COVER STORY
INDUSTRY LEADERS PARTNER WITH REFUGE LAWN TO HELP GUIDE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION OUTREACH By Drs. Edicarlos de Castro and Jay McCurdy, Mississippi State University
MEETING NOTES
urfgrass occupies an estimated 40 to 50 million acres in the United States, approximately 40% of which is maintained lawn around homes, places of business, and institutions. There are numerous environmental and societal benefits of turfgrass in the human built environment, and the turfgrass industry contributes billions of dollars to the country’s economy each year. However, maintained turfgrass often lacks species richness to support insect pollinators, and residential properties offer poor nesting and habitat sites that are highly segmented. An interdisciplinary group of turfgrass scientists has partnered on the Pollinator Friendly Lawns in the Southeastern United States project ($493,000), funded by the United States Department of Agriculture–National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA– NIFA). This project seeks to enhance lawn attractiveness and function for pollinating and other beneficial insects through the inclusion of flowering plant species and development of best management practices (BMPs). Principle investigators met with industry advisers on October 8, 2021 to discuss scientific and Extension viewpoints regarding pollinator-friendly lawns and stakeholder acceptance.
“It is important to slowly change the mindset of American lawn people from preferring a high-maintenance horticultural lawn to lawn that includes pretty flowers and pollinators in different seasons,” says Felder Rushing who is a renowned speaker, writer, urban horticulturist, and FlowerLawn advocate. He believes that, to succeed, the project must focus on biodiverse turfgrass-forb systems that work well in our region (the Southeast) and can be easily replicated throughout the country. Felder and others raise an interesting point: stakeholders may be slow to accept conversions of their entire lawn, so the focus has to start with the conversion of “pockets” or just the side or back lawn. Jim Crockett, who provides technical training for lawncare professionals, calls this a “lawn with a purpose.” Jim’s expertise and connection to the professional lawn care industry will be helpful in developing long-term strategies for lawn diversity in the green industry. “We can use small areas of lawns and make them diverse, maybe starting with buffer strips or areas along fences, so we will create a less fragmented suburban environment and increase pollinator habits,” says Jay McCurdy. According to Jim Crockett, Refuge Lawn must help create a structured landscape, perhaps with maintained monoculture turfgrass, alongside a biodiverse flower lawn in the transition between turfgrass and ornamentals or property borders. “Much like a golf course rough,” says Danesha Seth Carley, who advised Pinehurst during their renovations to restore native habitats. “The concept of a fairway, intermediate rough, and tall-grass rough is analogous,” says Gerald Henry. David Held raises an important question: “How do we change the diversity of lawn settings and add value in these scenarios?” According to David, “we must create an ecosystem that produces quality forage and habitats for bees, not just pretty flowers. We must ensure that the plants and the new management strategy we are promoting will benefit pollinators, homeowners, and the green industry.” This requires a shift in societal goals within the built environment. Defining this new aesthetic will require stakeholder input. Danesha believes that, to achieve these goals, “it’s necessary to evaluate the impact of turfgrass species and common cultural practices” on forb establishment, persistence, effects on pollinator visits, and maintenance costs. Tim Ray, an Extension Agent at Mississippi University, says, “Its necessary to understand the influence of age on how people maintain their lawns. Younger generations may be more interested in environmental issues than older generations.” For these reasons, understanding human behavior and attitudes towards biodiverse lawns will be an important factor impacting whether the BMPs developed by the project will achieve public acceptance.
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INVESTIGATORS • Jay McCurdy, Mississippi State University • Edicarlos de Castro, Mississippi State University • David Held, Auburn University • Gerald Henry, University of Georgia
ADVISORS IN ATTENDANCE • Tim Ray, Extension Agent II, Harrison County, Mississippi State University •F elder Rushing, Radio Host and Meadow Lawn Advocate, Mississippi •D anesha Seth Carley, Associate Professor, Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, and Director of the NC State NSF Center for Integrated Pest Management • Jim Crockett, Nufarm US Turf and Ornamental, Regional Sales Manager
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org
