On Climate: Reimagining the residential yard to combat climate change

In the past, Americans have embraced the idea that yards can be used to support an important mission. During World War II, according to the National Museum of American History, victory gardens covered over 20 million acres and produced 40% of the nation’s produce. The victory garden came from a massive civic mobilization in support of a wartime effort; a similar movement, one that advocates using the yard to combat climate change, is beginning to take shape in the U.S. and one can only hope that it will reach the same proportions.

Organizations spreading awareness about native plants have proliferated in recent years, and scientists are beginning to conduct sustained research on the ecological impact of suburban-style yards. Further, groups like Homegrown National Park directly encourage people to “regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function” by planting natives in residential spaces or wherever supporters have “some soil to plant in.” These, along with many other grassroots efforts, are aimed primarily at using residential yards to support environmental health and reduce or mitigate the effects of climate change.

Since residential land use makes up about 20% of the land area of the continental United States, many researchers and environmentalists see a lot of untapped potential in these spaces. Christopher Neill of Woodwell Climate Research Center explained a recent large-scale survey his group conducted by interviewing urban and suburban homeowners with yards across six American cities, including Boston. Respondents were asked to rank the functions they wanted their yards to perform. Coming dead last in the list, ranking at the lowest level of concern, were reducing pollution to local water bodies and helping with climate change. The residential lawn certainly can perform these functions, and below we will examine some ways it can do so—just in time for spring cleanup.

Tips of the Week 

Rethink spring cleanup.

It is natural to want to set everything in order as we emerge from dark winter days, but wait a minute! When you collect sticks that have fallen from trees and littered your lawn, try piling up the unwanted plant materials in an out-of-the-way corner. It makes a good habitat for smaller wildlife. Similarly, pile unwanted leaves in hidden spots and let them decompose into organic materials you can cycle back into your lawn or planted beds.

However, try leaving some leaf litter where it fell. A habitat for insect larvae, it will help support migrating and nesting birds with caterpillar food, along with many other benefits. Burning will add to greenhouse gases and air pollution and Massachusetts law prohibits the disposal of such materials in the landfill.

Set yourself up for less mowing this year.

You can do that in a variety of ways: Convert some lawn space to garden, add in some plugs or seeds of native grasses and sedges for a low-mow alternative, or let nature take its course.

Since the idea is to see what grows and spreads without becoming invasive, try growing native plants. Maine Wild Seed Company and Blue Stem Natives are both companies that the writer has used and recommends.

Grow sedge.

Sedges such as Carex pensylvanica, which are native to eastern woodlands, are having a moment in the spotlight: They are easier to plant from nursery stock than seed. Sedges tend to form clumps and do not grow as tall as some grasses, and often have a pleasing look when left unmowed.

Embrace the “freedom lawn.”

Do you have an expanse that you can mow once in a while and it looks green but it’s really just a mixture of whatever grows there? Don’t feel like it’s a problem, embrace it! This is a good alternative if the area is used for recreation

Freedom lawns often come about because no one has put down grass seed in a while or used chemicals to remove weeds—this “neglect” has actually produced something quite delightful and useful to insects, various pollinators, and wildlife. You might notice areas where wild strawberries, dandelions, violets, hawkweed, bluets, field pussytoes, white wood asters, purple love grass, little bluestem, mosses, various sedges, and cinquefoil are already growing. These are generally all native plants, depending on the exact species. Let them grow and spread.

Many non-natives are OK, too, such as clover, common St. John’s wort, and English plantains. Probably the best thing you can do is just let your lawn grow, mow sparingly, and be patient.

Try growing some food.

This is a great time to start some seeds indoors to plant outside when the danger of frost has passed. You can start bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplants, and other veggies inside in February, or check suggested sowing dates and sow outdoors in the spring. Start small and experiment with a few of your favorite vegetables, herbs, or greens.

Harvard has no shortage of gardeners, so ask a neighbor what grows well in their garden. It is important to use organic seeds because if they are treated with certain chemicals, neonicotinoids, the chemicals will remain in all portions of the future plant with harmful effects. Eating produce grown without chemicals from your own garden is a great way to stay healthy and decrease reliance on produce from out of state (which requires more fossil fuels).

Tuck fruits, vegetables, and herbs into existing flower beds to experiment with growing food on a smaller scale. Try growing companion plants with your fruits and veggies, such as marigolds and dill, to keep away pests and attract good pollinators.

For more information

• Learn more about the relationship between home landscaping and climate change with the Ecological Landscape Alliance’s YouTube video “Mild to Wild: How Our Backyard Choices Impact Our Environment,” presented by Christopher Neill, Ph.D. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-meQYOgRdb0).
• The website for the Tufts Pollinator Initiative explains why quickly cutting down stems in the garden puts New England’s bees at a disadvantage. (sites.tufts.edu/pollinators/2021/04/the-right-way-to-leave-stems-for-native-bees/).
• Blue Stem Natives is a plant nursery in Norwell focusing on native, pesticide-free plants (bluestemnatives.com).
• The Maine-based Wild Seed Project (wildseedproject.net) is a nonprofit that aims to increase the presence of native plants in the Northeast; it offers information about the mitigating effects of native plants on climate change and sells wild seeds.

Catherine Warner is a freelance writer and educational consultant based in Harvard. An amateur gardener and environmentalist, she was a member of the Community Resilience Working Group.