Letter: A Case For Sustainable Landscaping

On a recent CNBC Business News program it was revealed that water is in such short supply globally, it will be the catalyst of future wars.

Long Island is a unique area that must reduce the contamination of "run off" water, which overwhelms our water treatment facilities. The inability of our facilities to purify water, leads to polluted drinking water. To this end, a recent ban on pesticide and herbicide use for most of the year has been enacted in our Township.

Erratic national weather patterns and the pollution of drinking water by hydro-fracking, has put a spotlight on water. While there is marginally adequate water today in our area, the recent up-tic of drought periods, community environmental concerns, and a visionary roadmap for land and river management, it is imperative that our community consider sustainability in all landscape designs, especially commercial.

The desire for lush green turf and the "go-to" use of black, non-porous parking fields need to be mitigated. Maintaining turf gobbles up water, a great deal of money and labor costs. Planting drought tolerant, native bushes and trees is a good way to modify green space bordering at banks, apartment buildings, restaurants, etc. Using paving stones, pea gravel, and permeable pavement is a great way to do away with polluted parking lot run-off. There is new technology for parking areas that are impressive. I suggest that such be investigated as an alternative to petroleum based parking lots.

Certainly any new business construction would be beautified by these innovations; convey to its community an intention for sustained commitment. It would glean a great amount of public support. What and how a new building presents itself, through its landscape environment and construction tells a great deal about how it wishes to interact with its patrons. Conservation is key.

Long Island currently gets 42 inches of rainfall a year - the same as the Pacific Northwest United States. Gardens planted with native species require only managed regular watering for a short period: one year for perennial plants and bushes and two years for trees. After this, watering only during drought periods would be necessary - once every seven to ten days when no rain falls. Moderate watering of drought tolerant bushes and trees means no need for expensive sprinkler systems! We’ve all cringed, I’m sure, at seeing sprinklers in use - watering walkways, or the street, and at times these systems run a day after a heavy rain! Or during!

Trees provide a cooling affect for buildings, reducing the need for air conditioning. Trees provide cooling for passers-by, when planted near the sidewalk and cools patrons when situated near an apartment or business. A cool customer is always welcome. Trees provide a calming effect. We all want calm neighbors, especially if we live in a complex. I’d heard of a study which highlighted reduced crime rates in treed cities.

Trees shade the understory plants in a garden or land bank reducing the need for watering. They also protect our property from the wind; wind which brings with it trash from local fast food and open trash cans. Trees also attenuate the cacophony of traffic noise and yet they support songbirds! And used to beautify a bank, particularly, trees remind us all of growth. Trees change with each season, reminding us that with every month, comes a welcome development in the seedlings and the coin, we plant.

I strongly suggest that all local government enact a pro-vision of the future, requiring sustainable landscapes for all new commercial construction. Meeting with civic and taxpayer associations is a good way for developers to gauge the community’s tolerance for environmental abuse vs. the enthusiasm for visionary design, and the power therein.

Joan Nickeson, Chairperson
Beautification Committee
Port Jefferson Station and Terryvlle Civic Association