Naturalization in Lethbridge Parks

As Lethbridge grows, our park system must continue to serve residents while remaining financially sustainable. Naturalized landscapes can help reduce long-term maintenance demands while maintaining attractive public spaces.

Improving environmental resilience

Native plants are well suited to Southern Alberta's climate. Once established, naturalized areas can better withstand drought and support local biodiversity. Naturalized spaces provide habitat for birds, pollinators and other wildlife while helping strengthen ecological connections throughout the city.

Using water wisely

Traditional turf grass requires significant irrigation and maintenance. Naturalized landscapes use plant species adapted to local conditions and can reduce long-term water requirements once established.

Helping residents connect with nature

Naturalized spaces create opportunities to experience seasonal changes, native plants, birds and pollinators closer to home. The Parks Master Plan identifies strengthening residents' connection with nature as a key benefit of naturalization.

Naturalization is:

• Conserving water
• Increasing biodiversity and pollinator habitat
• Improving climate resilience
• Reducing long-term maintenance costs
• Creating opportunities to connect with nature
• Supporting healthy ecosystems across the city

Naturalization is not:

• Neglecting parks
• Stopping maintenance
• Letting weeds take over
• Removing recreation spaces or amenities
• Turning every park into long grass

Naturalized areas still require active management, especially during establishment. Watering, weed control, monitoring and reseeding are often necessary in the early years.

Naturalization is focused on areas that are not actively used for recreation. The Parks Master Plan identifies suitable opportunities such as:

• Storm pond edges
• Linear parks
• Park edges
• Underused turf areas
• New park developments

The goal is not to naturalize every park. The goal is to create a diverse park system that includes active recreation spaces, community gathering areas and natural landscapes.

In 2021, the City partnered with the University of Lethbridge to establish four test plots across three locations in the city. The project evaluated different native grass seed mixes, irrigation methods and weed-control approaches to better understand what works in urban naturalization projects. There were three key findings:

• Naturalization takes time: naturalized landscapes may appear sparse during their early years. Like any landscape planting, native grasses and plants require time to establish healthy root systems and mature communities.
• Successful establishment requires management: The pilot project showed that irrigation significantly improved establishment rates during the early years. Weed control was also critical to creating healthy native plant communities.
• Long-term benefits are the goal: While establishment requires upfront effort, naturalized landscapes typically require less mowing and lower long-term maintenance than traditional turf areas once established.