As water conservation efforts strengthen in California, the landscaping industry, a $25 billion industry in the state, will be forced to adapt.
According to the OC Register, by removing 5.4 million square feet of turf in Orange County, 645 million gallons of water could be saved. The removal is likely, as California Gov. Jerry Brown has called for the removal of 50 million square feet of turf across his state.
To adapt, experts say the industry will need to focus on drought-resistant designs, including rocks, cactuses and shrubs.
“Of course we’re facing drought, but it doesn’t have to be ugly,” Kelly Shannon, the director of the graduate program for landscape architecture at USC, told the OC Register. “There’s going to be a major rethinking of what is it like to live in a landscape and a city and to have a house with a front yard or back yard that has less water.”
For more on the story, visit the OC Register.