In my last few days, I have been hearing a lot from new residents about Cochrane's Land Use Bylaw and the requirement to have 25% naturescaping of any required landscaped areas in new residential developments in Cochrane. That land use bylaw was passed in 2005, and as such, any new subdivision or development approved after that date is required to include this "naturescaping" component. Naturescaping is defined in the Cochrane Land Use Bylaw, and the materials and methodology for naturescaping are set out within that document.
In many of the conversations I have had, people are confusing "xeriscaping" with naturescaping, as defined and understood by local area naturalists.
The link below is to a Lethbridge area document that promotes xeriscaping in residential developments for the purpose of conserving water and retaining water onsite.
Tomorrow, I will provide some information about the Cochrane Land Use Bylaw re: naturescaping and links to "naturescaping" websites. You can determine the differences between the two landscaping options, and perhaps understand why there is so much confusion about using these landscaping techniques and strategies. You may come to appreciate why a person would deliberately choose natural indigenous landscape materials-"naturescaping"- or instead choose from a variety of landscape materials; both natural and man made synthetics-"xeriscaping" to achieve maximum water conservation and water retention onsite. Generally, Xeriscaping requires a minimal amount of maintenance and irrigation. Generally, Naturescaping uses indigenous landscape materials which require less irrigation, and less maintenance, but provide landscapes that mimic pre-development natural ecosystems for local species.
Both are "good" alternatives to Kentucky Bluegrass sod and one tree per lot, which landscaping creates "cookie-cutter" residential streetscapes where maximum storm drainage flows as quickly as possible offsite. Traditional landscaping treats storm drainage as nuisance water and not as the wonderful water resource it is!
Check it out:
http://www.lethbridge.ca/NR/rdonlyres/0A45A58D-FD3A-4A1E-A0EA-443E360FF7D6/11566/XeriscapeBrochure_CityofLethbridge.pdf
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