Low Impact Landscaping

The Green Roundtable
and

Low-impact Landscaping
paul@greenroundtable.org
www.nexusboston.com

Green Roundtable

Consulting, education, training
and strategic planning

to create healthy environments by
integrating principles of
sustainability into mainstream
planning, design and construction.

(copyright © Green Roundtable 2007)

Some key questions:
• Why are we using potable water for landscape
irrigation?
• Are we complicit in some of the major flooding events
that have taken place recently?
• Why are we getting sick in and around our own
homes? Are the places we live becoming more
dangerous than the places we work?
• Can landscape design choices play a role in
affecting climate change?
• Are we to believe that our „magic bullet‟ approaches
are always more effective than systems that nature
has had millions of years to work out?

Some sobering facts…

Water tables are now falling in countries that
contain over half the world‟s people

4


There are currently 1,243 EPA Superfund sites
on the National Priorities List and 60 more
proposed (as of 3/20/07)



The incidence of asthma has increased
dramatically over the last 25 years in the U.S.
and other industrialized nations.

6


Cancer clusters have been identified in
some more-affluent communities and have
been attributed to chemically-intensive
landscape management practices

7

Objectives
Discuss:
- More environmentally benign landscape management
practices
- Ways that landscape design choices can influence
climate change mitigation strategies
- Ways that landscape design can minimize the
potential for local flooding
- How landscape design can help to reduce pollution in
local waterways and preserve/ protect water supplies
- How effective landscape design can enhance or
create wildlife habitat
- Ways to minimize site disturbance during
construction

The single best thing you can do:

LOSE THE LAWN!!!


The trouble with turf
Lawn maintenance routines create multiple threats to
the environment through:

• Heavy fertilizer requirements

• Pesticide and herbicide use

• Need to mow regularly and the resources that this
requires (gas, electricity, oil, etc)

• Water use

They are energy and resource intensive. If possible,
LOSE THE LAWN!


Alternatives to lawns
• Let it grow wild!
• Flower beds
• Vegetable gardens
• Rock gardens
• Wildflower gardens/ meadows
• Hedgerow
• Water features
• Mulch beds
• Artificial turf?

Artificial turf?


Permaculture
• Incorporating edible plants into landscape

• Alternative to resource-intensive store-bought foods

• Emphasis on perennial plants like fruit trees and
shrubs and perennial herbs/ greens

• See Permaculture Guild:
http://northeasternpermaculture.wikispaces.com/Massachusetts

• http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/ (plant database)


Lawn care (if you must)
Follow good general turf management practices:
• Don‟t cut too short
• Aerate and de-thatch if necessary
• Water deeply only once a week (~ 1” of water); this
promotes deep root development
• Use rain sensors on irrigation systems!!!
• Use a drought-tolerant seed variety suitable for this
region
• Employ organic fertilizing and pest management
practices


Lawn care (cont.)
• Chemical pesticides/ herbicides may kill earthworms,
contributing to thatch build-up

• Avoid adding too much nitrogen as it can accelerate
growth and lead to thatch build-up

• Lots of clover may signal nitrogen deficiency

• Maintain good pH balance (typically w/ limestone)

• Fertilize only if necessary! Get soil tested by local
agricultural extension service; see:
http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest/


Lawn equipment
• Use a reel-type push mower

• 2nd best: electric mower

• Make sure lawnmower blades are sharp

• Keep equipment well maintained

• Avoid use of leaf blowers


Low-impact turf management
• Learn to live with a less-than-perfect lawn!

• Leave clippings on lawn to return nutrients; mulch leaves
in place (but pay attention to nitrogen balance)

• Top-dress lawn with compost

• Fertilize with a home-brew fertilizer in a hose-end
sprayer (see next slide & Jerry Baker resources)

• Use a natural fertilizer if necessary; ex. alfalfa meal; use
suitable Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (N-P-K) balance


Lawn „tonic‟
•1 cup Epsom salts
•1 cup liquid dish soap
•1 cup Listerine mouthwash
•1 cup household ammonia (can
be lemon variety)
•1 can of beer

This is a slight modification of a Jerry Baker
(The Impatient Gardener) recipe. Apply with
hose-end sprayer after mowing, dethatching
and seeding; treats around 2500 sq. ft.


Low-impact turf management
• Dense, healthy turf discourages weed growth

• Tolerate a few weeds!

• Hand-pull weeds

• Control tough weeds with spot application of a
„home-brew‟ solution

• Apply corn gluten meal (CGM) as a pre-emergent
weed control and fertilizer

• See www.organiclandcare.net


Corn-gluten meal
• Natural pre-emergent weed and crabgrass killer

• Provides slow-release nitrogen to lawn

• Apply when:
- Forsythias in bloom
- Soil temperature is ~60 deg. F.

• Generally applied in late April in northeast

• It really works and it‟s available locally!


Green Practice:
Non-Toxic Weed & Pest Control


The downside to chemicals
• May be toxic to humans

• Can adversely affect soil structure

• May kill desirable natural organisms

• Fossil fuel-intensive in their manufacture

• High persistence in environment

• Environmental justice issues


Natural weed control strategies
• Mulches

• Mechanical control:
- Hand pulling!
- Repeated cutting/ scraping of above-ground
parts may eventually kill root system

• Destroy weed seeds by heating soil (w/ black plastic
sheeting)

• Avoiding excessive tilling

• Natural chemical control


Typical mulching materials

• Grass clippings and leaf litter (cut up if possible)

• Bark/ wood chips (watch nitrogen balance)

• Plastic sheeting/ landscape fabric

• Stone/ marble chips

• Recycled rubber materials

• Newspaper

• Straw


Natural insect control strategies
• Mulches
• Mechanical control:
- Hand picking!
- Blasting w/ jet of water from spray bottle
• Companion planting
• Sacrificial plantings
• Traps- Hanging pheromonal traps, sticky traps
• Biological control
• Chemical control- use Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) strategies if you must use conventional pesticides


Natural „chemical‟ controls
• Insecticidal soap

• Dormant oils

• Diatomaceous earth


Natural/ Biological pest control
Three major categories:

• Plant extracts

• Insect predators

• Pathogens


Plant extracts

• Neem sprays

• Hot pepper sprays
Neem tree

• Natural pyrethrum spray

Chrysanthemums

Insect controls

• Lady bugs; soil nematodes; trichogramma wasps;
common green lacewing

• Many are effective against a variety of insects-
aphids, thrips, mites, moths, beetles, whiteflies, etc.


Natural pathogens
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt; trade names Dipel and
Thuricide)- Effective against gypsy moths, tent
caterpillar, tobacco hornworm, corn borer; variant
used in mosquito control

• Bacillus popilliae (Bp; milky spore)- Effective
against Japanese beetle grubs


Japanese beetle grubs &
adult beetle


Chemicals in landscape maint.

Reducing the risks


General ways to address the risks
• First ask: Is this maintenance routine really
necessary? Can I live with the weeds/ pests, etc?

• Eliminate or avoid systems / features that require
significant use of resources to maintain (e.g. lawns,
swimming pools, expansive asphalt driveways)

• Assess the risks of using commercial products.
Learn what the chemical nasties are, know which are
in the products you use, and think twice about using
them


Minimizing the risks
• Employ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies

• Use conventional chemical products as a last resort

• Use sparingly/ judiciously

• Use safer alternatives found around the house (the
home „formulary‟)


Minimizing the risks, cont.
• Provide adequate ventilation/ use respiratory
protection where appropriate

• Mark treated areas/ Keep children & animals away

• Store chemicals away from living spaces

• Understand risks associated with disposal, and
take adequate precautions


The „Nasties‟
Some common chemical ingredients in home &
garden products:
• 2,4-D
• Ammonia
• Arsenic
• Benzene
• Chlorine
• Formaldehyde
• Hydrocarbons
• Ketones, including acetone
• Methylene chloride

The Nasties, continued
• Mineral spirits; petroleum distillates
• Naphthalene & paradichlorobenzene
• Nitrobenzene
• Perchloroethylene
• Phenol and cresol
• Pthalates
• PVC
• Toluene
• Trichloroethylene


Using „conventional‟ products
• Always read the label and follow directions

• Be mindful of “Caution” vs. “Warning” vs. “Danger”

• Know what‟s in them; do the research
• Don‟t buy more than you need. Avoid mega-sized refill
bottles just because they seem to be a good value.
• Try using in smaller quantities or more diluted
• If VOC‟s or other gases emitted, ventilate area well
• Dispose of properly

Assessing the risks

• Check for ingredients on label

• Check “SIRI” database for Material Safety Data
Sheet (MSDS) at http://siri.uvm.edu/index.html

• Check for known dangers/ toxicity at NIH
Household Products Database
(http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm)


Assessing the risks

• Check NIH Toxnet Database
(http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/)

• Contact manufacturer


The Home Formulary


Kitchen chemistry: typical ingredients
• Dish soap
• Rubbing alcohol
• Beer
• Ammonia
• Epsom salts
• Table sugar
• Cayenne pepper
• Aromatic oils, like clove oil


Pesticides/ herbicides

Use 1 or 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid to a pint
of water in a spray bottle to kill many house and
garden plant pests, including aphids and scale; or use
commercial variety insecticidal soap like Safer‟s


Spot herbicide for lawn
• 9 oz straight white vinegar
• 2 oz lemon juice
• 2 tbs table salt
• 1 tsp liquid dish soap
• Combine in spray bottle
• Only kills above-ground parts of dandelions, etc,
• May eradicate weeds with repeated application
• Usually doesn‟t affect surrounding turf grass
• Works best in full sun


Insect repellant for garden
• 1 cup boiling hot water
• 2 tbs cayenne pepper
• 2 cloves minced or crushed garlic
• 1 tsp liquid dish soap
• Pour hot water over pepper and garlic. Steep overnight
• Strain & add dish soap and another cup of water.
• Use in a spray bottle on vegetables & flowers; soak
all foliage; re-apply after rain
• Keeps several types of insects at bay.


For more recipes:

The Impatient Gardener, Jerry Baker, Ballantine
Books, 1983

The Impatient Gardener‟s Lawn Book, Jerry Baker,
Ballantine Books, 1987


De-icers
• Favor mechanical „traction control‟; Use sand, kitty
litter or sawdust, or some combination of these

• Always „cut‟ de-icers, especially rock salt, with
sand; a little rock salt goes a long way

• Don‟t use indiscriminately; apply only where needed!

• Potassium Chloride (KCl), Magnesium
Chloride(MgCl), Calcium Chloride (CaCl) and Urea
can be more benign alternatives to rock salt- these
can sometimes provide needed nutrients to soil if they
end up on lawns, etc. (KCL & Urea can burn lawns;
some de-icers stain carpeting & flooring)


De-icers, continued
• Along w/ providing traction, sand has ice-melting
properties as it absorbs heat from the sun

• Try to sweep up sand/ salt after walkways/ driveways
are dry as it can clog storm drains; re-use it if practical

• Store de-icers indoors at room temperature to
increase effectiveness and minimize quantity needed

• Clear snow & ice barriers that prevent drainage of
paving & contribute to „refreeze‟ ice patches


Green Practice:
Stormwater management &
water conservation
in the landscape


Water conservation strategies

• Use grey water systems

• Collect rainwater

• Employ xeriscaping principles


Xeriscaping (low-water-landscaping)
• Two major aspects:
-Making maximum use of available precipitation
-Selecting species with low water requirements
• Use mulches
• Maintain high level of organic matter in soil
• Create water retention landscape features


Xeriscaping (low-water-landscaping)
• Use drip irrigation & soaker hoses; moisture sensors

• Group plants
• Use plantings to create windbreaks & shade to protect
from drying winds and sun
• Use native plantings, they are better suited to natural
rainfall patterns


Soaker Hose


Low-water trees:

Common name Botanical Name Height
Amur Maple Acer ginnala 20'-25'
Austrian Pine Pinus nigra 50'
Japanese Black Pine Pinus thunbergii 6-10'
Cornelian Cherry Cornus Mas 20-25'
London Plane Platanus x acerifolia 50'
White Oak Quercus alba 50'


Low-water shrubs:
Broom Cytisus scoparius 5-6'
Flowering Quince Chaenomeles specoisa 6'-10'
Junipers Juniperus sp. 2'-9'
Cinquefoil Potentilla 3'-4'
Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii 6-10'
Rose-of-Sharon Hibiscus syriacus Diana 6-8'
Winterberry Ilex verticillata 8-10'
Mugo Pine(dwarf) Pinus mugo 3-4'


Low-water groundcovers:

Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 6-8"
Creeping Lilly-turf Liriope spicata 6-8"
Violets Viola sp.. 6-8"
Snow-in-Summer Cerastium tomentosum 6-8"


Low-water perennials:

New England Aster Aster Novae-angliae 15-
30"
CommonBlanketflower Gaillardia aristata 24-36"
Moonbeam Coreopsis verticillata 24-36"
Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea 24-
36"


Also consider:

• Sedum

• Yarrow

• Coreopsis

• Sage

• Thyme

• Perennials available at most home centers and
garden stores


Rainwater collection
• For 1000 sq ft roof area, 15 – 25,000 gallons of
rainwater can be collected annually in Eastern states

• Combined with drip-irrigation systems, collected
rainwater can keep landscaping vibrant even during
drought conditions

• Using rainwater helps to maintain aquifers and public
water supplies at adequate levels

• Rainwater does not contain chlorine so it is better for
plants, garden ponds, etc.

• Rainwater is free, and inexpensive to collect & store!


See www.conservationtechnology.com &
http://www.wattsradiant.com/rainwater/?t=professional%20rainwater


http://www.cleanairgardening.com/33galrainbar.html


Water conservation resources

•http://www.mwra.com/comsupport/conservation/
gardeningtips.htm

• www.waterwiser.org

• www.irrigation.org

• www.epa.gov/watersense

• See also: Reliable Rain- A Practical Guide to Landscape
Irrigation, Howard Hendrix & Stuart Straw, Taunton Press, 1998


Raingardens


The Low-impact landscape


Green Sites:
Minimizing light pollution


Source: International Dark Sky Association


“BAD” FIXTURES

Flood Light Cobra Head
If used as in the picture. The most used
30-50% light goes design
upward for street lights
(If pointed down- Unchanged since
Zero light loss.)
photo © BGE 1960s
Decorative ~30% upward
~70%
photo © BGE

upward photo © BGE
Source: Baltimore Gas & Electric


Residential accent lights
can be some of worst
offenders; they can be
energy wasters too


“GOOD” FIXTURES

Box Design.
Can have round, cylindrical or
other shape head. Receded bulb Decorative
Flat lens 100% downward Only ~5% upward
photo © BGE

Source: Baltimore Gas & Electric


Resources
For a examination of some of the issues, and and an
example of zoning restrictions on outdoor lighting see:
http://www.ci.neptune-beach.fl.us/2007agenda/
4_16_07/2007-XXProposedLightingOrdinance.pdf

For some outdoor lighting design tips see:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/
darksky/3307541.html?showAll=y&c=y


Green Practice:
Sustainable site design


Keys to Sustainable Sites
• Stormwater management is paramount (LID- Low-
Impact Development)
• Use light-colored paving to minimize heat-island
effect
• Landscape for energy conservation- use vegetation
for wind barriers, shading, etc.
• Employ zero net water use strategies and general
water conservation/ xeriscaping practices
• Maintain ‟wild‟ spaces on property if possible
• Minimize light pollution
• Protect site during construction activities

Stormwater management
Effective stormwater management can:

• Assure effective groundwater recharge

• Minimize flooding potential

• Reduce contamination of oceans, lakes, rivers

• Promote lush, green landscapes

• Provide secondary benefit of reducing urban heat
island effect


Stormwater Mgmt: Strategies
• Slow water down/ retain on site

• Increase permeability of ground surfaces

• Minimize soil compaction

• Use collected water for landscape irrigation


Slowing down/ retaining stormwater

Retention Pond Bioswale/ Raingarden Vegetated Buffer


Cistern

Drywell


Permeable surface options
• Brick/ masonry pavers

• Gravel

• Stabilized soil/ stone dust

• Recycle rubber paver mats/ bricks

• Plastic driveway mats



Gravel driveways &
walkways: Simple,
low-cost, effective!



„Drivable grass‟



See www.rubbersidewalks.com


Some sources of supply
Permeable paving/ surfaces:
• http://www.ecosurfaces.com/ecomax/rubbertiles.htm

• http://www.reifenrubber.com/

• http://www.gerbertltd.com/rubber_flooring/ecopave/index.htm

• http://www.abacussurfaces.com/Paver%20Rubber.htm

• http://www.soilretention.com/drivablegrass.html

• http://www.rubberform.com

• http://www.hanoverpavers.com

• http://www.paversearch.com/sidewalk-pavers-rubber.htm

Green roofs
• Can provide stormwater management

• Reduce urban heat islands

• Help to minimize global warming by conserving energy

• May extend the life of your roof

• Provide green space & wildlife habitat

• Improve acoustic comfort


Modular green roof system

See:
http://www.liveroof.net/ &
http://www.westonsolutions.com/pdf_docs/B-D066-
GreenGrid.pdf


Green roofs

• Properly designed, can pay for themselves in 10 –
15 years via reduced energy cost

• Especially effective in reducing cooling costs

• By some estimates, can reduce cooling costs by up
to 30% in single-story structures

• See www.greenroofs.com (industry ass‟n) &
www.conservationtechnology.com (supplier example)


Stormwater mgmt resources
• http://www.unh.edu/erg/cstev/

• http://www.mapc.org (email lid@mapc.org)

• http://nemo.uconn.edu/tools/publications/tech_papers/tech_paper_8.p
df

• http://www.georgiastormwater.com/

• http://www.georgiastormwater.com/vol2/3-3-8.pdf

• http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/envqual/eqm102f.htm

• http://www.lid-stormwater.net/background.htm

• http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/docs.cfm?program_id=6&view=allprog&sort
=name#retrofit_manual

Organic landcare resources:
• www.beyondpesticides.org

• www.planetnatural.com

• http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/biocontrol/

• http://www.anbp.org/

• http://www.ipmcenters.org/index.cfm

• http://www.pk.uni-bonn.de/ppigb/ppigb.htm

• http://www.organiclandcare.net

• http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/ (plant database)


Gardener's Supply Company.
128 Intervale Road
Burlington, VT 05401
Telephone: 802/863-1700; FAX: 802/660-4600
Their "Grubguard" is a mixture of H. bacteriophora and S.
feltiae
Retail and wholesale. Mail order catalog. Free catalog and
consultation.


Green Spot, Ltd.
93 Priest Road
Nottingham, NH 03290-6204
Telephone: 603/942-8925; FAX 603/942-8932
e-mail: Info@GreenMethods.com
H. bacteriophora, S. carpocapsae
Free catalog and telephone consultation. Green Methods
Manual. Biological pest control agents and integrated pest
management [IPM] products. Contact Mike Cherim,
director.


PM Laboratories, Inc.
Main Street
Locke, NY 13092-0300
Telephone: 315/497-2063; FAX: 315/497-3129
S. carpocapsae, S. feltiae,
H. bacteriophora
Retail and wholesale. Free catalog


Suggested reading:
Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden..., Heather C. Flores,
2006.*
Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, Toby Hemenway, 2000.
Gardener to Gardener Almanac & Pest Control Primer, Vicki Mattern, Fern
Marshall Bradley, ed., 2000.
Green Living, A Practical Guide to Eating, Gardening, Energy Saving, and
Housekeeping for a Healthy Planet, Sarah Books Callard, Diane Carlton Millis,
2002.*
Guide To Healthy Landscapes, Volume 1: From The Ground Up Site And Soil
Preparation. M.L. Altobelli,Ann MCGovern, 2003.*
Jerry Baker's Bug Off!: 2,193 Super Secrets for Battling Bad Bugs, Outfoxing
Crafty Critters, Evicting Voracious Varmints and Much More!, Baker, Jerry, 2005.
Water Efficient Landscaping, Preventing Pollution & Using Resources
Wisely, Environmental Protection Agency, 2002.*

* = Titles in the NEXUS Library

Additional reading:
• Sustainable Landscape Construction, J. William Thompson and
Kim Sorvig, Island Press, 2000
• Natural Landscaping, Sally Roth, Rodale Press, 1997
• Rodale‟s Landscape Problem Solver, Jeff and Liz Ball, Rodale
Press, 1989
•The Organic Gardener‟s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease
Control, Barbara Ellis & Fern Marshall Bradley, ed., Rodale Press,
1996
• Natural Enemies Handbook- The Illustrated Guide to Biological
Pest Control, University of California Press, 1998
• Take Two Plants: The Gardener‟s Complete Guide to Companion
Planting, Nicola Ferguson, Contemporary Books, 1999


Use NEXUS as your green resource!

• Upcoming workshops

• Reference library

• Samples library

• Cyber Lounge

• Online resources at nexusboston.com

• Local green building community


Local Resources


THANK YOU
www.greenroundtable.org
info@greenroundtable.org
617-374-3740

The Green Roundtable, Inc. (GRT) is an independent non-profit
organization whose mission is to mainstream green building and
sustainable design and become obsolete. We work toward this goal
by promoting and supporting healthy and environmentally
integrated building projects through strategic outreach, education,
policy advocacy and technical assistance.

Located in downtown Boston, NEXUS
welcomes all to come ask questions,
research topics, and attend tours and
www.nexusboston.com events on green building and
38 Chauncy Street, Boston sustainable design innovation.

Low Impact Landscaping

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Mais procurados

Mais procurados (19)

Semelhante a Low Impact Landscaping

Semelhante a Low Impact Landscaping (20)

Mais de Sustainable Performance Institute

Mais de Sustainable Performance Institute (20)

Low Impact Landscaping