I hate lawns.
Plant native species, yo.
One thing I love about Vermont is that most people with land actually use it. Despite our wicked short growing season, almost everyone has a vegetable garden. I've noticed that people are so much more in touch with their land and what grows in their yard than where I grew up in Mass, and manicured lawns are the sure sign of Connecticut transplant retirees. Also, those bullet-pointed facts in the middle there. UGH. The manicured lawn requirements make me so angry, can we all adjust to a world where native species and healthy wetlands hold the beauty standard over lawns?
Vermont is a beautifully unkept place. The permaculture and cooperative culture amongst people there is something else entirely. Seems like there’s all sorts of small farms and people growing whatever on their property.
Our home in NC had a natural yard. It was awesome. Now we have a lawn and manicured flower beds, etc. it looks nice but I much prefer the low maintenance and natural yard. The amount of effort that goes in to maintaining this yard is stupid. We bought it this way and it would be a major effort to change it. Also, like stated in another comment we have rules in our neighborhood re keeping a tidy yard.
Or I plant the what I like and leave the hand wringing to magical thinkers Man stewards nature. He is not a plague.
A year or so ago I was reading a book about gardening without pesticides. There was a whole chapter devoted to how lawns are unnatural, counter productive, time sinks, and all around kind of silly. I can't help but think of them that way now and every now and again, I'll come across an article like you shared that reinforces the point as well as provide new information and/or perspectives. Sadly, for a lot of places, a manicured lawn is required by law. Letting your yard go "untamed" runs the risks of incurring fines on a regular basis.
I haven’t mowed my lawn once this year. My housemate plants flowers and such in the back and waters them, but that’s it. I’ve never seen this many bees in our yard. It’s great!
Our lawn is mowed, but we don't do anything to deter native plants that crop up. We have bees, beetles, moths and butterflies, ants, and all sorts of critters crawling around. It's really quite beautiful. Yesterday Dala and I used a bug identifying app on her phone to id some catipillars, a stunningly beautiful moth, and a small, yet bold looking spider. It was like using a real life Pokedex and so much easier than using a field guide. I can't wait to do it again with her this weekend.