Bermuda grass could answer long-term drought doubt

By John Hollenhorst

October 13th, 2014 @ 5:50pm

SALT LAKE CITY The man in charge of keeping the campus green at the University of Utah is calling for the state to lift its ban on a so-called "noxious weed."

He thinks it could be part of the answer to long-term worries about drought.

Senior Crew Lead for the University of Utah, Lorenzo Lopez, said Bermuda grass uses dramatically less water and thrives in many areas where other grasses dont.

"This could be a great opportunity for Bermuda grass. I think it's one of the answers. It's not the complete answer," said Lopez.

But Lopez is not allowed to do it.

Lorenzo Lopez's lawn crews can't even experiment with Bermuda grass. The state long ago declared it an enemy in the war on weeds.

Rich Riding, Noxious Weed Program Manager with the Utah Department of Agriculture said the plant is a threat.

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Bermuda grass could answer long-term drought doubt

Crews at the University of Utah are using bluegrass seeds to cover a brown patch, but it's not the kind of grass the university's chief lawn keeper would prefer. He said Bermuda grass would be better because it uses less water, but that the state considers it a "noxious weed."

John Hollenhorst, Deseret News

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SALT LAKE CITY The man in charge of keeping the campus green at the University of Utah is calling for the state to lift its ban on a so-called "noxious weed."

Lorenzo Lopez said he believes it could be part of the answer to long-term worries about drought.

Bermuda grass uses dramatically less water and thrives in many areas where other grasses dont, said Lopez, senior crew lead for the University of Utah.

"This could be a great opportunity for Bermuda grass, he said. I think it's one of the answers. It's not the complete answer.

But Lopez is not allowed to do it. His lawn crews can't even experiment with Bermuda grass. The state long ago declared it an enemy in the war on weeds.

"This weed is one that we've looked at, and we've decided that it really poses a threat to the state, said Rich Riding, noxious weed program manager with the Utah Department of Agriculture.

Riding said Bermuda grass is way too aggressive, choking out nearby lawns and farm crops.

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'Noxious weed' could be answer to long-term drought, lawn expert says

NEW ORLEANS, La. (PRWEB) October 12, 2014

EasyTurf is scheduled to showcase their industry leading, environmentally friendly synthetic turf at the Greenbuild International Expo Oct. 22, 23 In New Orleans.

EasyTurf will unveil a booth that showcases the intricate energy saving and water conscious systems associated with their fastest growing artificial grass applications, pet, rooftop, playground and commercial landscapes. The EasyTurf artificial grass system can be largely engineered with recycled products, adding to the environmentally friendly nature of synthetic turf.

EasyTurf has been an innovator of synthetic grass landscaping and has taken a leading role in educating consumers of our many benefits, said Dave Hartman, EasyTurf President. Were excited to join the Greenbuild community of professionals and present the diversity of EasyTurf and our ability to improve homes, businesses, and ultimately, quality of life, while at the same time, conserving our natural resources.

Stop by the booth to learn how artificial grass fits into green roof design. When natural grass is a part of landscape irrigation costs, 60% of those costs go to watering sod - not only is the water conserved [when artificial grass is installed] but so is the energy that would be used to get that 60% of irrigation from point a to point b, said Jackie Luper, EasyTurf Vice President, Marketing. Because of the UV protection, artificial grass extends the life of existing roof membranes by up to 20 years artificial grass in rooftop applications has also been shown to help insulate buildings keeping cold air in and hot air out in hot weather, and hot air in and cold air out in cold weather.

Advancements in synthetic turf technology have increased the list of applications available to consumers. Lawns and putting greens are now just a fraction of EasyTurf's installations. The green roof industry has been growing aggressively since 2009, up about 115 percent thanks to companies and organizations like Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), Cities Alive, EasyTurf, and the more than 425 accredited Green Roof Professionals (GRPs) in the market. EasyTurf is one of the most effective water conservation products available to green building industry professionals. EasyTurf is 100 percent recyclable, reduces carbon emissions, utilizes waste and preserves precious water resources.

EasyTurfs superior synthetic grass products are matched by a dedication to exceptional craftsmanship and customer service, Hartman said. Our commitment to excellence continues to attract homeowners and commercial businesses searching for functional, aesthetic improvements.

World renowned dog whisperer, Cesar Millan recently introduced EasyTurf artificial grass as his turf-of-choice for pet owners. Millan says drainage was critical in his decision to partner with EasyTurf on the 10,000 sq. ft. installation of artificial grass at his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, Calif.

We have a lot of land to cover, so its important to me that our landscaping is easy to care for, safe for our pack and has proper drainage, said Millan. Not only does Easy Turf look just like natural grass, it helps to eliminate common lawn problems associated with pets like brown spots from urine, tracked in mud, grass clippings and it can even deter your dog from digging holes.

EasyTurf, the landscape division of FieldTurf, plays an important role in environmentally friendly lawns, recreational fields, playgrounds and energy conservation plans for communities throughout North America. More than 30,000 attendees and 900 exhibiters from across the U.S. and around the world are expected to gather at the Morial Convention Center. For more information, visithttp://www.greenbuildexpo.com.

Continued here:
EasyTurf Scheduled to Showcase Industry Leading, Environmentally Friendly Synthetic Turf at Greenbuild International

The Tri States own "Sultan of Sod" puts his work on display for the nation to see during the ALCS

Monroe City native Curt Mayes is now in his eighth season as a groundskeeper with the Kansas City Royals....but is just now experiencing his first ever MLB Postseason on the job. /KHQA Sports File

ROYALS FEVER: A "GRASS ROOTS" PERSPECTIVE OF THE ALCS WITH MONROE CITY NATIVE/KC ROYALS GROUNDSKEEPER CURT MAYES

For the first eight years of his career, Monroe City native Curt Mayes was a little like the CPA who was told to go ahead and sit out Tax Season.

You see, his employer, the Kansas City Royals had this nagging thirty year inability to play their way into a postseason...which left our guy Curt, a rising young groundskeeper, with little more to do in October than watching the unused grass grow at Kauffman Stadium.

Business has, as you might expect,picked up considerable for Curt and crew.

Preparing The K for an All Star Game in 2012may have been Curt'sprevious career highlight, butit is a whole new ballgame now.

Curt Mayes via Phone: "This week we will have the ALCS Game Number Three on Monday. Major League Baseball umpires will come out Monday Morning and inspect all our mounds to make sure the slopes are correct, that we measured bases. We will do all that. And then on top of that is, we also have to paint all the logos. We want the outfield, all the grass and everything, to be perfect. There's much more that goes into it just because everyone is watching."

Since 2007, Kauffman Stadium has been Curt Mayes' everyday office. But until now, he's never gotten a chance to experience this place...or this city through this kind of postseason prism.

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Royals Fever: A "Grass Roots" Perspective from Monroe City native/KC Royals Groundskeeper Curt Mayes

The $63 million St. Paul Saints ballpark project in downtown St. Paul will soon have a playing surface, as crews from Chisago City-based Peterson Co. on Wednesday began installing sod for the field.

The 95,000 square feet of specialized sod has to be put down now to give the grass enough time to take root before the new 7,000-seat ballpark at Fifth and Broadway streets now known as CHS Field opens next spring, according to the city of St. Paul.

Ideally, there will be time to mow the grass at least once before the snow flies, according to Brad Meyer, spokesman for the citys Parks and Recreation department, which is overseeing the project.

Installation will be completed by Friday, Meyer said.

Meyer said the value of the sod contract is about $75,000, including materials and installation.

The sod came from Heath Farms in Coloma, Wisconsin, which provided grass for Miller Park in Milwaukee and other professional and collegiate stadiums, according to its website.

Located about 3 hours from the Twin Cities, Heath Farms was the closest supplier that had the exact growing conditions we were looking for, Meyer said.

The sod is being installed directly on top of a 12-inch foundation that includes a mix of sand (85 percent) and peat (15 percent). A drainage layer is directly underneath the sand-peat mixture.

The field will have a 0.5 percent slope to promote drainage.

Overall, the ballpark project is 60 percent to 65 percent complete and on track for its spring 2015 debut, according to Meyer.

Excerpt from:
Crews install grass for Saints ballpark

Jake Yunker, with Chisago City-based Peterson Companies, lays sod along the first base line at CHS Field. The turf started going in Wednesday. Tim Nelson/MPR News

CHS Field in St. Pauls Lowertown got a dose of summer with its first layer of sod Wednesday. Just after dawn, crews started installing the infield turf at the $62 million stadium. Its a key part of the construction process that signals the minor league baseball St. Paul Saints will play on the new home field at the start of the season next May.

I know it was a tough task to keep on schedule, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said, noting it was important to put grass down now to allow it time to grow. We can do a lot of things through the course of the winter, laying sod is not one of them.

Tim Ryan, with Ryan Cos., which is building the stadium, said the turf comes from Robert Heath Farms in Coloma, Wisconsin. He said its the same sod thats used in Miller Park, where the Milwaukee Brewers play. This sod was actually best suited to the drainage system we have installed here, Ryan said.

The sod, about 95,000 square feet of it, should be completely installed by the end of the week. Wed like it to take root and maybe get a couple mows on it before winter really sets in and it goes dormant. Ryan said.

Ryan estimates the stadium structure is 90 percent complete, the entire project has about 1/3 of the work left to do. Construction crews will focus on the interiors and finishing details over the winter.

Tim Nelson is a general assignment reporter for Minnesota Public Radio News, and a 20-year veteran of local news. Hes been covering the Vikings stadium issue since 2011.

Link:
Home turf: St. Paul Saints field has new grass

The St. Paul Saints on Jan. 30, 2014, unveiled three new renderings of the regional ballpark in Lowertown, including this view of the Suite Level. (Image courtesy of the St. Paul Saints)

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman will be the first to break in the freshly-laid sod on Wednesday morning when he plays catch at the new regional ballpark in Lowertown.

The $64 million, city-owned CHS Field will be home to the independent league St. Paul Saints and Hamline University's Piper Baseball team when it officially opens off 5th and Broadway in May 2015. Contractors affiliated with the Ryan Companies will begin laying sod on the ball field at 8 a.m. The mayor is expected to take the mound around 11 a.m.

The Saints recently ended their 22-year run at Midway Stadium on Energy Park Drive. The 12-acre site will be converted by the St. Paul Port Authority and United Properties into an office and light manufacturing center. The building, which will measure up to 200,000 square feet, could open in 2016.

More information is online at lowertownballpark.com.

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Lowertown ballpark: CHS Field's grass goes in Wednesday

FIFA officials will be taking a closer look at BC Place today in light of the controversy surrounding turf conditions for the Womens World Cup that will be held in Canada next year.

A total of six stadiums around the country will be inspected.

BC Place will host the World Cup final on July 5 as well as a number of other matches in the group and playoff stages.

At the beginning of this month, a group of elite female players filed a lawsuit against the Canadian Soccer Association and FIFA claiming gender discrimination because their male counterparts have always played on natural grass surfaces.

They say playing on fake grass impacts game dynamics and can result in a greater risk of injury.

The players alsosuggest that tournament venues replace their turf with permanent or temporary grass pitches.

A lawyer representing the players says it would cost $2 million to $3 million at most to install real grass.

So far, FIFA has said it has no plans to reconsider using artificial turf and there is no plan B.

Players say they will not be boycotting the World Cup over this issue.

A number of celebrities weighed in on the debate.

Original post:
FIFA officials to inspect BC Place turf in light of controversy

Whats the current state of artificial turf?

One of the main differences between synthetic turf used today and older versions is the use of infill material, which gives the surface far more cushioning and acts as artificial earth, providing more shock absorption and natural footing. That infill is made of materials such as sand and rubber crumbs produced from ground-up recycled tires. Older versions of synthetic turf had shorter piles of synthetic grass blades that were more abrasive to the skin, and used just sand as infill, or none at all. Todays have longer piles made of plastic fibres, which feel softer than in the past.

What is FIFAs standard?

The artificial-turf pitches for the 2015 Womens World Cup must be 2-Star recommended fields, the highest standard within the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf. The pitches can only be from one of FIFAs select group of approved manufacturers. All competition and training fields from the six host Canadian cities must be rigorously tested within one year of competition. The physical materials are measured and tested, as well as the fields durability, the reaction of the ball on the surface and the reaction of a player to the surface.

Has natural grass been installed over artificial?

Yes. When the United States hosted the mens 1994 World Cup, FIFA installed real grass on top of the artificial stuff at the Pontiac Silverdome, then the home of the NFLs Detroit Lions. It was the first time World Cup matches would be played indoors. Experts in turf-grass management at Michigan State University spent 18 months trying to figure out how to keep grass alive inside a domed stadium for the month-long tournament, and came up with the worlds first portable natural-turf-grass system: 1,900 hexagonal aluminum trays, each containing about 50 square feet of grass, which would be wheeled in and out. That single-field conversion cost FIFA about $2-million (U.S.).

How could the artificial turf be converted to grass for the womens tournament?

If organizers had to put the tournament on grass, they would either move the games to appropriate grass fields or put temporary natural grass right on top of the artificial-turf surfaces. The cost estimates for conversion vary wildly, but one expert estimated about $600,000 to $700,000 a field. It would likely be done by putting a series of trays of soil on top of the synthetic surface, and then putting thick sod on top.

Why do many soccer players prefer natural grass?

Synthetic surfaces are used for soccer at many levels around the world, as well as field hockey, rugby and NFL and NCAA football. It is used in CFL stadiums five of which are being used for this Womens World Cup (Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver). In fact, many of the women who will play in this World Cup play in small artificial-turf stadiums in the National Womens Soccer League, saying they do what they must to build a foundation for their young league. The ball moves differently on synthetic turf, changing the way the game is played and the abandon with which they play it, many soccer players say. Sliding on it can be more painful than on natural grass and diving headers more risky. On a hot, sunny day, artificial turf heats up, thanks to its black infill and synthetic grass fibres, and watering it only does so much to cool it down.

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Everything you wanted to know about artificial turf

Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press Published Wednesday, October 1, 2014 4:03PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, October 1, 2014 8:20PM EDT

A group of elite players has filed a lawsuit in Canada challenging plans to play the 2015 Women's World Cup on artificial turf.

The players, led by U.S. women's national team forward Abby Wambach, filed Wednesday in the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal in Toronto, lawyer Hampton Dellinger told The Associated Press.

The women claim that playing the sport's premier tournament on fake grass amounts to gender discrimination under Canadian law. Their male counterparts have always played the World Cup on natural grass surfaces, and will for the foreseeable future.

The players say they believe there is a greater risk of injury on turf and that an artificial surface impacts both how the game is played and how the ball behaves.

Among the athletes joining Wambach are U.S. teammate Alex Morgan, Germany's Nadine Angerer, Brazil's Fabiana Da Silva Simoes and Spain's Veronica Boquete.

"The gifted athletes we represent are determined not to have the sport they love be belittled on their watch. Getting an equal playing field at the World Cup is a fight female players should not have to wage but one from which they do not shrink. In the end, we trust that fairness and equality will prevail over sexism and stubbornness," Dellinger said in a statement.

The Canadian Soccer Association issued a brief statement in response.

"Our lawyers will be reviewing any and all applications or information related to this. We will refrain from any comment until there has been a thorough review."

On Tuesday, a FIFA official visiting Canada in advance of the tournament next year said there were no plans to reconsider using artificial turf.

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Players file lawsuit in Canada over fake turf at 2015 Women's World Cup