In the recent letter to the editor “Eradicate dandelions,” the author mentioned me and my profession (ecological landscape designer), in support of his position advocating the use of herbicides to control dandelions.
Unfortunately, the author failed to mention some rather crucial details. First, I am an organic practitioner and the author of “The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening,” wherein I advocate against the use of pesticides. Second, I refer to the turfgrass lawn as “The Green Desert” — an ecological wasteland. I advise my clients and students to keep the lawn they really use, replace the rest with regional, pesticide-free native plants, and for any lawn they keep, to manage it organically.
I would much rather see nonnative dandelions and clover in any remaining turf versus a monoculture of nonnative turf species that fail to provide environmental support.
Being referenced without proper context is misleading and does not reflect my position. And, to clear up any doubt, I am a great admirer of Jeff Lowenfels and agree that we need to let go of perfection in our landscapes. As attributed to Voltaire, “perfect is the enemy of good.” We human beings are not perfect, and our landscapes don’t have to be either.
— Kim Eierman
Founder, EcoBeneficial LLC
Bronxville, N.Y.
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