Special Feature
Grass Roots Exhibit Opens at the U.S. National Arboretum By Geoff Rinehart, “Grass Roots” Initiative Coordinator
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first-of-its-kind interactive outdoor exhibit at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., Grass Roots had its grand opening on October 16, 2014. The exhibit is the centerpiece of a four-year initiative that focuses on the environmental, economic, aesthetic and recreational benefits of turfgrass in landscapes, golf courses and athletic fields. Thematically linked to gardens and displays throughout the Arboretum’s 446-acre grounds, the exhibit shows how turf and grasses are used for a wide range of functions in the environment, from soil and water retention to activities and aesthetics. The outdoor interactive exhibit highlights the results of turfgrass research and demonstrates that the best grasses are developed and managed with their purposes in mind: linking landscape elements, conserving soil and preventing erosion, managing stormwater runoff, beautifying landscapes and providing safe places for recreation and green space in urban environments. The exhibit also features agronomic grasses and research by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) aimed at sustaining the productivity of grain crops. Ornamental grasses tie the entire exhibit together. The exhibit design was developed by a team led by the Arboretum’s
head horticulturist, Scott Aker, and included Rain Underground (a Baltimore-based landscape architect firm), Arboretum staff and representatives from the National Turfgrass Federation. “This initiative illustrates how we can connect ARS science to something that is familiar to just about every person in America,” says research leader Margaret Pooler. The outdoor exhibit is part of the Grass Roots Initiative, a collaborative effort between the U.S. National Arboretum and the National Turfgrass Federation. The program consists of an outdoor interactive exhibit,
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extensive turfgrass-management information on the web that complements the outdoor exhibit and workshops, product demonstrations and symposia. The Initiative will also lead the effort for development of the National Greenscape Corridor — a cooperative effort linking the National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery and the National Arboretum. The outdoor Grass Roots exhibit is in a 1.3-acre space adjacent to the Arboretum’s Administration Building and Visitor Center. There are 12 stations, including a scaled-down golf hole, irrigation and fertilizer displays,