Sage Creek is home to a unique natural system of Native Grasses and Stormwater Retention Wetlands. Native Plant Solutions, a division of Ducks Unlimited Canada has teamed up with Qualico Communities to raise the bar for environmental responsibility and to evolve landscaping practices in new communities.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal these grasses and wetlands provide some very distinct advantages. For one, they do not require fertilizer or routine watering and are far healthier for the environment as a whole. The Native Grasses are also very low maintenance, only requiring mowing and/or a controlled burn once every 4-5 years. Once established, they are hardy and resilient to pressures in the environment. But in their developing stages Native Grasses are vulnerable and susceptible to being crowded out from weeds and other plants. As such, we are asking all residents of Sage Creek to help us in seeing these grasses through to maturity so that they may be here for all to enjoy for years to come.
What can you do to help?
It’s simple really. These Native Grasses really only need to be left along to grow and develop.
It is imperative to avoid dumping grass clippings, soil, clay, rock or other left over landscaping materials. These materials block the sunlight needed for new seedlings and allow weeds to set in.
Also, please refrain from mowing the Native Grasses on or near your property. Regular or excessive mowing weakens the native grasses and opens up the site to invasion by weeds. The dense native grass cover shades the soil surface and allows the grasses to out compete any possible weeds. Mowing large areas may attract Canada geese to your property. If the Native Grasses are in need of a trim or controlled burn the experts from Native Plant Solutions will execute the procedure.
Lastly, please don’t travel over the Grasses with any landscaping or construction machinery.
The Native Grasses in Sage Creek are planted on public reserve and riparian areas. They are protected by Vegetation Easement as well as a Building/Development Scheme Agreement. These documents state that it is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain the native plant species on their property and give the City the right to access the property to inspect the grasses and repair as necessary. Further, they provide the City the right to recover from the homeowner any costs incurred to repair the vegetation.
So you can see it’s in everybody’s best interests to protect the natural beauty of Sage Creek.
These Native Grasses are an integral part of what makes Sage Creek the unique community that it is. We are requesting all residents to please do their part to allow the Native Grasses take hold and develop to maturity. If you see any Native Grasses around your home being damaged please let us know immediately at info@sagecreek.ca.
