Poland Village Council allow 'natural lawns'

If you’re driving in a Poland neighborhood, you may notice some of the lawns have a new look. Poland Village Council members passed three ordinances involving natural lawns.
Since the ordinances passed, natural lawns are allowed on the side and back of homes, but are still not in front of properties in Poland.
Instead of having turf grass and clovers, natural lawns have native plants and grasses. Although this could give a messier look, natural lawns are good for the environment.
"You’re really trying to create a habitat for wildlife, whether that be deer, whether that be pollinators, beneficial insects, all of that," said Kristen Eisenhauer, Mahoning County OSU Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development/Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Even though you won’t need to mow the lawn as much, natural lawns still require regular maintenance. Eisenhauer said as long as you take care of the lawn, they don't look much different than a typical lawn, except it may look a little messier.
Natural lawns have become a trend in many areas because of its benefits to the wildlife. Since these lawns attract more wildlife, more bugs will come to the area. Some of these bugs can be beneficial for the area, but this also attracts pests like ticks.
"If you’re worried about things with ticks, we see that more in long grasses. They kind of climb to higher elevations, so they can grab onto stuff," said Eisenhauer.
Poland Village Council member Sam Moffie said when the idea for natural lawns was presented, he thought it was a solid idea.