After 20 years in the landscaping industry, certified arborist Tim Seifarth saw firsthand the negative effects of traditional landscaping on the environment and understands that lawns are capable of more than just looking good. When treated with creativity and care, lawns can increase beneficial insect and bird populations, lessen the damage caused by fertilizers and enable the earth to absorb more storm water.

Compelled to make a difference, Seifarth launched Earthbound Artisan, serving Lancaster, Berks, Dauphin, York, Chester and Lebanon counties, in 2014 as a social enterprise committed to prioritizing ecological health in its landscape, stonework and conservation design. The company currently employs four employees and plans to hire several more as spring and summer approach. “I wanted to do things differently. I opened a company that cares for the environment and the living organisms that inhabit them, while creating aesthetically pleasing designs,” Seifarth reflects.

Caring for the environment takes different forms at Earthbound Artisan. In addition to abstaining from herbicides, pesticides and inorganic chemicals, Seifarth exclusively uses natural stone and native plants and grasses. When possible, salvaged stone is integrated into designs and the use of concrete and mortar is minimized.

To maintain beauty and ecological health, Earthbound Artisan offers organic land management using techniques such as hand weeding, chemical-free fertilizers and gluten-free crabgrass inhibitors. “Choosing more aggressive native plants that compete against invasive weeds is another effective organic land management technique,” explains Seifarth.

“Think about an apartment complex where there’s an enormous amount of grass that no one uses. Lawn conversion turns the turf into a meadow and in the process, creates more habitats and food for living organisms. There’s so much potential and so many positives,” enthuses Seifarth.

There is also a lot of turf left to convert. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the state contains over 2 million acres of turf. By 2025, it hopes to convert 1 percent of the acreages that drains into the Chesapeake Bay—roughly 10,000 acres. “Compared to neighboring states like Maryland and Virginia, Pennsylvania has only converted a small percentage of available turf. There’s a lot more that can be done,” says Seifarth.

He is eager for more opportunities, big and small, to aid in achieving this goal. In addition to several acres at private residences, Earthbound Artisan reengineered approximately two acres of turf at Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS) in Akron and Lititz, respectively. “The lawn conversion and design work at MCC and MDS is a model of what can be done at other local companies and organizations,” says Seifarth. “I hope Earthbound Artisan will serve as a resource for the surrounding community and other businesses looking to focus more on conservation landscaping.”

As the weather warms and landscaping season moves into full swing, Seifarth is both grateful for what’s been accomplished and excited about what’s yet to come. “I’m proud of the work Earthbound Artisan has done over the past eight years. There’s a sacred relationship between art and nature, and we get to live in that space every day.”