Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.PCS 1/10/84; site mtgzz.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!drutx!mtuxo!mtgzz!seb From: seb@mtgzz.UUCP (s.e.badian) Newsgroups: net.garden,net.consumers Subject: Re: Grass Message-ID: <923@mtgzz.UUCP> Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 20:38:36 EDT Article-I.D.: mtgzz.923 Posted: Fri Jul 12 20:38:36 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 16:33:08 EDT References: <11461@brl-tgr.ARPA>, <48@ecn-aa.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Middletown NJ Lines: 20 Xref: watmath net.garden:597 net.consumers:2603 Grass is also good ecologically. I saw an article in Smithsonian a number of years ago that said that grass lawns were a boon to many common animals. For instance, the robin we all know and love is really a woodland bird, but it flourishes in suburbia because of the grass lawns. The same could probably be said of rabbits(though I bet a lot of people would like to get rid of them). The article said that meter for meter the "suburban grassland" was one of the richest ecosystems in North America. Probably because of all that expensive fertilizer we dump on it! In a similar vein, the deforestation of the Northeast was a boon to whitetail deer. Their population has steadily increased since the pilgrams arrived. Deer obviously benefit from a nice lawn, though they are limited mostly to rural lawns. So next time you talk about replacing your lawn with marble chips think about all the poor robins, bunnies and field mice you'll be upsetting! Sharon Badian ihnp4!mtgzz!seb