Chop and Drop: A Call for a Shift in Australia’s Landscape Industry

The Australian landscape industry, as it stands, relies heavily on a sequence of practises that are completely inefficient. Pruning plants, collecting green waste, transporting it to disposal facilities, and then importing mulch to replace what was removed—this is the norm.

While this routine may seem logical on the surface, it is far from sustainable. It’s time for the industry to take a cue from the permaculturists and integrate the ‘chop and drop’ method into our approach, particularly for low-profile, non-manicured public landscapes.

What is the Chop and Drop Method, and Why is it Better?

The chop and drop method offers a simpler, more efficient way to maintain the land while simultaneously enriching it. By cutting plants and leaving the debris on the ground, we mimic nature’s age-old systems.

Think of a forest floor where fallen leaves decompose, feeding the soil and creating a thriving ecosystem without human intervention. Why not take this principle and apply it to the broader Australian landscapes we manage every day?

I have a lot of farmers in my family, including my father who raises cattle for beef. One of his favourite saying is, “a farmer who removes produce from their farm without replacing the soil minerals is not a farmer. They are a miner.”

By adopting chop and drop, the Australian landscape industry would see a host of benefits. First and foremost is the ability to build a layer of organic matter to serve as a natural mulch, shielding the soil from the harsh sun.

Rather than leaving land exposed to dry out and bake under the elements, chopped plant material creates a barrier that conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and maintains a cooler micro-environment for roots to flourish. For a country so often plagued by drought and water scarcity, this is a profoundly valuable asset.

Then there’s the matter of soil minerals and biology. The act of chop and drop feeds the soil microbes and larger organisms, nourishing critters that, in turn, break down the organic material into rich humus. This improves soil structure, boosts fertility, and supports healthy plant growth.

Contrast this with the conventional method of stripping green waste from the land, which deprives the soil of natural nutrients. There’s something counterintuitive about hauling away what plants produce to survive, only to purchase and ferry in mulch to replace it with nutritionally-poor bark chips later.

And that brings us to a critical issue—emissions. Current practices in the Australian landscape industry contribute to unnecessary carbon emissions on multiple fronts. The trucks that transport green waste to disposal sites and again to deliver purchased mulch are burning fuel with each trip.

Additionally, much of the mulch sourced commercially is not produced locally, further increasing the environmental cost. Chop and drop eliminates this wasteful cycle altogether, allowing landscapes to be managed in a way that is both greener and less costly.

Speaking of costs, the financial benefits are worth exploring as well. Minimising the number of trips required for hauling materials saves on labour and fuel costs, while reducing the frequency of mulch purchases slashes supply expenses.

Not to mention the time spent raking green waste into buckets and lugging them to the trailer. Public landscapes that prioritise chop and drop could see significant decreases in overall maintenance budgets. For councils and organisations working within tight financial constraints, these savings could be highly impactful.

Which Plants Can You Chop and Drop?

This method works for almost all plants. Strappy lomandras, grasses and dianellas can be pruned above the ground every few years with a hedge trimmer or blade-headed brushcutter.

Herbaceous dicots and perennials might like to be cut hard once per year, or perhaps they’d rather a softer touch. Either way, there’s nothing wrong with dropping the waste on the ground instead of collecting it.

Woody plants can be coppiced every few years, pollarded every year, or hedge pruned multiple times per year. It’s much easier to drop hedge clippings as they’re quite fine and break down rather quickly. On the other hand, thicker woody stems and logs can be used as garden edging, seating, sculptures, and much more.

Let your creativity go wild and see how you can transform a former waste product into a valuable resource that will feed and house a wide range of organisms from birds to beneficial fungi.

Just remember that the same rules apply for regular mulches; don’t pile it around the stem or you’ll risk reducing airflow and encouraging pathogenic fungi.

Where Chop and Drop Doesn’t Work

It’s worth noting that not all landscapes would be suited to chop and drop. Manicured parklands and high-visibility areas may demand a different approach to maintain their aesthetic appeal (did somebody say compost?).

However, for non-manicured zones such as roadside verges, large reserves, and industrial zones, this method is nothing short of ideal.

Daniel’s Wrap

Key decision makers in the Australian landscape industry have the opportunity to lead by example, showcasing a more responsible, forward-thinking way to care for our environment.

By abandoning inefficient and resource-intensive habits in favour of the chop and drop method, we could foster healthier landscapes, build biomass, reduce carbon footprints, and conserve resources—all while shaving costs, too.

It’s time to stop working against the natural order and start working with it. Chop and drop is a step towards a richer, more sustainable future for our landscapes. The ball is firmly in our court—will we take it?

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