Rewilding Urban Spaces: Rethinking Landscapes for a Thriving Future

How HOAs Can Lead the Way

Modern urban landscapes often mirror our desire for control—neatly trimmed hedges, pristine lawns, and uniform rows of shrubs. This aesthetic, while pleasing to the eye, comes with hidden costs: it chips away at biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems, and undermines the health of the soil, water, and air. Gated communities, golf courses, and HOAs (Home Owner's Associations), often champions of this "tidy" aesthetic, have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in rewilding urban spaces and creating vibrant, resilient ecosystems.

But what exactly is rewilding, and how can we do it without inviting chaos or an over abundance of destructive pests into our lives? Let’s dive in.

Why Embrace Rewilding?

Rewilding is more than just a buzzword; it's a vital strategy for restoring balance to our urban environments. By embracing rewilding, communities can shift away from highly manicured landscapes to vibrant, functional ecosystems that benefit everyone. Here’s why it matters:

1. Biodiversity Boost Trimming, cutting, and clearing leave little space for native plants, insects, and animals to thrive. In fact, incessant trimming removes the flowers and seeds that are essential for feeding wildlife and completing the plant’s natural life cycle. Landscapers, using gas-powered blowers, often gather up these important remnants, adding noise pollution to the environment, rather than letting them return to the soil where they can create homes for critters and contribute to soil health. Rewilding encourages the return of pollinators like bees and butterflies, which are essential for flowering plants and food crops. Birds and other wildlife follow, creating a balanced ecosystem.
2. Soil Health Revival A key part of rewilding is restoring the health of the soil. Traditional lawns and chemically treated landscapes degrade the soil over time, making it less capable of supporting healthy plant life. Rewilding, however, nurtures soil health by encouraging diverse plant life that improves soil structure, water retention, and nutrient cycling.
3. Water Conservation With rewilding, water use becomes more efficient. Native plants require less water, reducing the need for irrigation systems that waste water and create runoff. It's important that the vegetation receive regular, adequate amounts of water to maintain plant health and reduce the number of trees, shrubs, and flowering perennials dying from lack of sustenance. This not only costs the community money to replace, but it also means nature loses out on essential resources like homes, shade, and food sources. Rewilding helps to conserve water and prevent pollution, especially by replacing chemical-intensive landscapes with natural, water-efficient plantings.
4. Climate Resilience Native plants and natural ecosystems are better equipped to withstand extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall or heatwaves. Rewilding enhances urban resilience by making landscapes more adaptive to climate change, helping neighborhoods stay cooler in the summer, absorb more rainwater, and reduce flooding risks.
5. Mental and Physical Well-Being Green spaces that embrace biodiversity and natural beauty offer calming environments that improve mental health. Rewilding urban areas can create restorative spaces that help reduce stress, promote physical activity, and foster connections with nature.
6. Aesthetics with Purpose Rewilding is not about abandoning beauty; it’s about redefining what beauty means. Instead of sterile, uniform lawns, rewilded spaces offer dynamic, living landscapes full of color, texture, and life—making neighborhoods not only more sustainable but also more visually appealing.

By embracing rewilding, neighborhoods can foster ecosystems that nourish both nature and the people who live in them. It’s a simple, impactful way to help reverse ecological decline and create lasting positive change for future generations.

Rewilding Without Going Wild

Rewilding doesn’t have to mean chaos or overgrowth. Here’s how HOAs, golf courses and other urban communities can embrace it while keeping it attractive and functional:

1. Focus on Native Plants: Choose plants adapted to your local climate—they’re low-maintenance and naturally beneficial to wildlife. Replace thirsty lawns with native wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs.
2. Create Pollinator Zones: Install small wildflower patches or garden beds for bees and butterflies. Even a corner of a boulevard or sidewalk can become a mini-haven for pollinators.
3. Layer the Landscape: Plant in layers—tall trees, medium shrubs, and ground cover—to mimic natural ecosystems. This approach creates diverse habitats while maintaining a tidy, purposeful appearance.
4. Limit Mowing and Trimming: Set aside certain areas where grass and wildflowers can grow longer. This doesn’t mean neglect; it’s intentional care for nature.
5. Manage Perceptions with Pathways and Borders: Use pathways, stepping stones, or neat edging to give rewilded spaces a structured look. This shows intention and keeps the area visually appealing.
6. Monitor for Pests: Rewilding doesn’t invite pests like rats or snakes if done thoughtfully. Native plants encourage a balance of predators and prey, naturally managing pests without chemicals.
7. Educate and Involve the Community: Host workshops and tours to explain rewilding efforts and their benefits. When people understand the “why,” they’re more likely to support and embrace change.

A Vision for Rewilding a Neighborhood

Imagine a typical suburban neighborhood with neatly trimmed lawns, pristine sidewalks, and a serene lake surrounded by manicured grass like the one pictured below. Now, envision how rewilding could transform this space into a thriving ecosystem that benefits both nature and residents.

Here are practical ideas to rewild such a neighborhood while maintaining its aesthetic appeal:

1. Natural Shorelines Around the Lake: Allow grass and native plants to grow along the lake's edge. These areas can serve as nesting spots for ducks and provide cover for frogs, turtles, and other aquatic species. Add emergent plants like cattails and rushes to stabilize the shoreline, improve water quality, and create natural "fishing platforms" for birds like herons.
2. Wildflower Meadows in Open Areas: Convert sections of the open green spaces into wildflower meadows using native species. These attract pollinators like bees and butterflies while creating a vibrant, low-maintenance alternative to mowed grass.
3. Tree and Shrub Planting: Plant clusters of native trees and shrubs in select locations to create mini-woodlands. These provide shade, bird nesting sites, and habitats for small mammals while enhancing privacy for nearby homes.
4. Pollinator Strips Along Sidewalks: Replace some grass areas near sidewalks with low-growing wildflowers or native ground covers like clover. These are visually appealing, support pollinators, and reduce mowing requirements.
5. Community Rain Gardens: Install rain gardens in low-lying areas to manage stormwater runoff. These can be planted with water-loving native plants and double as beautiful community gathering spots.
6. Birdhouses and Wildlife Corridors: Place birdhouses, bat boxes, and small wildlife corridors throughout the neighborhood to support biodiversity without disrupting residents' daily lives.
7. Educational Signs and Paths: Add pathways with small signs explaining the benefits of rewilding efforts, fostering community pride and participation.
8. Community-Led Gardening Projects: Encourage residents to participate in "adopt-a-plot" initiatives for rewilding patches of land. This fosters community spirit and reduces maintenance costs.

These steps can turn the neighborhood into a haven for both people and wildlife, blending natural beauty with sustainability.

Fostering a Sense of Connection

Gated communities, golf courses, and HOAs have the power to redefine what beauty means in landscaping—trading sterile perfection for vibrant, life-filled ecosystems. Rewilding is not about surrendering to chaos; it’s about finding balance and understanding that the best way forward is not to control nature, but to live in harmony with it.

By fostering this harmony, neighborhoods can become healthier, more sustainable, and undeniably beautiful. With thoughtful planning, community collaboration, and a commitment to education, we can plant the seeds of a thriving future—for ourselves, our neighbors, and the planet.

One of the unexpected joys of rewilding is how it fosters a deeper sense of connection—not just with nature, but with neighbors. Rewilding offers an alternative to typical HOA gatherings, like pool parties where too much alcohol flows, which aren’t always everyone’s cup of tea.

Imagine a community where rewilding efforts transform a local park. Residents gather for birdwatching, children explore wildflower meadows, and neighbors collaborate to expand backyard gardens. These small changes could spark a movement that strengthens bonds and revitalizes the neighborhood.

Community Call-to-Action: Let’s Start the Rewilding Conversation

Change begins with a single step, and that step could be you starting a conversation with your HOA or neighborhood group. Imagine the impact we could make by transforming our shared spaces into thriving, sustainable ecosystems that benefit everyone! Here’s how you can get the ball rolling:

1. Raise Awareness: Share this article or organize a community meeting to introduce the concept of rewilding. Highlight the benefits for residents, wildlife, and the environment.
2. Suggest a Pilot Project: Propose starting small—like rewilding a corner of a park, a boulevard strip, or a lake shoreline. A visible, manageable project can showcase the potential of rewilding without overwhelming the community.
3. Gather Support: Collaborate with neighbors, gardeners, or environmental enthusiasts to create a plan. A collective voice often carries more weight with HOA boards.
4. Present a Vision: Use specific, actionable ideas (like pollinator zones or native plantings) to show how rewilding can look intentional and beautiful. Include visuals, success stories, and data to make your case compelling.
5. Offer Education and Resources: Volunteer to coordinate workshops, invite local experts, or provide resources on rewilding. A well-informed community is more likely to support the initiative.

Rewilding doesn’t have to be daunting. By working together, we can create spaces that are not just functional and beautiful, but also alive with biodiversity. Start the conversation today, and let’s reimagine what’s possible for our neighborhoods! It’s time to look beyond neatly trimmed hedges and embrace the wild, beautiful potential of rewilding. Together, we can cultivate a world where people and nature flourish.

- Siobhan Shaw is the Co-founder of GrowingtoGive.org, an advocate for women in farming and nature's wellbeing.