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-
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