Last week at the Centre County Commissioner’s meeting, the board approved a project to transform a 0.2-acre turf area in front of the Willowbank Building into a meadow with native shrubs, trees and flowers.

This project represents a fusion of environmentalism and practicality that we think that more local governments should be looking into.

Pursuing conservation initiatives such as this can make our world a greener, better place while providing habitat for native species which have suffered the consequences of dwindling living space as humans have expanded our suburbian sprawl far and wide.

However, while we do favor environmental issues — how could we not, living amidst such natural splendor? — the practical benefits are equally critical and worthy of notice.

Maybe you’re one of those grandpas (or grandmas!) who rides around with a canopy and a beer while mowing your lawn, but most of the rest of us hate it.

It’s loud, smelly, and gets you covered in sweat if there’s even a tiny shred of our typical summer humidity. If you or your loved ones are vulnerable to grass pollen, mowing is a nightmare.

And, frankly, it’s time that most of us would love to put to better use during the times of the year when it’s warm and sunny.

Many of us could do with less mowing in our lives, and we think that combining that urge with benefit to the environment we live in is pretty grand.

Of course, it has to be done well, and either maintained or designed in such a way that it doesn’t require much: our area is unfortunately one in which a variety of invasive species flourish (have you seen the dense stands of bamboo that have developed along Route 220 southbound between McElhattan and Lock Haven?).

A few ill-placed Trees of Heaven or spots of bindweed left to their own devices could easily ruin an otherwise fantastic plan for years to come.

While we are sure that the Centre County Conservation District will do admirably in their management of the area, we raise these concerns not on their behalf, but because while we may all like the idea, we are not all equally as equipped to pull off the same idea.

There is a world of difference between a local government’s ability to upkeep a landscape and your average citizen’s ability to do the same.

If you can manage it, though, within the constraints of your local codes, the idea is worth the thought — and even if you don’t want to grapple with native plantings and landscaping, there are an ever-increasing number of lawn alternatives on the market that could also be worth considering.

If you do have the ability and resources to convert some of your lawn into a native garden, though, you might find all sorts of benefits. Aside from the wildlife and beauty they can bring to your surroundings, one of the most understated benefits of native plants is that they’re, well, native. They’re used to our conditions and require dramatically less care than many plants, especially after a year or two, once they’re established.

Hate browned-out grass after a summer scorching in August? Look into making that area a bed of native plants instead: they can take the punishment and still look great while doing it.

We fondly remember the efforts Lock Haven’s Public Works put into the flower beds throughout downtown last year, and hope to see the project return — and maybe even expand — this year.

Instead of being desolate and barren by the end of summer like usual, they were covered in gorgeous foliage and flowers and brought numerous 6-legged visitors to our town.

Either way, we look forward to seeing what the Centre County Conservation District comes up with when designing their project, and we hope it inspires more local governments to pursue similar goals!