October 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 28

Organic Parks
The challenge of managing and maintaining well-manicured landscapes
By Serda Ozbenian, MS

B

alancing the need to effectively manage weeds and pests in parks, the mandate to protect and conserve valuable natural resources and the demand for
well-manicured recreational areas can be a big challenge for land managers.
The negative environmental and human health impacts of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides have been widely documented and some park agencies
are seeking and testing new landscape management methods to strike a balance that
would satisfy park users and managers.
Some park agencies have committed
to going pesticide-free, herbicide-free or
organic, while others have taken a piecemeal approach and are devising site-specific management strategies.
Mixed Results
In Durango, Colorado, for example,
in response to strong pressure from
residents, the Durango Parks and
Recreation Department and Durango
City Council adopted the Organically
Managed Lands Program, agreeing to

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Parks & Recreation

initiate a three-year pilot program to
switch half-a-dozen parks in Durango
to organic - meaning they would only
manage them using organic fertilization and herbicides - absolutely no
synthetic chemicals. The trial period
ended last spring with mixed results.
According to Scott McClain, parks
manager for the city of Durango, undesirable turf increased from 5 percent
to 50 percent in the three-year period.
The organic methods produced results that were less desirable, required

| O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

more maintenance and were more expensive, particularly for sports fields.
He noted that expectations were very
high in the community and there was
little tolerance for weeds, leading to a
high-maintenance management plan.
The city is now looking at ways to
modify the program so plant materials
get the nutrients they need to establish healthy turf with the use of fewer
chemicals to keep weeds at bay. The issue is a highly contentious one for the
community and emotions run high. It
leads one to wonder: Are organic parks
unattainable?
Well, it's not all black or white.
There are many examples of parks
implementing more responsible and
environmentally sensitive approaches
to managing turf that are effective and
economical.



October 2017 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2017 - Parks & Recreation

October 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 1
October 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 2
October 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 3
October 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 4
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October 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 28
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