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Project Leader(s): Rosemarie
S. Baglia, Extension Educator Community Horticulture; Gary Couch, NYS
IPM Ornamentals Specialist
Cooperator(s): Jennifer Grant,
NYS IPM Turfgrass IPM Coordinator; Andrew Landers, Pesticide Applicator
Technical Specialist; Leslie Weston, Associate Professor of Horticulture;
Joann Gruttadaurio, Senior Extension Associate Professor of Horticulture;
Frank Rossi, Assistant Professor of Horticulture
Type of grant: Implementation
New
Project location(s): School
Athletic Fields, Orange county, NY
Abstract: A site analysis and
survey will be conducted of athletic fields at 20 Orange County Schools
to determine existing conditions. This information will be used to prepare
site specific management plans including alternative pest management
recommendations. Informational resource packets will be developed for
participating managers. Potential sites for future workshops and demonstrations
will be identified.
Background and justification:
According to a recent survey of Orange County schools, school building
and grounds personnel are responsible for maintaining the athletic fields
and grounds. School athletic fields are heavily utilized during most
of the year throughout Orange County. Maintaining healthy turfgrass
with such heavy use can be very challenging, particularly when it comes
to weed management. Two school IPM workshops were conducted by Cornell
Cooperative Extension in Orange County during the past year. Participants
in these workshops requested more information on IPM for school grounds
and athletic fields. Chemical weed control was mentioned as being the
primary pest management activity.
To target programming
efforts in the area of school athletic fields, it is first necessary
to assess the actual condition of the fields. Conducting on site surveys
of area athletic field conditions, including weed mapping and comprehensive
soil testing and analysis, would build working relationships with school
personnel, and enable Extension educators to provide them with educational
programming tailored to their specific needs.
Objectives: 1.
Conduct site analysis of school athletic fields at 20 locations, including
soil tests weed composition and condition of existing turfgrass.
2. Utilize information
gathered in during site analysis to develop site specific management
plans for athletic fields in Orange County.
3. Compile resource
packets on athletic field construction, renovation, and maintenance
for managers.
4. Select a location
for a potential hands-on workshop on alternative weed management. (see
grant proposal submitted by Landers, Ferrentino, et al for 2001)
5. Evaluate the program.
Procedures:
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Contact 20 Orange County schools
and arrange for on site consultations with building and grounds personnel.
Visit sites and conduct a site analysis including soil testing, weed
composition and density, and condition of existing turfgrass. This
information will be used to develop site specific management plans
and determine overall conditions of athletic fields in Orange County.
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Site specific management plans will
be developed in consultation with Cornell turfgrass team cooperators
and delivered to participating schools.
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Locate and select existing informational
materials on athletic field construction, renovation, and maintenance.
Assemble these materials into resource packets for participating school
athletic field managers.
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Utilizing site analysis information
and the working relationships built through this project, identify
potential sites for future workshops or demonstrations including the
alternative weed management workshop of Landers, Ferrentino, et al.
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Conduct follow-up interviews with
athletic field managers to determine degree of adoption of recommendations.
Results and discussion: As suggested
by the IPM review committee, we chose to focus on fewer schools so that
we could spend more time developing the protocol and procedures for
the project. We sampled soccer, football, baseball, and softball fields
at 5 Orange County public schools.. We took soil samples for pH and
complete nutritional analysis, soil compaction readings, and mapped
weed populations for several athletic fields at each school. The measurements
were taken and soil samples sent to the Cornell Nutrient Analysis Lab
for testing. Soil test results were received by school personnel and
our County CCE office.
Due to the funding cancellation, the
Research Assistant working on this project was dropped from the project.
She had just begun entering data into the computer for analysis. The
analysis has not been completed, thus the participating schools have
not received a Best Management Plan. Data analysis and report preparation
will be required to complete this phase of the project. I have been
contacted by several additional Orange County School Districts that
wish to participate in this study and obtain a Best Management Plan.
Without additional funding, we do not have the personnel to complete
or expand the project.
Although the analysis has not been completed,
we were able to observe some trends common to most of the athletic fields.
The common trends seem to be lack of adequate topsoil, soil compaction,
overuse and multi- purpose fields, limited funds for maintenance, limited
maintenance staff and equipment. It also became apparent that we need
to educate more than the building and grounds personnel. School administrators,
funding sources, athletic directors, coaches, teachers, parents, and
students also need to be educated on maintenance issues.
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