SportsTurf

August 2012

SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/77829

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FieldScience | ByJerad R. Minnick Environmental stewardship & your maintenance plan: SET AN EXAMPLE >> SUNRISE over the Nation's Capitol Cup Lacrosse event. E is recognized as a moral responsibility. Sports field and parks main- tenance departments are realiz- ing that going "green" is not a complex issue. Rather it is a basic use of simple conserva- tion. Ironically, maintenance budgets are becoming finan- cially "green" by adopting new methods and technologies to reduce waste in order to save the environment. For sports field and park maintenance departments con- 8 SportsTurf | August 2012 nvironmental stewardship is now common in all aspects of our lives. Just look around you while you are reading now; there likely is an example close by. Recycling receptacles, energy efficient lighting, and low-volume water fixtures; the transition to "green" is no longer just a fad that is dictated by a person's political affiliation or geographic region. Protecting the environment sidering options to become more environmental friendly, it can initially seem as a daunting task. But to start, there are five pieces of a maintenance pro- gram that can have the largest environmental impact: nutrient management, pesticide usage, equipment fleet management, irrigation practices, and field paint. Focusing on these five el- ements will initiate the "green" direction of a program. Let's Soil testing 4-5 times a season can illustrate to a manager the need for macro and micro- nutrients. examine each of the pieces and explore the potentials for evolution in the maintenance program to protect the envi- ronment and to save money. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT Environmental Impact: It is possible for some fertilizer nutrients to leach through the soil via storm water and irri- gation when used incorrectly or in excess Evolution Potential for Maintenance Programs: Tech- nologies in both granular and liquid fertilizers allow man- agers to exert more control over their plant-feeding pro- www.sportsturfonline.com

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