How Does Grass Shape the Environment Around Seattle?

By Claudia Stile, Marine Biology ‘27

While UW’s Cherry Blossoms gather the attention of tourists, students, and members of the Seattle community, what lies around the trees matters too. Grass, a simple yet incredibly valuable component of the ecosystem, is often overlooked when it comes to our perceptions of a healthy environment. Seattle provides many lush green environments around the city, but just how environmentally-friendly is the use of grass in green spaces, parks, and landscaping?

According to Washington State University, the “best” species of grass to use in western Washington, and specifically Seattle, are the red, chewing, and hard fescues. These three species are all able to withstand drought conditions, and they have low requirements for nitrogen, water, and mowing. Through a mixture of these three species into a blend of both turftype fescue grasses and turftype perennial ryegrass, the ultimate grass for Western Washington is formed. The combination of these grasses can withstand varying weather conditions, making them the favorable options to have in local Seattle lawns. Despite Seattle’s rainy climate, according to the Seattle Times, there is huge concern for what the effects of a summer drought could bring. With the increasing impact of climate change it is more than likely that climate ramifications will impact surrounding ecosystems. So what does this mean for grass?

Rising temperatures and a reduced snowpack lengthens the growing season for grasses. This allows for invasive grasses to spread into new areas, potentially crowding out native species. If grass species are taken over by invasives, this could alter the way in which ecosystems function. Flower populations, trees, shrubbery, and the organisms who depend on grass may all be impacted if the beneficial grasses are driven out of their range. With this knowledge, it is now known that the best ways to combat these issues are to ensure that native species are planted in areas where they can thrive. Alternative landscaping methods like mulch, or “nature scaping” also aid in maintaining ecosystem health along with the planting of native grasses. By sustaining healthy environments with a mixture of species, the grasses themselves will be better suited to survive.

The City of Seattle understands that maintaining ecosystem health is a priority, as they have resources on how to make spaces environmentally friendly. On UW’s campus, there are native plant species intertwined into the landscape, demonstrating that the University cares for the local ecosystem impact as well. People in Seattle can value that the environment around them is carefully maintained and shaping how local areas are arranged. Local landscapes are trying to preserve a healthy environment, and each individual species of grass utilized are able to create this dynamic ecosystem.