Farmscaping is the management of vegetation
on and around the farm, to include plantings
on roadways, field margins, waterways, natural
areas and generally non-cropped areas. The term
"farmscaping" can cover a wide range of practices,
such as grassed waterways, buffers, filter
strips and cover crops, as well as hedgerows and
windbreaks.
Hedgerows are defined as lines or groups of
trees, shrubs, perennial forbs, and grasses that
are planted along roadways, fences, field edges
or other non-cropped areas. The word "hedge,"
from the Old English word "hegg," referred to an
enclosure or boundary formed by closely growing
bushes or by dead plant material.
Windbreaks are barriers usually consisting of
trees or shrubs that are used to reduce and redirect
wind, resulting in microclimate changes in
the sheltered zone.
Filter strips are planted areas that use vegetation
to control soil erosion, slow water runoff, and
capture and prevent sediments and nutrients from
entering waterways.
Hedgerows can have multiple functions
They can
serve as habitat for beneficial insects, pollinators
and other wildlife;
provide erosion protection
and weed control;
serve as windbreaks;
stabilize
waterways;
reduce non-point source water
pollution and groundwater pollution;
increase
surface water infiltration;
buffer pesticide drift,
noise, odors and dust;
act as living fences and
boundary lines;
increase biodiversity;
and provide
an aesthetic resource.
Diversity in hedgerow
species, especially when using natives, assures
a range of attributes, such as multiple kinds of
insects and wildlife attracted, positive effects to
soil and water resources, and success of individual
plants under site-specific climatic and other
environmental conditions.
Community development techniques -- both commercial and residential -- have a major impact on fresh water supplies and the surface and underground water system. Pavement is a big contributor to the problem. Now it can provide a solution.
Sustainable Solutions with Low Impact Development
L.I.D. is in. That's Low Impact Development, the standards by which the local ecosystem is minimally impacted by development, and water is preserved as a precious resource.
West coast microclimates are interesting. From rain soaked areas like San Anselmo, to rain starved areas like Bakersfield, each zone presents it own challenges for water issues. With each water challenge comes difficulties that municipalities, developers, and home-owners have to adapt to, and manage.
California Water Conservation Solutions
For example, water conservation is critical in California's central valley where each gallon of runoff can be a precious resource, if properly managed. Other areas of California offer surprising challenges -- such as Marin county, which is more like Portland, Oregon, which receives over 40 inches of rain a year.
LID offers workable solutions that developers and home-owners can implement to manage water issues whatever their situation -- dearth or deluge. Whether the issue is drought conditions or excessive runoff, sustainable water management is important to California.
Permeable Pavement allows water to rapidly pass through the pavement into a cistern or natural underground water supplies.
Modular Pavers Used in Hardscape Applications
Permeable pavement is a relatively new concept and product that reduces "impervious" surfaces from driveways, sidewalks and other hardscapes by allowing water to run through the pavement and back into the soil - not follow the hardscape to the street and eventually into our waterways. This solution retains more rainwater for our underground aquafers - but it also allows plants and the soil to filter pollutants out of the water naturally.
Permeable Pavers
One LID product that can provide solutions for water runoff and infiltration issues, large or small, is permeable pavers from Permapave Northwest.
Different from traditional concrete pavers, Permapave NW pavers have an actual flow-through rate of over 1 gallon of water per second. The pavers are manufactured from natural rock, with an acrylic polymer binder similar to the clear coat on your automobile. The finished product is a completely inert paver which returns water directly to the soil, or underground storage, without adding alkalinity, zinc or hydrocarbons to the runoff.
When permeable pavers are installed over properly prepared secondary filtration in the sub-grade, they will capture and filter 100% of gross pollutants and up to 70% phosphorus, 80% of heavy metals and 98% of hydrocarbons from the water that flows through them.
Residential Applications
Alleys, Driveways
Walkways
Patios
Camper Parking
High Traffic Grass Areas
Pools / Hot Tubs
Courtyard
Rooftops
Sidewalks / Pathways
Foundation Drainage
Commercial / Industrial Applications
Parking Areas
Pedestrian Walkway
Bike Path
Plaza / Entryway
Bioretention / Rain Garden
Rooftop
Tree Grates
Rooftops
Roadways / Median Strips
Large Public Spaces
Modular Permeable Pavers for Sustainable Landscaping
Modular pavers over an advantage over "poured" pervious pavement by allowing edges of permeable pavement to be installed in many locations - under downspouts, along sidewalks, along driveways, around trees, around rain gardens, and on or around patios.
Modular Pavers Used in Landscape Applications
Permapave NW pavers are available in a number of colors/aggregates to enhance building and landscaping aesthetics.
PermapaveNW's Permeable pavers come in a modular, 12x12x2" standard size, with widths up to 16" and thicknesses up to 4" for heavier vehicle loads.
The pavers, while extremely pervious, provide the hard surface needed for normal urban activities.
The surface not only performs well for sidewalks, biking paths, parking lots, and driveways but also handles water efficiently in both drought and flood conditions.
The EPA has long noted the benefits of pervious pavers, highlighting them in their Best Management Practices: "depending on the design, pervious pavements (pavers), when used in combination with other techniques such as vegetated swales, or vegetated filter strips, may eliminate or reduce the need for land intensive BMPs, such as dry extended detention or wet retention ponds." (EPA Best Management Practices- porous pavements)
Both residential and commercial developers may find that the use of pervious pavers, which can range up to $8 per square foot, can actually make money for them, by eliminating detention ponds and increasing the amount of land that can be developed.
Home-owners can install the easy-to-use permeable pavers themselves, providing drainage areas for driveway or patios that may be puddling, or as a pervious cover for an underground water storage cistern.
The pavers can also be used as stepping stones, in pet areas, in gardens, along walkways, as parking areas for RVs -- the landscaping possibilities are endless.
Some municipalities are offering rebates for the purchase of LID products like Permapave. Check with your local city or county city and county governments, as well as water providers (ie: Metropolitan Water District) to find incentives and rebates to improve water quality, reduce runoff, or retain stormwater.
Sustainable Solutions to Stormwater Runoff
Retaining rain water for your landscape can be especially helpful during California's prolonged droughts. By protecting your landscape with adequate water supplies from a cistern, and from focusing the available rain into specific rain gardens, your plants will not suffer as much - and your water bill will thank you, too!
Sample permeable pavers by Permapave Northwest
CONTACT:
Permapave Northwest
Distributor for Western US
1-877-694-0141
815 NE 172nd Ave
Vancouver, WA 98684 www.permapavenw.com
California landscaping is... well, different. Having lived in several states in the eastern half of the country, I was not prepared for the dramatic differences in plant species, seasons or water situations when we moved to California. And it appears I'm not alone.
California, having a very long southern to northern body is as diverse as ... well, most of the eastern seaboard states combined. That covers a LOT of habitat diversity!
California has deserts, semi-deserts, foothills, mountains, coasts, and dense urban habitats that have been radically altered from natural landforms.
Landscaping in California is about water conservation more than it' about a green lawn. At least it is to most native Californians who understand that we get no rain ... I mean ABSOUTELY NO RAIN for NINE MONTHS every year. That's different!
Okay...so that's Southern California. Like I said, our southern to northern diversity is mind boggling!
Sustainable landscaping is important in California no matter where you live. It's even more important here than many other states because of our unique geography, our dense populations along the coasts, our high agricultural influences, and yes, our high tourism appeal.
California looks like a tropical paradise in some areas...but we're not. We're a desert. We're one of the Western states...with lots of sand, hot winds, droughts, cacti, rattlesnakes and of course, floods, fires and landslides! Those wildfires are a major contributor to California's unique necessities in landscaping.
Even urban sprawl has added the need for water conservation. Native plants and low-water requirements of plantings and hardscapes are helpful when your neighborhood is threatened with wildfires and the fire department needs water pressure ... and an ample supply of water for disaster prevention.
Native plant societies do their best to spread the word about alternatives that are more suited to our climate and wildlife and seasonal uniqueness, but most new residents don't even take the time to learn what is different here. They just go to a big box store and stock up on the plants they know how to tend. And those plants frequently last about as long as it takes for water to seep through 90% sand soils!
Here's one resource for landscape professionals -- who can be as challenged as anyone to keep pace with climate change and regulations and client demands.
With the threat of global warming looming on the Earth's horizon,
eco-friendly ideas have once again revitalized the "green" movement.
Going "green" is not only a state objective, but meets local policy
mandates for healthy communities. One place you can begin to go green
is by starting in your own yard. There are some simple changes you can
make that will not only benefit the planet, but will also save you
money as well. Here is one way that a CLCA licensed contractor can help
you "greenovate" your yard. Check back weekly for a new tip in the
series.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally recognized the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NN EPA) in 2009 for their efforts to protect and preserve the environment over the past 30 years.
"For over 30 years we have partnered with the Navajo Nation to protect public health and precious natural resources," said Laura Yoshii, acting regional administrator for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "The EPA applauds the Navajo Nation EPA not only for their achievements on their land, but for their leadership role in the development of tribal environmental programs nationally. The Navajo Nation continues to build and implement its programs, has enacted seven of its own environmental laws, and set a national precedent for tribal sovereignty and environmental protection." Navajo Nation leaders met with federal officials to discuss
environmental priorities for the Navajo Nation which administers
several of the country's largest and most sophisticated tribal
environmental programs.
"Former Navajo Nation elected leaders and managers have provided the foundation for the partnership with U.S. EPA," said Steve Etsitty, Executive Director of the Navajo Nation EPA. "Under President Shirley's guidance the Navajo Nation EPA has truly emerged as a key implementer of environmental regulatory programs, and it will continue to protect the Navajo Nation and the south west United States from unhealthy pollution."
Abandoned Uranium Mine Cleanup
Navajo Nation EPA, four federal agencies and EPA are working together to implement a 5-year plan to address the legacy of over 500 abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation. Currently, NN EPA and EPA are working to
identify and cleanup mines,
assess potentially contaminated structures, and
conduct massive outreach efforts to warn residents of potential hazards from unregulated, contaminated wells.
Together, the agencies have assessed 113 structures and are in the process of demolishing and excavating 27 radiation-contaminated structures and 10 residential yards.
This year, the NN EPA, the Navajo Department of Water Resources, EPA, and the Indian Health Service are working together to provide
safe drinking water to 3,000 people and
wastewater infrastructure to 2,500 homes.
Over the past 25 years, Navajo homes with access to safe drinking water rose by nearly 20 percent.
Federal Drinking Water Program
The Navajo Nation remains the first and only tribal government that has EPA's authority to implement the federal drinking water program which ensures that the 162 public water systems serving approximately 150,000 people meet federal drinking water requirements. These groundwater supplies are also protected through NN EPA's underground injection control program.
Underground Injection Control Program of Disposal Wells
The underground injection control program regulates the construction, operation, permitting and closure of storage and/or disposal wells. In 2008, NN EPA took over the program to protect the tribe's groundwater resources. Together with their prior authorization to oversee public water systems, the Navajo Nation is the first tribe in the nation to implement the two main regulatory programs under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition to the underground injection control program, the Navajo Nation also administers protects groundwater resources through their underground storage tank program.
Underground Storage Tank Lead Prevention Program
The NN EPA runs the most capable tribal, underground storage tank leak prevention program in the country with two federally credentialed inspectors and a field citation pilot program. Recently, federally credentialed tank inspectors began inspecting the Nation's 125 underground storage tank facilities on behalf of the EPA.
The pilot project allows the two inspectors to write EPA field citations for federal violations and is expected to increase field presence and improve compliance. A hole the size of a pinhead can release 400 gallons of fuel in a year's time, enough to foul millions of gallons of fresh water. To address leaking tanks, both agencies have cleaned up over 100 leaking underground storage tanks since 2004, using a combination of both federal and tribal leaking underground storage tank funds.
Title V Air Permitting
The Navajo Nation EPA has been successfully implementing their Title V air permitting program for 5 years, and collecting the permitting fees for 13 major sources. The NN EPA was the first tribe in the nation to achieve authority to implement this program.
Pesticide Inspections to Restore Land and Soil
Other programs protect and restore Navajo Nation's land and soil. Last year, Navajo Nation Pesticide Program's federally credentialed inspectors conducted 120 federal pesticides inspections and 25 tribal inspections. To address open dumps throughout the Navajo Nation, the EPA has invested $2 million dollars since 1990. To date, 41 open dumps have been closed using federal and Navajo Nation funds.
First Tribal Superfund Law
In February 2008, the Navajo Nation Council passed the Navajo Nation Comprehensive Environmental Response, and Liability Act (Navajo CERCLA) or Superfund modeled after the EPA's program. This is the first tribal Superfund law in the country, and is a huge success for the Navajo Nation, as it gives the Tribe the authority to address hazardous contamination across the Nation.
"Over the past couple years I've been developing a public seating
program with the City of Manhattan Beach, as a result of winning an
artists' competition initiated by their Cultural Arts Committee. Their
objective was to find designs for a series of beach/strand furnishings
that are to be site-specific, recyclable, and suited for long-term
use," explains the designer, Stacy Dukes of Santa Ana, CA.
During the design process Dukes discovered a recently introduced
ceramic-based composite (85% recycled industrial ceramic waste) that is
fully recyclable. After testing, this material proved to be highly
resistant to any damage from scratching, staining, oxidation, etc.
Being cold-formed it eliminates production of greenhouse gasses, while
UV has little or no effect and graffiti can be easily removed as it is
non-absorbent.
The first benches that have been installed in alcoves along the
boardwalk. Upon evaluation Dukes' team found that, unlike concrete or
wood, the material dissipates heat and that the benches are virtually
maintenance free. In terms of both design and material, we expect
unsurpassed longevity.
Stacy Dukes Design, SDD, is a highly creative, full
service design and production company specializing in architectural
graphics and signage systems, visual communication and product
development.
What makes Stacy Dukes Design unique is not only the capability to
handle a project from start to finish -- from planning, concept and
design development to in-house production and coordination with outside
services -- but also the commitment to "break the barriers" in design
and materials. With all aspects of a project under one umbrella, the
complete process is expedited and the quality maintained at no extra
cost.
Stacy Dukes Design
3201 W Warner Ave
Santa Ana CA 92704
Tel: 714 241 9144 www.StacyDukesDesign.com
Wikigardens (www.wikigardens.com) is a new website for the landscape architect, the practiced gardener, the amateur plant nerd and anyone who falls between the three. It is primarily a site for plant research. The
site features a 50,000 plant encyclopedia, a garden showcase, a forum, a
members' journal, seasonal topics of interest, and listings of local garden
groups.
What separates WIKIGARDENS from other garden database websites is the "wiki"
function which allows any member (membership is free) to contribute
information about plants, successes and failures, helpful hints, post shots
of their garden, etc. The information is vetted by other WikiGardens
members to insure it is correct and trustworthy. The philosophy behind this
is "many eyes make mistakes small" therefore the more users, the more
accurate the information.
Additionally unique to Wikigardens is the absence of annoying pop up and
sidebar ads. Vendors who chose to buy advertising on the site do so in the
form of links back to their own website. This feature is useful because
vendors are sorted by the zip code closest to the member. When searching for
a particular plant to purchase, your choices will be closer to home.
Like any wiki site, it is only as robust and vigorous as the users who
contribute to it. Any and all are invited to visit Wikigardens, become a
member and "dig" in the garden.
Contact:
Michael Peterson
503-236-7574
admin@wikigardens.com
Corbicula fluminea. Often called the Asian clam, this small mollusk can clog intake pipes for cooling water.
Invasive
species means an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to
cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
Threat to Freshwater Ecosystems
Invasive
species are one of the largest threats to our terrestrial, coastal and
freshwater ecosystems, as well as being a major global concern.
Invasive species can affect aquatic ecosystems directly or by affecting
the land in ways that harm aquatic ecosystems.
Threat to Biodiversity
Invasive species
represent the second leading cause of species extinction and loss of
biodiversity in aquatic environments worldwide. They also result in
considerable economic effects through direct economic losses and
management/control costs, while dramatically altering ecosystems
supporting commercial and recreational activities.
Effects on aquatic
ecosystems result in decreased native populations, modified water
tables, changes in run-off dynamics and fire frequency, among other
alterations. These ecological changes in turn impact many recreational
and commercial activities dependent on aquatic ecosystems. Common
sources of aquatic invasive species introduction include ballast water,
aquaculture escapes, and accidental and/or intentional introductions,
among others.
Ballast Water Carries Invasive Species
A major concern is the
introduction of invasive species through ship ballast water carrying
viable organisms from one waterbody to another. All mainland coasts of
the United States - East, West, Gulf, and Great Lakes, as well as the
coastal waters of Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands - have felt
the effects of successful aquatic species invasions.
Over two-thirds of
recent non-native species introductions in marine and coastal areas are
likely due to ship-borne vectors, and ballast water transport and
discharge is the most universal and ubiquitous of these.
EPA is working
in conjunction with our Federal and State partners to address this
source of aquatic invasive species both domestically and
internationally.
We don't think about how our purchasing habits affect natural systems. But heavy global traffic on the oceans directly affects the invasive species on both water and land. In the water, we are finding clams, water plants are hitching a ride.
These same ships bring containers that contain seeds and eggs for snakes, spiders, even parrots that escape their confines and invade areas with little or no natural deterrents such as wildlife that eats them for food, or bacteria that control their growth and reproduction.
A simple solution is to buy local, native plants whenever possible. Even tools and equipment bought locally or in the US is a move to reduce ocean traffic to a manageable level.
When international trade is essential, it is important to work with reputable distribution systems that have safeguards in place and have stringent control systems that are explained to you...and measured.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released a new water resources data management tool called the Integrated Water Resources Information System (IWRIS).
Web-based Geographic Information System for Water Management
IWRIS
is a Web-based Geographic Information System application that allows
users to access, integrate, query, and visualize multiple sets of data
from diverse sources.
Some of the databases currently accessible through IWRIS include
DWR’s Water Data Library, California Data Exchange Center (CDEC),
United States Geological Survey streamflow data, Local Groundwater
Assistance Grants (AB303), and data from local agencies. The system
will be expanded with additional data sets and functionality in the
future.
Improve Water Data Management for Integrated Regional Water Management
DWR
developed IWRIS to improve water data management and scientific
understanding in support of Integrated Regional Water Management
(IRWM).
The California Water Plan Update 2005 identifies IRWM as a key
initiative to ensure reliable water supplies through the year 2030.
The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the
State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and
inspection services, assists local water districts in water management
and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water
needs.
RESOURCE: Integrated Water Resources Information System
Department of Water Resources
Division of Planning and Local Assistance
901 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814 www.iwris.water.ca.gov
Plumbing conservation is widely accepted and routinely called for in federal, state and local legislation, ordinances for new development and agency rebate programs.
These devices are making a measurable difference. For example, Los Angeles saw a 25 percent decrease in demand in the 1990s with a plumbing retrofit program funded by water agencies.
The major benefit of low-flow plumbing device programs is that they can be implemented without requiring a change in the behavior of end users.
Outdoor Water Conservation
Saving water indoors with low-flow plumbing is easy compared to controlling outdoor water waste. Yet the vast majority of household water flows outside.
A study conducted by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) shows that 58 percent of residential water is applied to landscapes. Gardening, recognized as the number one outdoor leisure activity, is growing in popularity as a national pastime.
According to a report published in the journal Environmental Management, some 40 million acres of the U.S. are covered in lawns, making turf the nation’s most irrigated crop.
And according to the American Water Works Association, most landscapes are overwatered by 30% to 300%, accounting for 80% of all landscape damage...and water waste!
SOLUTION: Remove the TURF and replace it with DROUGHT TOLERANT GARDENS or NATIVE HABITAT, etc. that reduces water use.
See more research studies that can help you save water at the Independent Research Studies webpage provided by WeatherTRAK.
While the following story pertains to agriculture, the same concepts can be applied to urban management of soil...less surface disturbance means less dust and more stable growing environment.
Transition to conservation tillage evaluated in San Joaquin Valley cotton and tomato rotations
Conservation tillage allows growers to reduce the number of times that tractors are run through their fields, for savings in time, energy and labor. The authors studied how the practice, with and without cover crops, affects yields, dust production and other factors in a cotton-tomato rotation.
Many tillage practices, however, can be a significant production cost, a cause of soil organic matter losses and a source of particulate matter emissions.
On average, 9 to 11 separate tillage related operations, each involving heavy equipment, are conducted during the fall through spring to prepare the soil for summer cropping in most current San Joaquin Valley cotton and tomato production fields. Deep tillage often is used in these systems to alleviate compaction that results from frequent tillage passes and harvest operations.
These operations account for up to 20% of production costs (Carter 1996), and require high energy and increased subsequent effort to prepare seed beds.
The adoption of conservation tillage (CT), or reduced tillage practices, may be a viable means for improving field-crop production systems if their profitability and capacity to conserve natural resources can be demonstrated.
In their many and varied forms, conservation tillage systems aim at reducing primary, intercrop tillage operations such as plowing, disking, ripping and mulching. As a result of these deliberate reductions in tillage, surface residues may accumulate and must be managed, and new techniques for crop establishment must be developed. Despite the potential attractiveness and utility of reduced-tillage production alternatives, conservation tillage adoption rates in agronomic row crops are very low in California, less than 2% (CTIC 2004).
Reasons for California’s low adoption rate include a lack of locally available conservation tillage equipment, inexperience with conservation tillage techniques, the predominance of surface, or gravity, irrigation systems and the fact that the tillage-intensive systems used in the San Joaquin Valley for several decades are generally quite productive (Mitchell et al. 2007).
RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH
The researchers compared standard tillage (ST) and conservation
tillage (CT) for tomato and cotton production systems, with winter
cover crops (CC) and without (NO), in Five Points, Calif., from 1999 to
2003.
Conservation tillage reduced tractor trips across the field by
50% for tomatoes and 40% for cotton compared to standard tillage.
When averaged over the 2001 to 2003 period (when the
conservation tillage systems were established), tomato yields in CTNO
were 6 to 8 tons per acre higher than the other treatments.
In cotton,
the STNO cotton yields during this period were the highest of all
treatments and were 276 pounds per acre higher than the CTNO system.
In-field dust concentrations were also significantly reduced by
conservation tillage.
Our results suggest that conservation tillage may
be a viable alternative for managing tomato and cotton crops in the San
Joaquin Valley, but that fine-tuning of the systems is needed.
by
Jeffrey P. Mitchell, Randal J. Southard, Nicholaus M. Madden, Karen M.
Klonsky, Juliet B. Baker, Richard L. DeMoura, William R. Horwath,
Daniel S. Munk, Jonathan F. Wroble, Kurt J. Hembree, and Wesley W.
Wallender
