If you have adults or children walking through your yard, you probably know most of these unwanted visitors are not entering your yard maliciously and are simply using it as a shortcut. No matter their reasoning, people walking through your yard can damage your lawn or plants and may make you feel unsafe.
Speak to the People
Speaking to the person directly can be the best approach to stopping people from walking through your yard. When speaking to the person, talk calmly and respectfully, letting the adult or child know you would prefer he not cut through your yard. You can explain you are having trouble keeping grass alive because of excess foot traffic. If the offender is a child or teenager, consider speaking to the parents, informing them you would appreciate it if their child took a different path. Never become hostile or speak down to the person, as this can cause more problems than the trespassing. Unfortunately, not all people will respect your property and may still walk through your yard, even after you've spoken to them.
Shrubs and hedges provide a physical boundary while improving the look of your yard. Evergreen shrubs and hedges provide year-round color and plants with a fast growth rate allow you to quickly grow a living fence. For example, “Andean Gold” saw-toothed azara (Azara serrata “Andean Gold”) grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10 and giant blue clumping bamboo (Borinda boliana) grows in USDA zones 8 through 9. Both plants are fast-growing evergreens that work well as a hedge and barrier plant. You can also plant shrubs and hedges with thorns and spines to prevent people from walking through the barrier. Barberry (Berberis x mentorensis), for example, grows in USDA zones 5 through 8, producing stems covered in sharp thorns.
As with fences, pathways can improve the look of your yard while redirecting foot traffic off the lawn and onto a designated path. For example, a cobblestone pathway adds a touch of old English charm to your landscape while stepping stones add a whimsical touch to your yard. The Morton Arboretum recommends paying attention to the where people walk across your yard -- such as diagonally across the lawn or in a straight line from an alley -- and laying your pathway according to this pattern. Pathways might not keep people from walking through your yard, but it can reduce the foot traffic on your lawn.
No Trespassing signs are an inexpensive way to let everyone know you don’t want people walking through your yard without your permission. In some states, a No Trespassing sign is required before law enforcement or legal action can be taken against trespassers because the offender may not realize she is on private property. Your signs must follow the law with the proper size, lettering and wording as stated by your local laws and codes.
Know your rights and responsibilities. In some states, people walking through your yard can sue the property owner if they hurt themselves on your land, even if they were on your property without permission. In other areas, property owners are only responsible if they purposely harm the unwanted visitor. Other states hold the homeowner responsible if trespassing children harm themselves on the property because of gross negligence. Once you know the specific laws for your area, you can take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your property.
- Monroe Community College Agriculture and Life Sciences Institute: Minimizing Trespass on Your Farm
- Morton Arboretum: Pathways to Success in Landscape Rehabbing
- American Forest Foundation My Land Plant: How to Discourage Trespassing
- University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources: Barrier Plants
- Monrovia: Andean Gold Saw-Toothed Azara
- Monrovia: Giant Blue Bamboo
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Berberis x Mentorensis
- Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images