and improved turf color, quality, and density.
• Enhanced resistance to diseases and weed invasion.
• Improved nutrient availability, and less soil compaction, acidification, and thatch buildup.

It is also useful to understand the disadvantages of some common current lawn care practices:

• Water use Lawn and garden watering in the Seattle area increase water use by 30% during the summer. Endangered Species Act listings of salmon will increase the cost of new water supplies.
• Solid and hazardous waste generation Grass clippings from lawns are overloading regional composting facilities, when they could be reducing fertilizer use by 25-50% if left on the lawn, thus potentially reducing water pollution. Disposal of leftover pesticides costs Seattle $90,000 a year.
• Current pesticide use in the Puget Sound region The EPA estimates that 1.1 million pounds of pesticides are applied in urban areas of this region each year, with 213,000 pounds being applied by private households, predominantly on lawns and gardens. 50% of King County residents say they use “weed and feed” (a pesticide/fertilizer mix) on their lawns. The list of top selling pesticides in King County is similar to the list of pesticides most commonly found in streams in the Puget Sound basin, including Thornton Creek in Seattle and Mercer Creek in Bellevue.

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