Native Landscaping 101

Green Infrastructure and Native Landscaping? 551,357 total acres 169,723 “Green Infrastructure Vision” (30.8% of total) 42,058 protected (7.6% of total)

Native Landscaping 101 Native landscaping relies on a the plants - trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges, wildflowers, etc. - that lived in our region for thousands of years and are well– adapted to local growing conditions Native plants are difficult to mass produce and distribute across the country Native plants vary regionally and help create a sense of place in the landscape What is Native Landscaping?

Native Landscaping 101 Conventional landscaping relies on a handful of commercial plants sold based on their function – hedge, groundcover, lawn grass, ornamental grass, etc Plants are easy for nurseries and stores to mass produce and distribute widely Creates to homogenization and simplification of our landscapes Heavy reliance on lawn or turf grass The Conventional Approach to Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 Scope of Conventional Landscaping Map courtesy of Cristina Milesi, NASA A m es Research Center We are a nation obsessed with lawns - 40 million acres of turf grass in the US The state of Illinois is 37 million acres

Native Landscaping 101 Why do we love it so much? Aesthetic status-quo Status symbol Static and dependable We know how to maintain them Most appropriate for certain functions (soccer or baseball fields) All landscaping provides moderate environmental benefits - carbon sequestration, urban cooling, etc. Benefits of Conventional Landscaping

Native Landscaping Resource Intensive Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides –homeowners apply 67 million lbs/yr –homeowners apply 3-10x more/acre than farmers –creates water pollution and human health concern Air pollution emissions –1 hr of lawn mowing = 20 mi driven –580 million gallons gas/yr used by lawn mowers –High in particulate emissions Costs of the Conventional Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 Water –lawn grass is the most irrigated crop in the US –over 40% of Chicago’s summertime water is used for gardens and lawns Time Intensive –Average homeowner spends 40 hr/yr mowing the lawn Costly –$28.9 billion/yr is spent on lawn care in the US –Annual maintenance costs $400- $6,5000/acre Costs of the Conventional Landscaping

Native Landscaping Ecological Impact Invasive Species –Many ornamental plants have become invasive species in our region’s natural areas Costs of the Conventional Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 Simplified Landscapes –Creates simple, sterile landscapes that can not support biodiversity –Conventional landscaping favors non-native, “pest-free” ornamentals –Without the right plants that support insects - the food web is broken Costs of the Conventional Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 Challenges of Native Landscaping Not appropriate for every function Different than status quo Unknown and untrusted Less consumer demand

Native Landscaping 101 The Benefits of Native Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 The Benefits of Native Landscaping 1. Less Resource Intensive No synthetic fertilizers or pesticides –Plants are well-adapted to local soil conditions No Regular Mowing or Watering –Long roots eliminate the need for watering during summer droughts Less Time Intensive Less Costly –Annual maintenance costs: $ /acre

Native Landscaping Positive Ecological Impact Improved soil fertility Carbon sequestration and storage Increased stormwater infiltration The Benefits of Native Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 The Benefits of Native Landscaping Diverse, Living Landscapes Native plants support native insects which support birds and other wildlife Most insects are specialists and have a specific relationship with a host No two plant species have the same leaf chemistry. Insects have synchronized their life cycle with certain plants and adapted to be able to overcome physical and chemical defenses of their hosts.

Native Landscaping 101 PLANTS (Primary Producers) SOIL Primary Consumers (INSECTS, HERBIVORES) Secondary Consumers (BIRDS, MAMMALS) Tertiary Consumers Garden Food Web

Native Landscaping 101 Insects make awesome bird food. During reproduction birds depend on insect protein and fat for nutrients to make eggs and to feed their young. The Benefits of Native Landscaping

Native Landscaping 101 The Benefits of Native Landscaping Research has shown that native landscapes do support more biodiversity Measured bird and butterfly larvae diversity at 6 pairs of suburban lots (native vs. non-native) with equal cover and diversity Native lots 8x more bird species of regional concern (abundance) 4x more butterflies (abundance) 3x more butterfly species (diversity) Burghardt, K.T. et al Impact of Native Plants on Bird and Butterfly Biodiversity in Suburban Landscapes. Conservation Biology, Vol 23. No 1,

Native Landscaping 101 Only 3.6% of Illinois is in public ownership for natural resource protection. Illinois has lost more than 90% of its original wetlands, 99.99% of its original prairie. Most of our state has been plowed, drained, ditched, paved, or turfed. There are 424 state and 24 federally listed threatened and endangered species in Illinois Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund. Illinois State Land Conservation Funding Report. Why Is Native Landscaping Important?

Native Landscaping 101 Questions?