Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
In some places the stigma of the shaggy lawn is fading, however. The Free-
dom Lawn may even garner some respect. Four blocks from my house Kathy
Wilson proudly posts an oi cial sign proclaiming her yard a Backyard Wild-
life Sanctuary. A former owner of Kathy's property earned this distinction
from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. It required an assess-
ment and map of the yard's resources—water, food, and shelter—for native
wildlife. Kathy is thrilled that her yard is certii ed, and she continues to learn
about her native plants and century-old tree stumps that she was encouraged to
leave. Certii cation suggested, but did not require, other proconservation prac-
tices, such as mulching plants and harvesting rainwater, reducing or eliminat-
ing lawn, removing invasive plants, controlling cats, and blocking access to
soi ts and eaves by house sparrows and starlings. Our studies concur with all
suggestions except the last one; we have no evidence that sparrows and starlings
harm native birds, and rarely do they venture into nearby woodlands. But this
issue matters little to Kathy, who is ecstatic about her small lawn, native plants,
and the little care they require. Rather than buy bulbs and nursery stock to
plant each year, she lets nature provide seedlings. She enjoys time and money
that she would have spent on yard care with her son exploring their backyard
nature.
I take a quick stroll around Kathy's yard. What I see—an abundance of
native plants and little lawn—mirrors the i ndings from a larger assessment
of backyard sanctuaries conducted by a group of University of Washington
undergraduates. The towering big-leaf maple trees are free of invasive En-
glish ivy, a common scourge in these parts. There is just enough lawn for
kids to kick around a soccer ball or play tetherball. The yard is far from
pristine. Invasive groundcover spills out of the backyard l owerbeds, and
there are nonnative plants with showy l owers and berries. But bees and
hummingbirds, I learn, extensively use even these. To me, Kathy's yard is
an example of how doing less can accomplish more. Conservation need not
