If it’s “natural” grass, as in, the grass is native to that area, and it doesn’t have to be watered or manicured, then it won’t have zero benefits. But I imagine you’re talking about lawn grass, which despite being alive isn’t particularly natural.
I don’t know about artificial turf, but I imagine it’s not great for surface water. Does the water get soaked into the ground properly, or does it generate runoff?
Soak into the ground means surface water is slowed down. It means surface water can make it down to the water table.
Not soak into the ground means quick moving runoff that can strip nearby land.
With house foundations and roads, and even lawns, and so on, we keep reducing the area where water can properly soak into soil. Our soils suffer. Our water tables suffer.
Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io 2 weeks ago
It's worse, far worse. Many species of Solitary Bees burrow into the ground, an average of 15cm / 6 inches into the ground. Landscape cloth or plastic 'astroturf' when installed will block last years bees from emerging, and prevent any bees that survive from depositing their larvae, thus breaking the life cycle of those bees.
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
Got sage flowering in my garden currently and getting quite a few bees.
Took a picture of them so I can show future generations what bees were.
Drewmeister@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Ah okay, that makes sense