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The value of the North American lawn |
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Page 10 of 11
Lawns reduce noxious pests and human disease exposure
Close mowed residential lawns reduce the invasion of unwanted animals into the house. In fact, it is often suggested that the idea of close-mowed lawn around the house was invented to reduce the invasion of undesired small animals such as rodents, snakes, chiggers, ticks, and mosquitoes that seek heaven in taller grasses, flowers, and shrubs.
Allergy related pollens can cause human discomfort and potentially serious health concerns to susceptible individuals. Dense lawns typically are void of the many weedy species that often produce allergy-related pollens. Furthermore, lawns that are mowed regularly tend to remain vegetative with minimal floral development, and thus have reduced pollen production. The incidence of human diseases, particularly those facilitated by vectors such as insects and ticks, is substantially reduced in well-mowed lawns. For example, the tick that spreads the Lyme disease is commonly found in unmowed tall grass and woodland-shrub habitats as opposed to well-mowed turfgrass lawns.
Conclusions and Contemporary issues
Turfgrass lawns have become the dominant land use in most urbanized areas in the United States. Residential lawns are considered both a "part of nature" and essential for the value of the property. Lawn maintenance has become a big business and the lawn care industry has grown to an impressive $17 billion in annual revenues providing numerous employment opportunities. Besides their contribution to the national economy, the lawns provide many additional benefits to the society both locally and globally. Lawns protect and enhance our natural resources including water, soil, and the air. Well-maintained lawns mitigate the effects of global warming and heat islands, protect, restore, and build topsoil, enhance ground water recharge, purify the air and water via removing pollutants and solvents, and abate noise and glare. The lawns promote neighborhood cohesion, improve physical and mental health of people, reduce crime, enhance public safety, and increase business productivity, and are a source of community pride. In fact lawns remedy many of the problems arising from paving of the cities and villages.
The maintenance of turfgrass lawns at the current aesthetic standards is however costly. The high dependence on the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and petrochemicals is of concern to the contemporary society. Another concern is the potential health and non-target effects of chemical pesticides which is often associated with their overuse and miss use. This can be rectified through proper public education. Low-input and safer alternatives for lawn management are needed.
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