Sustainable Green Spaces Discussed at Research Landscapes Presentation

As Utah faces continued drought conditions, how can residents reduce the water needs of their green spaces while preserving the benefits those landscapes provide?

This is the question Utah State University’s Kelly Kopp seeks to answer.

On Nov. 13, Kopp presented the early findings of her ongoing research project at Green Spaces for the 21st Century, the latest presentation in Utah State’s Research Landscapes series.

The event took place at the O.C. Tanner Headquarters in Salt Lake City, where Kopp presented to an audience of colleagues, students, industry representatives and other interested stakeholders.

Kopp directs USU’s Center for Water Efficient Landscaping, which strives to lessen the resource cost of urban green spaces without sacrificing green spaces entirely.

“Our mission is to support Utah’s landscapes and continue to enjoy the quality of life that we appreciate from them,” Kopp said. “Some of the benefits we get from green infrastructure are social benefits, economic benefits and environmental benefits.”

For instance, green spaces in dense urban areas help to mitigate the impacts of urban heat islands — the term describing increased heat in urban areas compared to surrounding rural areas.

To research the costs and benefits of different landscaping options, Kopp planted a set of plots with common landscaping options: High and low water “localscapes” — which utilize plants suited for Utah’s climate — high and low water turfgrass, ornamental plants and a thyme lawn. She and her research team then record data on a variety of measures, ranging from the water requirements of the different landscapes to drone footage showing the cooling effects.

Currently, Kopp is two years into the 10-year project. Although results are preliminary, they are beginning to show the tradeoffs of each landscaping option. For example, thyme lawns require little water compared to turfgrass, but they sequester little carbon. Turfgrass is water-intensive but cost- and labor-friendly. Ornamental plants have a higher monetary and labor cost, but they use the least water and sequester the most carbon.

Kopp’s goal is to provide anyone designing an urban green space with the most knowledge about the resource requirements and benefits that various options provide.

“We hope that it will help homeowners, agencies, cities, whoever to make well-informed landscaping decisions,” Kopp said. “Although individual contributions may be small, they can add up to very big solutions.”

Research Landscapes is an event series hosted by the Utah State University Office of Research and sponsored by O.C. Tanner. The series connects decision-makers across the Wasatch Front with the researchers exploring Utah’s land, water and air.

Learn more about past events and RSVP for future events at researchlandscapes.usu.edu.