Provide aesthetic and environmental advantages in urban environments

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Lawns and Landscapes
Provide aesthetic and environmental advantages in
urban environments Science around the country
has provided the best management practices for
achieving both
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Protecting Water Quality With Science-based Lawn
and Landscape Management Practices Hillsborough
County Board Of County Commission Workshop,
December 9, 2009
Thank you for the invitation to present the
science behind best management practices that
enhance water quality
George Hochmuth and Terril Nell University of
Florida, IFAS
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The role of science in solving problems
Science answers questions Science points to
potential problems or un-intended consequences
that need more research
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Unintended consequences

• We have been presenting what our Florida science
  says about potential unintended consequences to
  water quality of actions not based on science
• These publications (Unintended Consequences,
  FAQs, and FFL) have been made available to you
  previously
• Research in Florida is clearly supported by
  publications in the national peer-reviewed
  journals

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The Nitrogen Cycle
Understanding these processes has allowed
scientists to develop best management
practices and educational programs to protect
the water quality
What have scientists determined?
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National Studies

• Addressing similar water quality issues to ours
  in Florida
• Studying the same underlying biological and
  physical science principles
• Aimed at developing solutions in the form of BMPs
  
• Focus on education

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Oklahoma

• Turf inhibits runoff better than any other
  surface
• Management practices can be designed to take
  greatest advantage of turf for protecting the
  environment
• Problems occured when BMPs were not followed

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Wisconsin

• Factors of greatest importance to nutrient losses
  from lawns
• Depth of runoff
• Failure to fertilize-reduced stand
• Factors of lesser importance
• De-compacting the soil
• Type of fertilizer

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Michigan

• Labeled N-15 urea nitrogen
• Leachate recovery of N was 0.23 of total applied
  over 2 years
• 80 N recovered in soil, thatch, and clippings
• Suggested volatile losses of remainder

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

• Uptake was related to top and root growth-more N
  removal associated with greater root and top
  growth
• Another study-positive linear relationship
  between plant N uptake and total plant
  biomass-healthier plants took up more N
• Negative linear relationship between plant N
  uptake and N leached-More N uptakeless N leached

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North Carolina

• Nitrogen uptake greatest in most active growing
  periods
• lt 10 N recovered in the soil after 3 days in
  growing period-summer
• gt 80 N recovered in soil in dormant period
• Root mass-100,000 roots and 1 million root hairs
  per liter of soil

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New Mexico

• N leaching less than 1 of applied
• N leaching related to photoperiod
• More N leached when PP was lt 12 hours
• Slower growth
• N loses can be avoided by proper N fertilization
  practices

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Texas

• Impervious pervious surfaces
• Turfgrass (fertilized) versus native prairie
  grasses (unfertilized)
• Less runoff with more pervious surface and with
  turf compared to native grasses

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Pennsylvania

• Runoff from turf on 9 to 13 sloped areas
• Excellent turf health and good quality loam soil
  with high infiltration rate
• Nitrate in runoff was not different from
  concentration in the rain water

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Georgia

• 40 to 70 of rainfall exited plots as runoff
• Only 16 N was found in the runoff from actively
  growing turf, from the fertilization event 24
  hours before the rain event.
• 64 N was found in the runoff from dormant turf

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Executive Order 13508 Draft Strategy for
Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake
Bay-MarylandNovember 9, 2009
Science underpins the Chesapeake Bay
restoration effort. Government must also be
accountable for its restoration responsibilities
and commitments, and scientific measures can be
an accurate barometer of progress and drive
action at all levels. While there are significant
and robust information and data systems already
in place, some gaps remain. Ensuring
the Chesapeake Bay watershed population is
informed of the scientific basis and results of
actions is an important element in encouraging
broad participation in restoring the Bay.
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Scientifically proven benefits of turfgrass, in
the national literature

• Healthy turf minimizes runoff
• Healthy turf prevents soil erosion
• Healthy turf is efficient at absorbing
  nutrients-dense root system-more so than other
  plants
• Less than 1 of applied N leaches in well managed
  turf (confirmed in many states)
• Seasonal variation in nutrient uptake-environmenta
  l implications

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Funding for Turf and Landscape Water Quality
Research

• Federal Grants-USDA, EPA, NSF, and others
• State Agency Grants-FDEP, FDACS
• Water Management Districts
• Local Government-Counties, municipalities,
  utilities
• Industry Grants-Turfgrass, sod, fertilizer,
  allied industries

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Water quality research in Florida

• A FDEP-funded research project with turf
  cultivars, fertilization programs, and irrigation

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Total N Leaching inEstablished Floratam St.
Augustinegrass 2006
Total Nitrate, mg M-2
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Warm-season turfgrass growth over the year
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Conclusions, Based on the Science
Turf plays an important role in reducing
fertilizer runoff and leaching-leading to
improved water quality Turf must be properly
managed including fertilization Proper
fertilization is a key to maximizing the
environmental benefit of turf Potential for
environmental harm is greater during periods of
reduced growth or when BMPs are not followed
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Our review of the literature clearly shows there
is no science, anywhere, supporting the idea of
improved water quality with a fertilizer
blackout To the contrary, science shows a
blackout may lead to increased runoff and
leaching Proper fertilizer management is a
year-round activity and can best be accomplished
with science-based BMPs and education
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We thank you for the invitation to bring the
science to the table