Date of Award

2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biological and Environmental Sciences (MSBES)

Department

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science

First Advisor

Patrick Baur

Abstract

The collapse of biodiversity is an existential threat to life on Earth. Residential landscapes, dominated by open lawns maintained in turfgrass, do not support biodiversity. In the United States, turfgrass has replaced native landscapes in over 40 million acres, with 500 square miles added each year (Tallamy, 2019). Of the 78% of the U.S. land that is privately owned, approximately 135 million acres - nearly twice the size of all national parks combined - are residential (Milesi et al., 2005). With a shift in private landscape management, this land could present a largely untapped opportunity for biodiversity restoration and social innovation. Harnessing this potential requires understanding the values, beliefs, and personal norms that influence landscaping practices.

This thesis investigates how homeowners on Mason’s Island, a coastal, affluent, and private residential community in southeastern Connecticut, can transition to biodiverse landscaping practices (BLP). Through a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and photographic analysis of 19 properties, this study explores how values, beliefs, and personal norms influence landscaping decisions. Findings reveal three distinct categories of landscaping practices among participants: Traditional Landscaping Practices (TLP), Low-Input Landscaping, and Biodiverse Landscaping Practices (BLP).

While all (N=19) participants acknowledged the ecological benefits of BLP, perceived risks like limited practical knowledge, increased maintenance, and loss of recreational space limited the Low-Input and TLP groups’ adoption of BLP. Many homeowners defer decision-making to landscapers, often with little understanding of the harmful practices being implemented on their own property. The data highlight actionable pathways to encourage BLP adoption, such as increasing homeowner education on practical BLP techniques, teaching them what to demand from their landscapers, and showcasing successful examples of BLP on the island

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