When we stop mowing it allows many more species to establish themselves in the ecosystem. The grass and other plants are able to grow to maturity which provides a diverse offering of food and habitat for insects, birds, soil microorganisms, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals (including us).
Every ecology gardener manages their land differently. Some go completely hands-off, others mow everything but a small patch. However, we do encourage the practice of mowing PATHS and EDGES. Mowing PATHS allows you to easily navigate your garden and better observe the species present. Mowing EDGES lets neighbors know you’re being intentional, not lazy.
Yes and no. When plant diversity goes up, animal diversity also goes up. This includes “pests” like ticks, mosquitos, and rodents. It also includes the animals that eat those “pests,” like possums, dragonflies, and hawks. While species fluctuations may occur, it’s part of the balancing process of a developing ecosystem. Often, “pest” populations actually go down once food webs are reestablished.
A big part of the management of an ecology garden is the observation and removal of invasive species. These opportunistic species can monopolize an ecosystem, suppressing the native species that the food web depends on. Many of these invasives are here because of humans, and humans are the only ones who can manage them. Ecology gardeners are encouraged to first watch to see if a nonnative species contributes to the ecosystem and “plays nice” before manually removing it.
Depending on the region, yes! Grasses are first joined by flowering “weeds”, then shrubs, before eventually being shaded out by trees in the process known as ecological succession. Though it can take many years for a lawn to transition to a forest.
Much like the human body, the Earth is a complex system made of lots of little parts working together to keep things running. This intricate web of life provides ecosystem services that make human civilization possible: air and water purification, soil fertility, crop pollination, climate regulation, and more. Since 1970, animal populations have declined 68%. When we remove diverse habitats, we risk the future of human civilization.
Also an ecology garden is cheaper, easier, quieter, more beautiful, more educational, and less time consuming than a lawn.
It can look like using your favorite plant identification app/book and learning the names of every species in your garden, taking detailed notes from day to day. It can also look like walking your paths or sitting down somewhere and taking in the sights and sounds of your garden. The goal is to get to know the land, and that can look different for every gardener.
Yes! We are just as much a part of the food web as the species we’re observing. Though it is encouraged to take the curious observational spirit to the vegetable garden as well. See what edible plants you already have growing in your garden. Plant lots of perennial vegetables, fruits, and nuts to reduce the need to work the soil, which can hurt soil biodiversity. Breed plants suited to your land. Have fun with it.
Societal norms are very powerful and important. We mow because that’s just what you do. All our neighbors do it, our parents did it, their parents did it. It’s a social signal to the community that you are responsible and a good neighbor. But the American lawn only came into existence less than 100 years ago. It’s an experiment that we’re now learning is too costly to continue. Ecology gardens could be the social signal of the future.
Maybe! It depends where you live. But as they say, “All press is good press.” :)
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Yes. Even if each ecology garden is just a drop in the bucket of global biodiversity, the benefits for the individuals that call an ecology garden their home are worth the effort. Getting to know, providing for, and receiving from the species around you has a transformative effect that can help you understand, appreciate, and care for the Earth that makes life possible.
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Funny you should ask…
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