LANDSCAPING Creating Drought Resistant Soils

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Carmel Mathews
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1 BAY-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING Creating Drought Resistant Soils Water Conservation Showcase March 24, 2009 Sarah Sutton, ASLA, LEED AP, Principal Design, Community & Environment Geoff Hall Sentient Landscape, Inc Presentation Objectives Understand the relationship between healthy soils and water conservation Learn how Bay-Friendly landscape practices build/protect healthy soils Share experience and lessons learned with compost and mulch Provide useful information on specifying and using compost and mulch

2 BAY-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING IS A whole systems approach to the design, construction & maintenance of the landscape. BENEFITS OF BAY-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING Helps local agencies meet their goals to : Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions Conserve Water Reduce Stormwater Runoff Reduce Air pollution Reduce Waste & increase Recycling Create Healthier Communities

3 BENEFITS OF BAY-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING Less waste Cleaner water & air Healthier soils and landscapes Lower water & garbage bills Healthier homes, communities and watersheds Case Study (right) resulted in 50% reduction in water use and 20% savings in maintenance costs. 7 PRINCIPLES of BAY-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING 1. Landscape Locally 2. Landscape for Less to the Landfill 3. Nurture the Soil 4. Conserve Water 5. Conserve Energy 6. Protect Water & Air Quality 7. Create Wildlife Habitat

4 NURTURE THE SOIL Soils are living ecosystems and when healthy can filter pollution, store water, provide plant nutrients, and help plants resist pests naturally. During Design & Construction: Assess Soil/Test Drainage NURTURE THE SOIL Remove/Store Topsoil Protect Soil Structure/Avoid Compaction Break up Compacted Soil

5 During Design & Construction: NURTURE THE SOIL Cover Soil With Mulch Amend Soil with Organic Matter Feed Soils Naturally/Avoid Synthetic Fertilizers Control Erosion NURTURE THE SOIL During Maintenance: Grasscycle Avoid working soil when wet Feed soil naturally with compost topdressing or tea Avoid synthetic, quick release fertilizers Minimize use of chemicals Mulch regularly

6 California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance - History AB325 - Water Conservation in Landscaping Act Model ordinance drafted by DWR in 1990 Jan 1993: Each local agency was required by state law to adopt policy, create and adopt their own, or issue legal finding that they do not need an ordinance or model would become law Applied to: 1. new or rehabilitated >2500 sq. feet 2. Public and private 3. Commercial, institutional, industrial & MF 4. MF & SF homes designed and installed by developer 5. Some exceptions California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance - History Western Policy Study % of new development in agencies with a policy General consensus: better design drought tolerant plants higher quality and more efficient irrigation However: inconsistencies in standards, implementation and follow up Lack of awareness of standards

7 California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance History Additional Reports: Pacific Institute 2003: Waste Not, Want Not Potential outdoor residential water savings of 25-40%: improved landscape management hardware improvements and landscape design. DWR 2005: California Water Plan Update Use water efficiently Protect water quality Manage water to protect and restore environment California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance AB 2717 CUWCC task force 2004 evaluate and make recommendations groups on irrigation, planting, economics and other Recommendations not included Turf limitations Limits on plant choice Additional recommendations from BFL Strengthen soil management to include amending soil to increase SOM

8 California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance AB 1882 Requires DWR to develop updated Model ordinance by Jan 2009 (OAL reviewing, final approval due this week) Jan 2010: Each local agency is required by state law to 1. adopt model or 2. Adopt their own ordinance that is as strong as or stronger than the model 3. Or model ordinance would take effect Applicable to: New and rehabilitated >2500 sq. feet Public and private Commercial, institutional, industrial & MF SF homes designed and installed by developer Some exceptions California Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance A Soil Management Plan is a key component of the new model ordinance Soils testing will be required for ph, texture, infiltration rate, organic matter content, soluble slats and sodium Stopwaste is preparing a model ordinance that also recommends the use of compost as amendment, and other Bay-Friendly practices to increase moisture holding capacity of soils

9 Creating Drought Resistant Soils Compost is the product of controlled decomposition and introduces over 1 billion microorganism per teaspoon to the soil Mulch is any material spread over the surface of the soil to control weeds and retain moisture Benefits of Compost Incorporating compost: Improved water holding capacity Improved structure & aeration Increased water infiltration Reduced erosion & runoff

10 Benefits of Mulch Applying mulch to the surface of the soil: Reduces weed growth Slowly adds organic matter to the soil Prevents soil compaction Improves soil structure Increases infiltration Reduces crusting, erosion & runoff Landscape Standards Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines: Sustainable Practices for the Landscape Professional Bay-Friendly Gardening: from your backyard to the Bay for Residents Bay-Friendly Civic & Commercial Landscape Scorecard

11 Sample BFL Projects Member Agency Landscape Project 1 Alameda, County* Castro Valley Library 2 Albany Buchannan St. Medians 3 Albany 3 Parks renovations 4 Albany* Civic Center 5 Berkeley* Hills Fire Station 6 Castro Valley, SD Admin Offices 7 Emeryville Doyle St. Park 8 Oakland* Studio One, Art Center 9 Oakland* 81st Library 10 Pleasanton* Fire Station #3 11 San Leandro* Senior Center 12 Union City* 7 th Street Fire Station 13 Union City Willow Park 14 Union City Alvarado Blvd Medians * Also received a Green Building Grant from StopWaste.Org Bay Street Plaza, Emeryville Project Overview: Landscape Architect: April Philips Design Works, Inc High-visibility retail plaza Size: 19,261 square feet or.44 acre Before construction 99% impervious surface, after construction 30% impervious surface Source: April Philips Design Works, Inc

12 Bay Street Plaza, Emeryville Existing soil was unsuitable Imported soil for raised landscape planters Tested import and amended with organic compost and other natural fertilizers Specified 3 3 of compost and 3 of mulch Ohlone College, Newark Project Overview: Landscape Architect: CMG Architect: MBT Architecture Completed: January 2008 LEED Gold First green community college campus in the nation Size: 81 Acres Source: cmg landscape architecture

13 Ohlone College, Newark College is developing comprehensive maintenance manual Specifies integrated pest management (IPM) onsite composting and grasscycling Grasscycling Leaving lawn clippings in place Returns moisture and nutrients to the turf Reduces green waste Berkeley Hills Fire Station BFL points received for: Chipping trees on site to use as mulch Locally produced compost and mulch Stockpiling of topsoil Soil aeration

14 Berkeley Hills Fire Station Sarah Conner Court BFL points received for: Soil Analysis Stockpiling topsoil Locally produced compost & mulch Soil aeration

15 Sarah Conner Court Albany Street Medians BFL points received for: Soil analysis Sheet mulching with locally produced recycled products Soil aeration Issues: Compacted soil Noxious invasives 1 st batch of compost returned

16 Albany Street Medians Albany Street Medians Sheet Mulch is a chemical free weed suppression system North Bay Paper, Petaluma Heritagepaper.com

17 Albany Street Medians Using Compost Cornerstone of BF Start with a soil analysis Purchasing quality compost is key: USCC STA Model Specification program

18 Using Compost Using Mulch Use recycled mulch Before applying remove weeds & water thoroughly

19 Using Mulch Keep mulch away from trunks 9 cu yds per 1000sq. Feet = 3 inches Avoid nitrogen drag Bay-Friendly Resources Model Policies and Implementation Assistance Design Assistance & Grants Landscape Guidelines Landscape Scorecard Bay-Friendly Training and Qualification program for professionals Marketing & Consumer Outreach

Hiring a Bay-Friendly Qualified Professional to Design or Manage Your Landscape

Hiring a Bay-Friendly Qualified Professional to Design or Manage Your Landscape 1 Are you a Homeowner needing help redesigning or managing your yard or garden? Property owner or manager looking to improve