Together, Hundreds and Thousands

Most of us are stewards in the sense that we care for our houses and properties. Collectively, we can substantially affect the quality of water in our streams, the diversity of insects, birds, and other animals in our neighborhoods, and the overall ecological health of our region. In terms of water quality, impervious surfaces (driveways, roofs, patios) often drain into storm sewers. The result is the loss of ground water recharge and greater flooding potential in streams. Stewards ask “what possibilities might there be to allow some of that water to percolate into the ground rather than being removed from the site?” Consider the use of herbicides on lawns. A host of broad-leaved “weeds” may not sit well aesthetically for some, but for microbes, insects, small mammals and birds, a diversity of plants and the freedom from toxic chemicals means good habitat. What are the alternatives both functionally and aesthetically to the use of lawn chemicals? Put it all together, hundreds and thousands of acres of lawn and yardscape - how much water, how much habitat, how much opportunity to change the way we look at the resources that we are a part of and dependent upon? Initiatives such as World Wildlife’s Wildlife Habitat Program encourage transformation of lawns to more diverse and natural habitat and have found support in numerous cities throughout the country.

~ from citizens for Land Stewardship:  http://www.usccls.org/Stewardship/StewardNatural.html