The intense rainfall that dumped almost six inches in one day onto this area last month was yet another wakeup call that we are not immune locally from major flooding and the effects of climate change. Water is a precious resource and both too little and too much are a problem for us in our communities.
One of the major obstacles in coping with excess water is the vast areas of surfaces such as paving and lawns. So let’s talk about the lawns that we have created and our love affair with them in cities, highways and byways. Cornwall is pretty typical in that most residential, commercial and industrial properties have a lawn – some of them measured in acres, not counting the necessary public areas needed for active recreation.
In Canada there are about 6.2 million lawns so reducing your area by only 10% can have massive positive impact. To address this, the David Suzuki Foundation has launched a new initiative called LawnShare, to help us reduce the amount of lawn that we tend.
Their website explains the program as follows: “Traditional ornamental turfgrass lawns are one of the most prominent landscapes in Canadian towns and cities — so “normalized” that some people can’t imagine any alternative. Although they play an important role in outdoor recreation and leisure, thirsty lawns use vast amounts of water and harmful chemicals, take up precious space and provide little ecological value. LawnShare, and it’s French-language partner campaign Partage ta pelouse, aims to change the way people care for lawns and help create much-needed habitat — sharing these spaces with local insects, plants and other wildlife.”
If you are concerned and interested in what you can do to mitigate flooding, due to heavy rain events and don’t know where to begin, the program offers support to householders, agencies and companies to change the way they care for lawns.
The LawnShare program outlines the goals, explains many of the reasons traditional lawns need to be turfed, and lists the opportunities that arise when taking a different approach. Dramatically reduced floodwater runoff along with reduced maintenance costs, less noise, water, fertilizer and pesticide use and a new relationships with nature are all positive benefits of reducing our lawn areas.
To help you transform your lawn, the Davis Suzuki Foundation has developed a downloadable toolkit that outlines best practices for existing lawns while remaining neighbour friendly. The website invites you to “Unlock the untapped potential of your lawn and create healthier ecosystems. Join the LawnShare campaign today and be a part of the movement for sustainable and biodiverse communities.”
And be sure to share your photos with us so we can spread any great ideas.
For more information: davidsuzuki.org and transitioncornwall.com
