Dumping Grass Clippings in Forest Preserves Is Illegal — And Bad News for the Environment
“Nature Nearby” is written by Forest Preserve District of Kane County Nature Programs Manager Valerie Blaine, whose home base is Creek Bend Nature Center in LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve. You may reach her at blainevalerie@kaneforest.com
About those grass clippings …
It seems harmless enough: You mow your lawn, gather the grass clippings, and cart them away. Maybe you dump them in the back corner of your lot, or maybe in a nearby forest preserve. Adding green, organic grass clippings will be good for the soil, right?
Wrong! Well, the part about being organic is right, but dumping grass clippings is not.
A lot of people are unaware that grass clippings don’t just decompose peacefully in the woods. At least not without consequences. Mounds of yard waste remain for a year or more, smothering plants, preventing seedling development, and degrading habitat. Grass clippings may contain seeds of undesirable plants. The mound of grass slowly transmogrifies into stinking piles of green slime.
A little chemistry explains the problem. Grass clippings are high in nitrogen and phosphorous. When heaped in a pile, the thin blades of grass compact, which then depletes oxygen. The nitrogen and phosphorous become concentrated. The result is a lumpy pile of slimy grass, stinking of ammonia.
The nitrogen and phosphorous leach into the ground, along with any other chemicals you may have applied to your lawn. Near creeks and streams, the excess nutrients can cause algal blooms in the water (i.e., “scum”). Yuk.
Dumping grass clippings, or any yard waste, is not permitted in the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. Even if you are well-intentioned, thinking you’re adding organic compost to a preserve — thanks, but no thanks! Grass clippings are very harmful. Dumping of any kind — organic, inorganic, living or non-living — is illegal in forest preserves.
Often people use a blower or sweep grass clippings into the street. The next big rain comes, and away the grass clippings go, washed down the storm drain and into the streams. Out of sight, out of mind. The grass clippings, however, haven’t disappeared. They end up collecting in waterways, harming fish, frogs, mussels and scores of beneficial insects.
The next big question is: What should I do with all the grass clippings?
Leave ‘em! With regular mowing, your lawn clippings can remain right where they fall. They are thus spread evenly, and sparingly (rather than being in one big pile). Unless you let your grass get super tall, there won’t be enough clippings to create thatch, or a thick layer of vegetation. They will decompose into the lawn whence they came.
Easy. Problem solved!
Whether mowing is a summer ritual, a chore, or a past-time, it’s important to be aware of the ecological aspects of the activity. Think of it this way: Without having to bag and carry grass clippings, you have more time to kick back and relax this summer.
Stay tuned for information on landscaping with native plants, composting at home and earth-friendly ideas. For more information, e-mail blainevalerie@kaneforest.com.
Read More
- Mother Nature Meets MyFitnessPal in Kane County Forest Preserves
- Help Us Identify the Largest Trees in Kane County
- Nature Nearby: ‘Don’t Get Your Hands Dirty?’ Are You Kidding Me?
- Connecting With the World in Its Purest, Sweetest Form
- Kane County Nature Expert: 10-Pound Rodent Story Will Dominate Media on Feb. 2
- Got Cabin Fever? Forest Preserves Have a Cure for Kids and Adults
- Earthworm Invasion: Warm, Wet December Brings Out Not-So-Goodguys
- ‘Nature Nearby’: Hold On, Party-Goers! Balloons Are Killing Wildlife
About the Forest Preserve District of Kane County
The Forest Preserve District of Kane County acquires, holds and maintains land to preserve natural and historic resources, habitats, flora and fauna. The district restores, restocks, protects and preserves open space for the education, recreation and pleasure of Kane County citizens. For more information, visit the district’s website or find them on social media via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Also, sign up for the quarterly TreeLine Newsletter.
Volunteer With the Forest Preserve District!
