The Hidden Cost of Turf and How Rewilding Can Fix It

When USA Today runs a headline like Lawns in suburbia worsen flooding and destroy habitat. Experts say rewilding could help, you know the conversation is shifting. What used to be a niche idea—rethinking the American lawn—is becoming part of the national dialogue.

The article points out something we all feel after a heavy rain: lawns don’t do much when it comes to managing water. Shallow-rooted turf grass sheds rain quickly, sending it rushing into streets and storm drains. Multiply that across millions of homes, and it is no surprise that flooding is a growing concern. At the same time, those same carpets of green offer little to wildlife. Ecologists call them “green deserts,” places that look healthy but provide almost no food or shelter for pollinators or birds.

What makes the piece powerful is how it connects these dots. Lawns aren’t just a personal landscaping choice; they shape how our communities handle extreme weather and whether biodiversity has a foothold. That’s why rewilding matters. Deep-rooted native plants absorb water instead of shedding it. Wildflowers and shrubs turn sterile yards into buzzing, living habitat. And when neighbors make these changes side by side, the effect ripples across a landscape.

The article also highlights momentum. Homeowners are starting to carve out meadow patches, plant native trees, and reduce mowing. Cities are piloting new mowing schedules and incorporating more natural plantings into public spaces. Change is happening not only because it looks beautiful, but because it makes sense: it saves money, reduces flood risk, and brings life back into neighborhoods.

For us at Plan It Wild, this story feels like validation. We’ve seen firsthand how a strip of wildflowers along a driveway or a new native tree in a front yard can shift the feel of a property, and how quickly pollinators and birds respond. The national conversation is catching up to what many of us already know: lawns are not just lawns, they are ecological decisions.

The takeaway from USA Today is clear. Rethinking our yards is not only about personal preference. It is about resilience, habitat, and making sure our landscapes work better for the future we are stepping into.