Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/19/2004

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Policy and Conventional Landscapes on the Use of Chemicals for Maintainin Sustainable As the attitude toward greater environmental/ecological stewardship o? parks and open spaces has gained momentum in the city in recent ye}rs, greater concern has arisen as to f. he use of chemicals as part of th~ management of natural areas, turf grasses, woody vegetation, and Lakes and creeks. Even naturalized or sustainable restoration, installation, and management projects can benefit from the careful use of specific chemicals to achieve management objectives. So do the positive aspects of chemical use outweigh the negadve aspects? Sustainable nadve landscape treatments are often scrutinized wheel they are compared to conventional landscaping or sod installations. For example, let us compare a native prairie grass and forb planting to a s od installation. On nearly every levd, the native planting is a superior choice. The native planting will cost less to maintain and install. In addition, native plantings consume less water, retain and filter more runoff, shelter more wildlife, and are historically more appropriate for most applications in Ramsey. However, there are people that like sod, enjoy mowing a lawn, and are wilting to pay extra dollars for it. The choice is a matter of aesthetics and personal choice. It would be difficult to argue a native grass planting on the 8th green at Ramsey's finest golf course, but native plantings should be used whenever possible. When installing sustainable .~ative plantings, performa~se goals must be set. If a sustainable inssallation fails, for whatever reason, ~t can set a bad precedent for any future attempts. There is always an argument to be made asto what is best aesthetically, and after a failure, that argument will be made. If all else fails, ,~.. ~ione point it is difficult to argue is 'tile bottom line. When installing conventional landscaping and sod, performance goals must also be met. Costs associated ~vith these installations such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and irrigation xvill be required to,keep the installation looking good. The maintenance variable assigned to any nexv or existing installation should factored into the expected performance goals. In order to regulate what chemicals are being used, and how they are being used, the following points should be considered: · Listing of accepted chemicals, including the rationale behind their use, specific application rates, and their cost. * Training/certification must be provided so that chemical agents can be used safely and cost effectively. · Authorization and accountability procedure to ensure compliance with application rules.