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Ohio township won’t let couple have a natural lawn

Lawn 6a00e5500815768834012875f27994970c-320wiIt’s incredible that the St. Albans Township won’t let a couple grow tall grass and other plants instead of a lawn.

I’ve written about “freedom lawns,” which allow for the natural growth of grasses, clover, wildflowers, and other broad-leafed plants.

My article quoted Ecologist F. Herbert Bormann and said:

You can reduce the time and money you spend on your lawn dramatically. All you need is a new way to look at your lawn and how you manage it. You can:

  • Reduce the amount of lawn you have. The vacated areas can be filled with flowers, shrubs, vegetables, or drought-resistant native plants that require little upkeep.
  • Create an organic lawn without using pesticides and fertilizers. Cut the grass high, leave the clippings on the grass, water deeply and infrequently to create deep roots, and allow clover, moss and other plants to creep in. Pull dandelions by hand with a sharp tool, if you don’t like them. They’ll be gone in about one year.
  • Let part or all of your lawn revert to a meadow.

The couple, Sarah Baker and her partner, was threatened with the town hiring someone to cut their lawn and bring law enforcement with them.

In a Washington Post article, Baker said, “a diverse potpourri of plants began to flourish, and a rich assortment of insects and animals followed. I had essentially grown a working ecosystem, one that had been waiting for the chance to emerge.”

Baker and her partner compromised and used a scythe to cut the height of their lawn down to 8 inches.

More and more people need to have freedom lawns. It’s healthier for the environment and people. See my article “Pesticides Are Harmful to You, Your Children, Grandchildren, Pets, and the Environment.”

Copyright 2015, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

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