Sustainable Landscapes —

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“Is it runoff from turf grass, a playground, a parking lot? What potential contaminants are going to be swept into that pond by stormwater events? Then, what plants can we utilize to stop or absorb those chemicals?”

Fuselier finds that the four big native grass species, among others (see sidebar 44), offer the largest benefits for phytostimulation due to their root biomass. “The warm season grasses not only hold contaminants but break them down. Big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, and Indiangrass are all terrific choices for this ability,” said Fuselier. These grasses are also excellent at processing runoff from agricultural pesticides and fertilizers. “A buffer strip of native grasses and forbs along ditches, creeks, swales, or wherever you’re moving stormwater can make a huge difference in keeping contaminants out of streams and waterways. It can really help with fertilizer-related algae blooms and phosphorus pollutants.”

There are many commonly used herbi- cides on parks, golf courses, lawns, and agricultural areas that native grasses are able to hold and break down before they reach waterways. Several of these herbicides can be particularly toxic to fish and aquatic species, so including grasses in buffer areas has the potential to go a long way towards keeping populations of aquatic animals healthy.

Native plants can go far beyond providing food for pollinators, habitat for birds, and beauty for people. Many species of forbs, grasses, shrubs, and trees also can play a role in cleaning up the consequences of human land use. If you have a project where phytoremediation would make sense, Fuselier said, “Please reach out! I’d love to work with ILCA members on developing appropriate plant lists of native and native cultivars.”

Eric Fuselier can be reached at efuselier@ olsson.com or 501.231.7455.