News that scientists are warning us that our planet will not take any more abuse has been increasingly circling over the last few years. There are various reasons for this – non-biodegradable materials are polluting the planet; industrial waste is being disposed of into rivers and greenhouse gasses are causing a change in climate. However, have you ever wondered about the environmental impact landscape gardening has on our environment?
Let’s go back to basics first of all and look at what landscape gardening entails as well as what its aims are. When landscaping an open space, a garden or an urban area, the main aim is to make it more presentable, more orderly, to make the space ornamental. Therefore, we would consider landscape gardening as the beautification of nature. Because beautification is a synonym of enhancement – this would suggest that landscape gardening aims to enhance an outdoor space. So, by enhancing the quality of our environment, we are enhancing the planet. Consequently, we are taking care of our environment.
So, by taking care of something and by investing in it, this will enhance its lifespan and will guarantee prosperity in the future. We could therefore argue that landscape gardening is environmentally sustainable as it preserves landscapes and green spaces for future generations.
Additionally, the presence of green spaces aids with well-being. Landscapes of care is a term used in Social Geography to define the efforts to deinstitutionalise spaces to make room for less invasive environments. It acknowledges the importance of the subject’s relationship with nature, and its caring effect it has on our wellbeing.
However, on the flip side, because landscaping essentially alters the rawness of nature by modifying it and transforming it into something that suits man’s taste and requirements, it could be viewed as a disruption of nature through its ‘enhancement’. It is ‘enhanced’ by Man’s standard, but the act of transforming something from its original state is disruptive in itself. Additionally, landscaping doesn’t always promote green space – it installs paving, gravel, water features and decking to name a few.
These elements may beautify, but they don’t enhance nature. Paving can cause flooding as it covers up the natural earth that would absorb excess moisture, and spaces that could promote green spaces are replaced with patios or decking. If we look at the broader picture – the materials used for landscape gardening are also harmful to the planet. The extraction of gravel and stone from sea-beds and mountainous areas is disruptive to the environment as is metal and concrete. In some respects, landscape gardening can also cause deforestation. Other aspects of landscape gardening can be highly polluting, too – the use of AstroTurf also contributes the impact landscape design has on the environment. Creating man-made fibres is polluting in itself through the products it requires to create it in the first place, but it isn’t recyclable either. All of these elements increase Landscaping’s carbon footprint.
Landscape gardening has both its positive and negative impacts. However, studies have shown that despite the modification of the ecosystem, the pollution and the deforestation it causes, its provision of contact with nature, environmental conservation, improved concern for natural spaces in urban environments has been found to outweigh its negative impact on biodiversity.
Comments
REALLY? - "studies have shown that despite the modification of the ecosystem, the pollution and the deforestation it causes, its provision of contact with nature, environmental conservation, improved concern for natural spaces in urban environments has been found to outweigh its negative impact on biodiversity."
Unfortunately I think this is fanciful! I'd be interested to see these studies. How,I ask, can the biodiversity or carbon balance of a typical landscape project be positive?
We drive our vans around filled with an assortment of power tools and fuels and we take diesel deliveries of far flung and energy intensive materials.
We disturb the soil and grub up 'weeds' that are suited to the ground they are found growing on and plant many exotics that may offer little or no value to native fauna.
We apply weed killers and toxic treatments to timber, deplete soils when we remove prunings without returning nourishment, erect fences that inhibit mammal movement, fill in ponds on a customer's whim, send plastic wrapping, broken equipment and all sorts of materials to landfill.
I think a positively biodiverse and carbon positive project would have to look more like this;
I walk/cycle/horse and cart to my local customer where I encourage them to embrace biodiverse if somewhat scruffy lawns and borders. I select plants that are native and beneficial exotics, beneficial to all native fauna. I eschew large areas of paving, especially in new natural stone and cementitious products, prefering to re-use old stone for paving.
I don't use inorganic pesticides but use companion planting, intercropping, natural fibre or re-used netting/fleece, biological controls and hygiene to tackle pests. I don't aim for a pest free or sterile garden.
I build walls in natural dry stone, gabions, old tyres, adobe/rammed earth, timber. I suggest hedges in place of fences. I create new habitats, nesting boxes, leave areas wild and unkempt and as far as possible I compost/mulch waste on site.
Do I anticipate a successful and profitable business from persuing this puritanically ecological model? No I don't! But I think we kid ourselves in thinking that anything else is really net positive. I suggest that we try to move closer to this model and look at 'offsetting' by charging customers a proportional fee that goes towards re-wilding projects.
I fully agree, we can all do more and I think talking to our customers and getting them to work with us on being more sustainable will go a long way.
Robin
Landscape gardening does not have to ruin the planet imo. It could be done in the most sympathetic way possible. I don't see a problem with mowing to keep a space usable. It is when hard landscaping becomes involved that i start to see problems. The bringing in of vast amounts of materials and extensive ground works with diggers etc.
I think spaces should be chemical free. Pulling a weed in a flower bed should not be seen as a problem though. Hedges rather than fences should be promoted but they need trimming which uses energy in one form or another.
Minimal intervention can still provide attractive and usable spaces.