Grass is not always greener
Lawns present a challenge to biodiversity efforts. Big fields of uninterrupted grass are monocultures, and aren’t as ‘green’ for the environment as we might think. ‘Ecosystem services’ (what an ecological space contributes to an ecosystem) are not always equal, and by creating more diversity of native flora in green urban spaces, we can significantly improve our impact on Australia’s environment.
Australia’s Current Lawnscape
Picture a lawn in your mind, and you most likely think of the sweeping expanse of a striped golf course, or a lush green backyard. But what you might not think about are, firstly, the resources it can take to keep things pristine and, secondly, the opportunity costs - that is, what else you could plant to optimise the environment.
Pristine does not mean perfection
The resources used to keep a lawn neat can have serious environmental consequences, and may even produce a net negative carbon impact.
Pesticide and subsequent runoff is a major factor in environmental damage, as while these may keep out nasty critters like ticks and mosquitoes, they can also impact native and beneficial species too. Many harmful pesticide ingredients like neonicotinoids and Sulforlaxor have been heavily restricted to the agricultural sector, but pesticides with high-risk associations to birds, bees and mammals can still be found on shelves and in garden sheds. Australia measured better than many major cities for pesticide runoff in stormwater tests; however, samples of common urban pesticides were still discovered. These levels are recommended to be monitored due to the variability and the environmental persistence of many of these compounds that can have disastrous effects for endangered insect species.
Another factor of pristine lawns is the high-level maintenance that some require. While lawns absorb some carbon from the atmosphere, this is almost immediately mitigated by excess water consumption and use of power tools for caretaking. Electrical mowers, which are becoming steadily more popular, emit around 16 times less carbon than petrol-fueled mowers, but still contribute to the carbon net-negative impact of lawn spaces. This offset is worsened by high water usage rates. Some sites recommend watering a lawn up to 3-4 times a week, which leaves households with high water bills and wastage rates. It also creates a less drought-resistant green space, meaning more watering more often over time.
These maintenance ‘requirements’ often mean that any carbon offset created by the grassy space is negated, and results in a net negative for the environment overall.
An opportunity to help biodiversity
Traditional lawnscapes might be the best place for cricket or rugby, but 2023 research highlights how floral and native meadow spaces can provide a highly beneficial alternative to lawns beyond human recreation. ‘Meadowscaping’ is an alternative layered gardening approach to re-establish native plants in our garden spaces, and re-shape how we think about the uses of public and private green spaces.
Lawn spaces include areas both big and small with a monoculture of grass. Repurposing every section of this land wouldn’t be practical, but many smaller areas of lawn that are not used recreationally can be transformed into paradise for pollinators and provide a better carbon offset than grass alone.
Sectioning your garden space into areas for work, relaxation and recreation can help outline what spaces in your garden are best for replacing plain lawn. Areas around fence lines or smaller spaces tucked away create a great opportunity to reintroduce native plants into your garden. Layering your plants also introduces a variety of species to any garden, as while native bees nestle into looser ground spaces, birds make use of taller trees and shrubbery. This creates a space that is designed to flourish in the Australian climate - and a space which is more drought-resistant and requires less maintenance than a traditional lawn space.
Introducing native flora into urban green spaces also creates invaluable opportunities for young Australians to learn first-hand how our environment ‘works’. Flat green spaces do urban areas a disservice by reducing habitat availability, but also reduce how an urban population experiences and interacts with their natural surroundings. By diversifying lawn spaces into urban meadows, cities become more liveable and increase people’s experiences with Australia’s native environment. These areas can also be utilised as education tools to highlight pollination and the importance of biodiversity and conservation.
Planting Change
Green spaces should be crafted with both people and the natural environment benefits in mind. When considering how to create a lawn space, look at which native grasses and flora are native to your local area. Many of these grasses require much less water and maintenance than traditional lawn options!
- Weeping grass for wetter, cooler areas
- Wallaby grass for high heat, drought affected ares
- Redgrass for coastal regions
- Kangaroo grass for layered height, suitable all across Australia!
Another factor to consider is your local pollinators, and which flowering flora can attract these critters all year round.
Growing for Australia’s natural climate means your garden is more likely to flourish and provide more carbon offsets to greatly improve environmental impact and your experiences in urban natural spaces.
Article by Chiara Dakin
Imagery from CanvaPro