Wasted Space

One of the ideas for Birdfreak is called CAWS (Changing All Wasted Space). I have nothing against lawns, they are pretty and durable, especially when you want to play catch, tag, and kickball with the kids. But the next time you are out and about, look around at the churches and businesses you pass by. Most of the time you will find an extremely large expanse of nothing but grass. Someone is hired to cut and maintain the grass. Many times there are automatic sprinklers wasting water and a fertilizing company will come spray some toxic weed killers to make it lush and green. Most native plants are not just beautiful. They are hardy and usually very low maintenance, saving time and money.

Fortunately for the birds, native landscaping around homes and businesses is becoming more and more popular. Many consumers appreciate when businesses go an extra mile to do things for the environment. One great site, Wild Ones, promotes establishing native areas around homes and businesses. The Rock River Valley Chapter near my home holds a native plant, shrub, and tree sale every spring. I am not sure if the other chapters sell plants, but the site is a great research tool. There are 49 chapters in 12 different states so far and hopefully they will be in every state soon. (You can get a list of chapters on their site.)
So, let's get rid of the grass! Or at least some of it.

Much like the Dutch Elm disease, when only one species of plant (or tree) is planted exclusively (monotypic lawns) the lack of diversity creates a serious problem if a bug or disease is introduced. Thus, even planting natives, it is vital to create a habitat with many different kinds of plants so an excellent balance can be reached.

Let's get native!