Suburban jungle

Despite appearances, suburban communities are viable ecosystems

BY NED DALY

"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative."

—H.G. Wells (1866-1946)

Regarding nature, the suburbs are truly a "the glass is half empty/half full" proposition. There are the obvious problems of habitat destruction from development and sprawl, pollution from transportation, and the introduction of invasive species in our gardens, but in terms of ecosystem functionality, all is not lost.

While the suburbs may sometimes, and in some places, appear as sterile as Disneyland, it's hard to keep a good ecosystem down. Despite our attempts to fragment and degrade natural elements in our communities, a system of natural, interconnected processes survives. More importantly, with a little bit of planning and effort, communities can turn suburbs into healthy-functioning ecosystems.

In our suburban setting, which has the appearance of being in our control, we think it is nature which must adapt to us in order for it to survive. But it is more likely that, over the long haul, the reverse is true.

There are two primary reasons to think about improving the health of suburban ecosystems.

Local benefits–healthy communities

The natural elements of suburbia have benefits way beyond their aesthetic value. Forested areas, for example, reduce storm water run-off; trees keep streets and structures cool in the summer, reducing energy consumption; and trees also help reduce noise pollution. Natural amenities such as streams, lakes, wooded areas and wetlands provide recreational opportunities, and these ammenities have a direct, positive impact on "livability" and attractiveness (and yes, property values) of the suburbs.

The ecological footprint of suburbs

The effects of harmful suburban activities, such as transportation and its related air and water pollution, cause environmental problems for adjacent natural areas.

Similarly, but perhaps more insidious, are the downstream problems related to lawn care. It is estimated that 70 percent of the suburban landscape is lawns. Fuel used for lawn mowers is estimated at 580 million gallons annually. Annual herbicide use for lawns, 5 percent of total U.S. consumption, is approximately 33 million pounds. Pesticide use for lawns is estimated at 70 million pounds. In our area, much of this will end up in the Patuxent River, the Potomac River, and eventually, the Chesapeake Bay.

Most (if not all) principles that govern natural or wild ecosystems apply to suburban landscapes, yet they are rarely applied in our development or maintenance of the suburban landscape. Over the next few months, we will look at how we can support–rather than deter–healthy natural processes that, in turn, keep our communities healthy. Let's start with an easy one: The Potomac Conservancy's "Growing Native" event. See sidebar for details.

Takoma Park resident Ned Daly is the Vice President of Operations for the Forest Stewardship Council, a nonprofit organization which promotes responsible forestry and certifies sustainably produced wood. He is the former director of Forest Policy for the Consumer's Choice Council, where he led campaigns for procurement of certified wood products.