The pitch

The Earthquakes don't expect to suffer the embarrassment of Levi's Stadium and its shoddy sod. They had a big advantage after successfully building grass fields at Buck Shaw Stadium and their practice facility adjacent to Avaya Stadium.

The team has used West Coast Turf's Bandera Bermuda grass that also is installed at AT&T Park, O.co Coliseum and Stanford Stadium.

The team conducted sun studies to figure out which areas of the field would be most affected by shadows during growing season. Builders changed the stadium's roof design based on the studies to allow for more sun during winter months.

"Bermuda fields only germinate at a certain temperature," team president Dave Kaval said. "If it is too cold, they lie dormant."

Layout

Designers shifted the stadium's configuration to take into account effects of the sun during games. Avaya Stadium faces northeast by southwest to ensure goalkeepers aren't blinded by glare like they were at Buck Shaw Stadium during sunset. The canopy and stadium walls also protect fans from sun exposure.

Seats and sightlines

The Quakes tested almost a dozen varieties of seats before settling on the Quantum from Camatic Seating. The seats are coordinated with team colors to enhance the home aura inside the stadium. The steep bowl-shaped seating structure and canopy have given Avaya intimacy. The top row is much closer to the field than almost any other stadium of its size. "If you sit in the 'nosebleed,' you're only 50 feet above the ground," Kaval said.

Parking and transportation

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Avaya Stadium: Breaking down Earthquakes' new digs

Frank Crofts receiving a medal from Sir Herman Black of the University of Sydney in 1968. Photo: Supplied

FRANK CROFTS 19252014

Frank Crofts was a distinguished agricultural scientist and an inspiring university teacher. His career resulted in huge savings in fuel and water for Australian crops, while improving soil fertility and increasing productivity.

He was born on February 27, 1925, the son of farming parents, Arthur and Lila Crofts. He grew up in the town of Blayney, an area well-known for severe extended winters and tough farming conditions. He went to Blayney Primary School then Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange. He joined the RAAF in 1942 and served in Townsville and New Guinea. As a returned serviceman, he got a Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scholarship.

He started at the University of Sydney in 1947. There he met Lucinda Wyndham, a demonstrator in agricultural botany and genetics. In 1950 and 1951, Crofts took the Pawlett Scholarship. His honours year was seminal: he was invited to attend the First Australian Agristology Conference, where he listened to the leaders in pasture research from all states of Australia formulate plans.

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Crofts graduated with a bachelor of science in agriculture with first class honours in 1951 and, the following year, he and Lucinda were married. From 1951 to 1954, Crofts worked on pasture decline on the far north coast of NSW as a research agronomist with the Department of Agriculture, on secondment to the University of Sydney.

During this time he became interested in conservation agriculture and no-tillage, and in this was at least 20 years ahead of his time. Together with pasture agronomist Ernest Breakwell and Harold Jenkins, he was largely responsible for developing the practice of sowing legumes into uncultivated pastures to increase pasture productivity a practice known as sod-seeding. This led to the university's patent of the sod-seeder, a machine widely used as the basis of conservation.

In the 1950s, Crofts developed a pasture management system to enable a consistent supply of forage for dairy cows throughout the year, reducing feed costs by up to 75 per cent. In 1954, Crofts was appointed lecturer in agronomy at the University of Sydney.

In 1960, Crofts was a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at Oregon State University. There, he was awarded a Master of Science with honours for his work on the effects of nitrogen on the growth patterns of a range of grass species.

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Frank Crofts, agricultural scientist who pioneered farm conservation practices, dies

Carol O'Meara CSU Cooperative Extension

Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series. Next week, Chris Hathaway, turf manager of the Denver Broncos' Sports Authority Field at Mile High, will give his take on turf cultivation.

Now that the season is over, the Denver Broncos are changing things up. But a new coach and changes to the roster aren't the only thing getting a makeover for next year's run at the Superbowl. To step up their game, the Broncos are giving their field a face-lift.

"All things have a lifespan, and the field the Broncos play on was designed for 10 years. Through good management, it was extended to 13 years; it served the team well," said James Graff, co-owner of Graff's Turf Farms in Fort Morgan. "What people don't realize is the stadium is used more heavily and differently today than it was in its first year, and it's hard to repair."

The combination of grass with synthetic fibers had to be hand-stitched whenever new sod was laid to repair worn spots. Whenever possible, repairs were made by over-seeding instead of with sod to avoid having staff serve as seamstresses for the field. Now at the end of its lifespan, the field is being completely renovated. An all-bluegrass field is going in, which allows the turf manager flexibility and ease of management.

What it won't do is take a lot of water, said Graff. "Bluegrass doesn't have to be the water hog homeowners make it out to be. You can count on sports turf managers to manage their resources wisely. The Broncos spend smart; they're wise in what they do and won't blow through water with this new field."

They're also using this time when the turf is removed to make repairs and upgrades to the heating and irrigation system.

Homeowners wanting to renovate their yards should be using this time too, says Graff, to plan and prepare the yard for renovation. While the Broncos have the advantage of heated soil, homeowners still have frozen ground. But you can plan for success and be ready for the ideal time of March into April to begin your project.

Focus on what is needed by asking the experts which type of grass is best for the area, if the irrigation system needs upgrading or how much maintenance you want to invest. In all cases, soil preparation must be on the to-do list.

Good soil is crucial to healthy turf; if yours has too much clay or is compacted, air and water aren't available to the roots. If there's too much sand, water and nutrients won't stay in the root zone. Have a soil test done to determine what your soil is like, including pH and existing nutrients.

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March into lawn renovation

A controversial county project that involves removing seven of the 18 trees at Courthouse Square in downtown Sonora is expected to run about $23,000 over budget, according to a revised estimate released by the county Tuesday.

The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors received an update on the progress of the project from County Administrator Craig Pedro, who said the cost for specialists to perform the tree removal and trimming work is expected to be more than double what was originally estimated.

Work is currently well underway at the park, with an expected completion date of March 6. The tree trimming and removal was initially estimated to cost only about $20,000, but the only bid received from the seven local contractors who were notified was for $42,845.

Given that increase and various project additions and chages, the price could grow to $66,000.

The Modesto-based contractor, Grover Landscape Services Inc., has an arborist on site at all times who has personally completed some of the work, Pedro said.

Theyre really paying attention to make sure this is done correctly, he said.

There have also been some additions and subtractions to the scope of the project since it began.

Pedro said the old wooden trash receptacles at the park will be replaced with nice, new metal ones at a total additional cost of $4,000, because part of the idea behind the project was to clean up the park.

A $15,000 plan to install security cameras on the surrounding buildings to document any illegal activities at the park will be funded by a grant through the Tuolumne County Transportation Council.

The board also made the suggestion of installing a sod lawn, rather than grass seeding. That will cost an extra $5,000, Pedro said.

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Tree removal pricetag growing

Concern for burrowing owls living in the unstable sand under the sidewalk outside Cooper City's Forest Lake Park recently prompted 80 volunteers to create six safe artificial nests.

Utilizing a $2,000 grant from the Captain Planet Foundation, students and parents from Griffin Elementary School, members of the South Florida Audubon Society's Project Perch program, Cooper City's Green Advisory Board and city staff teamed up for the project.

Volunteers dug into abandoned nests to create artificial nesting chambers and tunnels with PVC piping. White sand was spread at the entrance to attract owls. They surrounded the area with wooden fencing to protect the nests, and a sign was secured to the fence explaining what the owls eat, how they nest and their importance to the ecosystem.

"These were once active burrows, but sometimes they were in compromised areas," said Diana Guidry, chairwoman of the city's green board who works for NatureScape Broward. "The PVC doesn't collapse if a mower or a car goes over it. Hopefully, (the owls) choose these spots."

Residents expressed concern about the owls living underneath the sidewalk. Cars park in the swale, bicyclists, joggers and strollers use the sidewalk, and pesticides are sprayed along the concrete.

"We want to entice the owls to move where they'll be better protected," said city arborist Jeanette Wofford. "We want them to feel secure in their nests."

Kelly Heffernan, avian biologist and founder of Project Perch, which works to protect burrowing owls, was thrilled with the volunteer turnout.

"It's great when an event can draw this many volunteers," she said. " Almost all of our owls live in parks, schools or airports because it's the last green space."

Dawn Pitti wanted her son, kindergartner Aiden Pitti-Short, 6, to gain a greater sense of responsibility for the environment.

"He learned about (burrowing owls) at school," Pitti said. "Now when we come to this park, he'll see he was part of building the owls' habitats."

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Creating a safer owl habitat

News 12 First at Five / March 3, 2015

EVANS, Ga. (WRDW) -- As a retired insurance agent, Tom Sorrells never imagined that he would be the one at risk.

"You don't realize how devastating a storm is until the aftereffects," he said.

Last year's ice storm brought down three of his white oak trees.

"It killed the root system because of the severity of the winter storm. The trees literally just blew over because the roots died," he said.

A year later, he says his grass has drowned because of excessive rain.

"What used to be a nice back yard, a third of it eroded away," said Sorrells.

While his front yard is unscathed, his side yard is completely barren.

"What a difference 12 months makes. You've gone from a beautiful landscaped yard to total erosion of any grass," he noted.

His house is about 20 years old with trees decades older, so building standards to prevent erosion were not there, and at the time were not necessary.

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Erosion patterns increase one year after ice storm

The Lady Cardinals' new facility has been making great strides in recent weeks, with only 3 more weeks remaining ntil they take the field for their home opener. Photo taken Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Kim Brent/The Enterprise Photo: Kim Brent

The Lady Cardinals' new facility has been making great strides in...

Luis Amezcup lays sod near the third baseline as work continues on the Lady Cardinals' new softball stadium. Construction of the facility has been making great strides in recent weeks, with only 3 more weeks remaining until they take the field for their home opener. Photo taken Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Kim Brent/The Enterprise Photo: Kim Brent

Luis Amezcup lays sod near the third baseline as work continues on...

Luis Amezcup lays sod near the third baseline as work continues on the Lady Cardinals' new softball stadium. Construction of the facility has been making great strides in recent weeks, with only 3 more weeks remaining until they take the field for their home opener. Photo taken Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Kim Brent/The Enterprise Photo: Kim Brent

Luis Amezcup lays sod near the third baseline as work continues on...

Lamar University head softball coach Holly Bruder stands at home plate of the Lady Cardinals' new stadium. Work on the facility has been making great strides in recent weeks, with only 3 more weeks remaining until they take the field for their home opener. Photo taken Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Kim Brent/The Enterprise Photo: Kim Brent

Lamar University head softball coach Holly Bruder stands at home...

The Lady Cardinals' new softball stadium has been making great strides in recent weeks, with only 3 more weeks remaining until they take the field for their home opener. Photo taken Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Kim Brent/The Enterprise Photo: Kim Brent

The Lady Cardinals' new softball stadium has been making great...

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LU softball stadium to open in March

DENVER - The Denver Broncos will be playing on real grass, instead of a synthetic-grass blend, next season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Team officials said workers began removing the field surface on Monday and plan to have the new grass field in place in early April.

The surface has been a synthetic-grass blend put in place when the stadium opened in 2001. The new surface will be 100 percent Kentucky bluegrass sod. Officials said the sod will be grown by Graffs Turf Farms in Fort Morgan.

The first event on the new field will be the Denver Outlaws home opener against the Charlotte Hounds on May 3.

"After completing extensive upgrades to the stadium in recent years, our focus now is providing the safest and best possible playing surface at Sports Authority Field at Mile High," said Zach Myhra, Director of Facilities for Stadium Management Company.

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Broncos changing to real grass at Mile High

Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Beeston discusses the prospective move from artificial turf to real grass in Rogers Centre by 2018

Researchers will receive $600,000 as part of the agreement, and a year-long study is now underway. The goal is to have natural grass installed with a dirt infield by the start of the 2018 season.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Toronto Blue Jays on this exciting project," said Rene Van Acker, associate dean with the Ontario Agricultural College and a professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture.

"The challenge of developing a natural turfgrass field for the Rogers Centre is very unique, but we are confident that the combination of the Blue Jays' commitment and our special expertise and research capacity will produce a facility that players and fans will love, and that will meet the challenges of the Rogers Centre as a world-class multiuse facility."

The Blue Jays and Rays are the only two franchises in Major League Baseball that play their home games on an artificial surface. Beeston has made it one of his top priorities to make the switch to natural grass, and while the process is expected to be very complicated, the initial stages of that plan have been approved.

The project will be overseen by Eric Lyons, who is a professor in the Department of Agriculture and a leading turfgrass expert. Lyons has been tasked with determining which strand of grass would be able to grow indoors under artificial light. Other aspects that need to be examined are the humidity levels, air circulation, water and durability to survive an 81-game home schedule.

Lyons has been asked to recommend a specific strand of grass by spring of 2016. From there, it will be up to the Blue Jays to determine whether such a move is feasible and what type of upgrades would be required to make it happen. Rogers Centre currently is not equipped with proper drainage, and substantial renovations would be required even if the right type of grass can be identified.

"I am certain that we can do this -- find suitable grass species and ways to ensure they will flourish inside the stadium," Lyons said.

"The question will be whether it's feasible for the Blue Jays to do it, and that's what we're going to help them answer."

If the project continues after the initial year, the grass will be grown at an Ontario sod farm and then tested in a simulated environment under artificial light before possibly getting the go ahead for the 2018 regular season.

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Blue Jays looking into installing grass at Rogers Centre

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -

"Gold is the New Green" and "Stay Sandy Santa Barbara" are two catchy slogans that have popped up during the record drought.

But two new phrases are drawing the attention of local landscapers: "Bold Innovation" and "Eco-Mat."

The Eco-Mat system is a way to keep your grass green, year round, from the roots up. Think of it as a waterbed of sorts, with holes in it for the roots of your lawn.

The underground watering system is manufactured and sold worldwide by Hunter Industries.

The poly-propelene felt blanket evenly disperses water laterally, not from above, but beneath grass.

"The roots of the sod actually come in and attach to this mat, and they get a lot of the water," said Kim True, owner of True Nature Design in Goleta. "They can go down below it as well to get deeper water."

The installation process is fairly easy and arguably, less time consuming than installing a traditional sprinkler system. But, it is not a one person job.

The Eco-Mat comes in a roll measuring 295 feet long by 38 inches wide. Pre-drilled emiter tubing, spaced every 14 inches, runs through channels in the fleeze. The mat system is installed three inches below sod, with a layer of amended soil in between.

A growing number of local contracters and landscapers say this type of sprinkler system is quickly becoming a "must-have" in a variety of turf settings, including that strip of grass between the street and sidewalk.

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Subterranean Sprinklers Not Saturating The Market, Yet