June 24th

By Mutt Mulligan

Cost-benefit of living landscapes in California

News headlines tell us the California drought is not over, despite severe water restrictions and the El Niño rains in the north. The drought has caused a great debate about whether lawns and landscapes should be removed or left to go dry in order to conserve water.

But according to the University of California Cooperative Branch, cost-benefit analyses have shown that landscape plants are worth the investment in resources, especially water. In severe drought conditions, selecting drought resistant plants, coupled with proper management and irrigation, allow lawns and landscapes to flourish while still saving water.

In fact, since mandatory water restrictions were imposed in California last June, it has been determined that landscape water use accounts for only 9% of the total statewide water use. Lawns are estimated to use 40% to 60% of that 9%, That amounts to just 3.5% to 5% of total statewide water use in California.

Alarmingly, according to UC Riverside professor David Hodel, the recent removal of lawns as a result of the drought may have aggravated LA’s current status as having the worst urban heat island effect in California.

Another researcher, Manual Pastor from USC, says extreme heat will have a negative effect on poor communities. Low-income Los Angeles residents not only tend to live in areas that lack green space, but also they are less likely to have air conditioning or access to transportation go somewhere cooler.

Science tells us that living landscapes are good for us and for the environment. Living lawns, trees, shrubs and plants:

• Provide recreational spaces for people and pets, like TurfMutt!
• Create necessary habitat for birds, insects and animals
• Produce oxygen and sequester carbon
• Capture and filter rainwater, as well as storm-water run-off
• Capture dust & particulate matter
• Reduce heat and the heat island effect
• Act as a natural fire-break
• Control soil erosion
• Improve health, mood and overall well-being

It’s a matter of choosing the right plants and grasses for your climate, microclimate and lifestyle. Find out more about the importance of living landscapes, and learn tips for protecting them, even in a drought.