Our client has a large portion of their lot with low-lying native grasses and shrubs that they maintain my mowing about once per year. The area also may contain some invasive weeds, although it is primarily native plants.
Does mowing the "protected" area disqualify the project from this credit? How about the presence of some non-native (possibly invasive) species?
If these situations are ineligible, would ceasing to mow the area during the performance period be sufficient to provide a native area for this credit? Would removing any invasive plants allow the project to earn the credit?
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
September 3, 2012 - 10:04 am
Patty, mowing can be a necessary management step in maintaining native landscapes, so I don't think it would disqualify the area.Regarding the nonnative species, I would review the credit language with that question in mind. To my eye, it partly depends on a question of area—are they distributed evenly throughout the area, or not, and is the area larger than it strictly needs to be to earn the credit? Also note the reference in the credit language to improving the land—I think management toward removing those species would be in line with the credit language.