Sweden’s ugly lawn contest: A quirky battle for water conservation

Region Gotland, the government of the remote Swedish island, initiated a unique competition two years ago by awarding the ugliest local lawn.

This unconventional idea has since spread to other parts of Sweden, with similar contests emerging.

The latest iteration of this challenge sees Öland, another large Swedish island, competing with Gotland to determine which region boasts the most unsightly lawn.

Quirky Trend

This quirky trend may seem confusing, but it has a logical explanation rooted in environmental conservation, specifically water conservation during the summer months.

With the global average temperature reaching unprecedented highs over the last thirteen months, there is an urgent need to be mindful of groundwater usage.

Watering lawns to maintain lush, green grass is increasingly viewed as a wasteful luxury.

Conserving Water

Allowing lawns to dry up and appear patchy is a way of demonstrating a commitment to conserving water and letting nature take its course.

Even in Sweden, known for its plentiful water resources and milder summer temperatures, water conservation is a pressing issue.

Dy Conditions

Islands like Öland and Gotland are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures and dry conditions due to their lack of large rivers or lakes.

Mimmi Gibson from Region Gotland expressed pride in Gotland’s approach to water conservation: “Now we have the chance to show that Gotland is the best at not watering lawns.”

Well Equipped

“The people of Gotland are well equipped and have many years of training and good knowledge of garden smoothing and water saving.”

Klara Johansson of Borgholm Energi responded by highlighting Öland’s preparedness: “We have practised with irrigation bans for several years now, it is time to take up the fight. I believe that the winning lawn is on Öland, now we just have to find it.”