LAWN
Description:
Lawns are a staple to properties across the United States. While popular for their aesthetic appeal, lawns offer little resistance towards runoff and contribute to the deposition of pollutants into water bodies11. Shallow roots of lawn grass provide fewer flood mitigation and nutrient management services than diverse, naturally growing landscapes15.
The largest threats to waterfront lawns are erosion and pollutants. Because lawns hold few deep roots or rocks to stabilize the shoreline, erosion is common15. This destabilization leads to decreases in property value and adverse disruption to aquatic habitats.
Improvements:
Simple
Reduce fertilization of grass to prevent nutrient runoff.
Plant native trees to slow runoff and stabilize the shoreline.
Raise the Blade: cutting grass at a higher height increases root depth and prevents run-off and erosion. For an educational video on raising the blade, click here.
Use Rain Barrels on your property
Moderate
Install an Infiltration Trench.
Create a No Mow Zone along lake