Turf Management & Landscaping

Landscaping industries make it possible to recreate and work outdoors. Throughout southeastern Wisconsin, turf grass managers, landscapers, nurseries, and other professionals design and maintain the golf courses, sporting areas, lawns, gardens, roadways and other landscaped urban and suburban amenities that we use everyday.

Although turf is not an impermeable surface, if not designed and maintained to limit stormwater runoff, landscaped areas can be a source of stormwater pollution. Similarly, facilities that store and sell landscaping materials can become a pollutant source without a pollution prevention program.

Fortunately, there are best practices that these industries can implement to be a positive member of the watershed community. Find information and resources below that help those in the landscaping business to make informed decisions about how to prevent fields, lawns, gardens, and facilities from becoming a pollutant source.

General Best Practices for Turf Managers and Landscapers

From having a process to properly store, use, and dispose of potentially hazardous materials like pesticides and fertilizers to educating staff on these processes, there are many best practices for landscape professionals and facilities to use to prevent stormwater pollution. Important examples include:

Chemical & Material Storage

Store chemicals in appropriate containers that reduce the chance of spilling. Keep absorbent cleanup materials stored near by in case of spillage.
Cover piled landscaping materials with plastic sheeting or other erosion control methods. Store piled landscape materials on unpaved or otherwise controlled surfaces that are located in an area and designed to prevent materials from blowing or washing into the storm water system.
Regularly inspect storage facilities to ensure that no spillage is occurring.

Fertilizer, Herbicide, & Pesticide Application

Where possible, apply chemicals on individual plants or only areas where treatment is required.
Apply chemicals during calm or lightly breezy days under dry conditions with no rain in the forecast.
Apply chemicals in a manner that prevents application on paved areas or landscape debris for disposal.
Allow chemicals to absorb into plant tissue or soil before irrigating, and create small berms around plants to prevent any runoff.
Use natural alternatives where possible.

Staff Training

Train all staff on storage, cleanup, and disposal procedures.
Train all staff to identify any potential stormwater pollution issues.
Make procedures accessible for review and reference. Develop a checklist for regular and situational procedures for staff use.

Adapted from STORMWATER MANAGEMENT: Pollution Prevention for Nurseries and Landscape Industries. Town of Plainville, Massachusettes. Last Accessed: July 2021.

For a more holistic checklist, visit the University of Georgia’s Extension Library to view an Environmental Checklist for Nurseries, Greenhouses, and Turfgrass Producers.

Resources for Athletic Fields

Wisconsin Golf Industry Best Management Practices

This resource from the Wisconsin Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Northern Great Lakes Golf Course Superintendents Association was developed to provide guidance golf courses in order to balance performance and economic impact with environmental stewardship and community. The guide adopts recommendations and BMPs encouraged by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy. It is a resource for Wisconsin Golf Courses to use when making decisions on how to optimize water and nutrient management, responsible pesticide management, energy conservation, and other practices that can impact the environment.

Learn more at www.gcsaa.org/environment/best-management-practices/state-bmp-guides

Guidance for Integrated Pest Management or Natural Lawn Care Programs for Sports & Recreation Fields

The Midwest Grows Green Lawn & Land Forum identified seven essential components to a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management or Natural Lawn Care program for Sports & Recreation Fields. These components include such items as field prioritization, product selection, and community outreach procedures.

Resources for Turf Management Operations

Turf Nutrient Management Technical Standard

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources establishes the criteria and documentation requirements for nutrient management plans for parcels five or more acres in size. However, these criteria can be beneficial for any sized parcel to consider for management purposes. The standard intends to minimize nutrient entry into water resources through proper application of nutrient inputs while maintaining at least 70% turf density.

GENERAL BEST PRACTICES

RESOURCES FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS

RESOURCES FOR TURF MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS