Landscaping, naturally

One of the appeals of our current Bloomington house was the back yard. It wasn’t fenced in at the time, but easily contained for our two outdoor pets by leveraging the various fences neighbors had constructed. The lawn was in pretty nice shape, and the three trees in the back of the house were big and shady.

Fast forward eight years, and the yard isn’t so attractive. It has heavy wear and tear from kids and large dogs. The soil is largely clay, which means drainage is an issue. And experiments in finding ideal locations for various gardens have shrunk the grassy areas considerably. We are on our second play structure () and have mulched the land around it. Logs from the dead parts of our big trees still lay piled in the back of the yard, a failed project to construct some natural garden borders. We have long since killed our electric mower, and the various gas ones we have are broken just enough to be a barrier to use. My lone personal success using a green thumb is a seedling tree that is now in its fourth year and possibly taller than Carter now.

More than most cities, Bloomington is very aware of its outdoors and the impact we humans have on the local ecosystem. One of the ways green spaces are increased is to encourage individual development of backyard wildlife habitats. This is appealing for a few reasons. Saving the environment and lessening our human footprint is the large moral one, but avoiding mowing is probably the bigger draw. Not only does it wreak havoc on allergies, but power equipment is a source of pollution. With kids and pets around, there is some balance needed, but it might be a fun family project to explore the possibility of National Wildlife Federation certification—through 2006, over 100 homes in Bloomington are official habitats—down the road. The Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program was established by the NWF in 1973.

From the City site:

The requirements for Backyard Wildlife Habitat certification include food, water, shelter, and places to raise young, all of which are easily attainable with natural landscaping. Consideration and planning for these requirements is necessary prior to transitioning an area into a natural landscape. While native plant species are not a strict requirement for NWF Wildlife Habitat certification, native plants are encouraged because they are typically better suited for the local climate, soil, and wildlife. Native plants can be less labor and cost intensive than traditional lawns because they require little or no fertilizer, pesticides, watering, or mowing. Additionally, various species of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife will be attracted to the habitat and resources created through natural landscaping, leading to increased biodiversity.

Those interested in natural landscaping, particular as part of a community drive for NWF certification, should contact the Center for Sustainable Living.