Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Initiative – Affecting Environmental and Social Change

Overview
The use and maintenance of turfgrass contributes significantly to Michigan’s economic, cultural and recreational well being. While infusing more than $1.86 billion dollars into the state’s economy through jobs, materials and equipment, turfgrass areas provide Michigan communities a foundation for attractive landscapes, parks, schools, and cemeteries, as well as numerous recreational and tourism opportunities such as golf and other sports. Michigan is additionally a major producer of sod, a significant agricultural commodity for developing areas.

Maintained turfgrass areas cover large portions of the state, comprising 5% of Michigan’s total land mass encompassing almost 1.9 million acres. Turfgrass areas are inherently interwoven into Michigan’s natural resources with significant portions of our abundant lakes, rivers, streams, shoreline and wetlands existing adjacent to metropolitan areas. Turfgrass maintenance practices including mowing, irrigation, pesticide and fertilizer applications, as well as cultivation and establishment practices create an important environmental dynamic in many urban and suburban communities, potentially affecting air and water quality.

While initial consideration of the use and care of turfgrass might seem to offer benefits only to the “end-user” such as the homeowner, golfer, athlete, or community resident, the totality of its impact is significantly more broad reaching and much more tangible to important social, economic and environmental issues.

For over 100 years Turfgrass Science programs at Michigan State University (MSU) have provided, through research, education and outreach, the fundamentals necessary to manage healthy and attractive turf. A robust and diverse array of university programs continues to satisfy the demand for skilled and educated workers capable of managing the ever-increasing amount of new turf areas. Opportunities for job creation and career advancement in turfgrass serve urban and suburban communities, MSU, and the green industry in efforts to engage and attract a racially and ethnically diverse youth population.

For more than a decade partnerships forged between the turfgrass industry, MSU and governmental agencies have led to significant advancements in protecting and sustaining Michigan’s natural resources. Demand for voluntary reform and compliance by the industry coupled with progressive research and outreach efforts by MSU continues to bolster local community efforts and stand as a model for other states with similar environmental protection concerns.

Many grassroots and organizational initiatives are active statewide addressing the potential of using turfgrass as an urban agricultural commodity and as a catalyst for environmental, social and economic change. Many additional programs are in the early stages of development as a rising tide of momentum carries them to communities and neighborhoods across the State of Michigan.

To maximize the effectiveness of these enterprises a cohesive effort must be put forth to bind all available elements together. Such an initiative seeks to make profound changes and advancements in the social, economic and natural environment in Michigan through the many scientific, educational, outreach, and career opportunities created through the use and management of turfgrass.

This initiative will:

• impact K-12 education by using turf as a model to teach math and science
• develop an internship program beginning in SE Michigan linked to corporate-sponsored scholarships at community colleges and Michigan State University
• train for jobs and careers in the ‘Green Industry’
• address environmental issues like water quality through expansion of environmental stewardship programs for turfgrass professionals, and education and outreach vehicles for home and property owners
• aid local communities through partnerships that help create ‘Cool Cities’ and provide intelligent land use options to create functional green space for recreation, wildlife habitat and storm water management
• provide opportunities for MSU, state agencies and the Governor’s office, and the Legislature to develop other social and environmental programs with the Green Industry that positively impact urban and suburban communities.

A proper organizational structure will provide the vehicle of success needed to secure sustained external funding and continued momentum. The Michigan Turfgrass Stewardship Initiative can meet these unique objectives, embrace this ideology and advance its causes. Ultimately, a program such as this can be used as a model to engage and partner with other states throughout the Great Lakes Region.

A History of Turfgrass Stewardship
The Michigan turfgrass industry has evolved as a leader in creating change in the stewardship of the state’s natural and economic resources. The initial thrust of stewardship efforts began in the late 1980’s when industry leaders helped craft statewide pesticide regulations ensuring safety to human health as well as protection of our ground and surface water resources. During this same period a nationally recognized research project began at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on the campus at MSU to determine the fate and impact of nutrients and pesticides in turfgrass systems on groundwater resources.

In 1990, a proactive turf industry asked MSU to hire an environmental specialist to direct the advancement of its environmental stewardship objectives. With a budget crisis preventing a traditional appointment the industry proposed and was successful in filling a position with support coming wholly from a fee-based program structure. Dr. Frank Rossi, the newly hired MSU Turfgrass Environmental Specialist developed and delivered to the industry workshops and outreach vehicles which laid the groundwork for further advancement. In 1992, Dr. Rossi accepted a faculty position at University of Wisconsin, Madison and Greg Lyman was hired as the new Turfgrass Environmental Specialist at MSU.

Stewardship gets a name
In 1995 the Michigan golf industry proposed a program that would afford participating courses the opportunity for voluntary reform and compliance relating to their individual environmental impact. With the support and guidance of several partners including the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation (MTF), MSU, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) the Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program (MTESP) was launched in 1997 with 45 golf courses enrolling in the first year. By 1998 enrollment had grown to over 100 courses with the first two obtaining full certification. The program additionally received a boost when it was presented a national award in 2001 from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. The present program has 230 participating golf courses with 51 fully certified.

By 2001 demand began to grow for structured stewardship programs from other industry segments such as lawn care and sports field management. Leaders from the lawn care profession with the support of the MTF and Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) began discussions to expand stewardship programs. This initiative ultimately developed into several discussions bringing together a remarkable mix of watershed groups, state and local regulators, industry support organizations, MSU / MSUE personnel and industry representatives. By 2002 with the focus squarely on urban phosphorus reduction and a growing number of local fertilizer ordinances occurring throughout the state the need to integrate reasonable industry regulation with stewardship became apparent.

In late 2002 the advancement of a comprehensive stewardship program became pinned on the success of an amendment to the Michigan Fertilizer Act. Recommended language in the act could generate over $900,000 annually to fund stewardship efforts throughout the state. Discussions on the proposed amendment have been temporarily tabled but discussions of a stewardship program continue. In October of 2003 the position of MSU Turfgrass Environmental Specialist was vacated when Greg Lyman accepted a position with Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to head the Environmental Institute of Golf. Greg Lyman, during his decade of service, championed profound and fundamental change in the advancement of stewardship in the state of Michigan. His departure inspired the turf industry to look beyond filling a position and instead to look at using those university resources to build a broader and more comprehensive turfgrass stewardship program.

By 2003 water conservation became a regulatory and industry priority. The adoption and amending of the water conflict resolution and reporting laws aimed to impact many key dynamics of the turf industry such as water use fees, well locations, and static water level reporting. The turfgrass industry’s involvement in the Ground Water Advisory Council continues to assist with developing irrigation and water conservation best management practices.

Starting in 2002 and leading up to the present, many outreach programs coordinated by the turfgrass industry, MSU Extension, watershed groups and other organizations began throughout the state. An integrated message of environmental stewardship and best management practices for the care of turf soon became widely disseminated throughout many communities particularly in southwest and southeast Michigan. The impetus for many of these programs was provided by a ground swell of community and industry interest as well as EPA and MDEQ regulations and an unprecedented increase in local fertilizer regulations.

Broadening the vision
Between 2002 and 2003 two prominent reports, the MDA Rotational Survey on the Turf Industry and The Michigan Green Industry Jobs Report, were completed. These reports highlighted the significance of the turfgrass industry’s impact on Michigan’s economy and the needs and potential for positive social change. These reports clearly suggested that industry stewardship objectives should focus not only its environmental components but also on its potential to bolster education, in addition to economic revitalization and job creation efforts in urban and suburban communities.

The fall of 2002 brought an opportunity for the turfgrass industry and MSU to partner with the City of Detroit utilizing turfgrass education to cultivate an urban green industry workforce. By spring of 2003 partners in this progressive stewardship initiative began working to bring turfgrass education and career awareness to inner-city communities. This program sought to address the immediate need for skilled turfgrass management personnel in school systems, recreational based programs, urban parks, and the private sector while linking students to continuing education at MSU through potential scholarship and internship programs. The advancement of this initiative continues to progress with the interest and support of its many partners including Detroit Public Schools, MSU/ MSUE, Detroit Tigers, MTF, Michigan Golf Course Owners Association, Michigan Sports Turf Managers Association, Think Detroit, and the Michigan Green Industry Turf & Landscape IPM Training Program at Historic Fort Wayne.

Renewed commitment
In 2004, with an unwavering commitment to creating a cohesive turfgrass stewardship program several organizations, spearheaded by the MSUE Water Quality Area of Expertise (AOE) Team, the MTF, and the MNLA resurrected a steering committee to continue its development. Through discussions of this steering committee it became clear that a successful program would be one adopting a comprehensive set of objectives embracing all segments of the turfgrass industry while providing stewardship to environmental, social, and economic concerns.

Turfgrass stewardship benefits Michigan communities
Turfgrass areas make up a large component of Michigan’s urban landscape and as such impact nearly every Michigan resident through the many recreational, aesthetic, and functional influences they impart on daily life. Quality turfgrass management is a science requiring numerous educational, social and environmental principles to achieve success. Several obtainable objectives using turfgrass stewardship as a foundation include: educating the green industry and the public about environmental protection; teaching children and youth the fundamentals of math and science; creating entry level jobs and career pathways; assisting in urban revitalization; and facilitating diversity in the green industry and in graduate, undergraduate and two year university programs.

Turf to protect our environment
The ecological dynamics of urban landscapes have received significant attention both statewide and nationally in the past two decades. The qualities of certain components of the state’s natural resources have necessitated efforts to integrate new ideologies of environmental health into the population. A growing number of federal, state and local regulations seeking to protect, improve and conserve water and air resources have prompted the creation of unique alliances between industry, academia, university extension, government, environmental and locally formed action groups. Many of these collective bodies have begun to envision a framework for major advancements in environmental education, compliance and stewardship.

As a major component of urban landscapes, turfgrass areas are inherently part of the dynamics of natural resource protection. Certain elements of environmental concern such as nutrient enrichment in surface waters potentially link the practices involved in turfgrass care to these issues. Sound peer reviewed research is paramount to define this link as well as the measures required of both the professional and homeowner to make positive steps in sustaining Michigan’s natural resources. As research and discovery efforts continue to frame discussions of best management practices, environmental stewardship programs for professionals and educational outreach efforts for homeowners can create an underlying acceptance for basic environmental principles. The commonality found between the beneficial impact of turfed areas and the need for a new ideology of environmental stewardship provides an opportunity to use turfgrass as a model for a successful stewardship initiative.

The turfgrass industry has long provided leadership in the promotion of natural resource protection largely through industry demand, outreach programs, voluntary compliance and partnerships with advocacy groups and government agencies. An expansion and coordination of these efforts would allow research, outreach, and regulatory policy to be combined into one comprehensive initiative. Many tangible benefits would be realized with the cross integration of environmental stewardship objectives providing exponential value to all partners.

Key environmental benefits of a comprehensive stewardship initiative

• Advance the core mission of MSU, state agencies and the Governor’s office, and the Legislature.
• Strengthen the role of MSU in environmental protection
• Boost opportunities for external funding
• Encourage voluntary compliance of industry professionals
• Improve the visibility and marketing of a comprehensive public message
• Enhance the potential for regional, national and international cooperation and recognition
• Support efforts to educate and inform students, industry professionals and homeowners about the merits of environmental protection
• Facilitate the integration of water and air quality principles into other stewardship objectives such as youth and career development, job creation, and urban revitalization

Environmental stewardship addresses the goals and objectives of many industries, organizations, collective bodies, universities and governmental agencies. Strategies to advance the diverse missions of individual groups can be well served by combining efforts into one valuable initiative that ultimately focuses on the one shared objective of protecting the quality of Michigan’s natural resources.

Turf to teach our children and youth
Many schools struggle to find innovative ways to offer students, particularly ones deemed “at risk”, a working knowledge of math and science skills. These fundamental learning elements become critical when seeking jobs with long term wage earning potential and where supervisory or technical skills are required. Connecting with children and youth hinges on finding common ground in their everyday life. Young people spend a considerable amount time using turfgrass. Sporting events, playing in the park, or just enjoying their own home or apartment lawn offers many unique opportunities to experience and learn from these dynamic plant communities.

Basic elements of turf care such as fertilization and pest control largely employ basic math and science skills and are inherently interrelated to human and environmental health. Lawns, sports fields and parks offer students of all levels of education a foundation for learning. Using turfgrass care to engage young people in the basics of environmental protection can imbed important ideology into their lives at an early age increasing the likely hood of retention and integration of these principles into adulthood.

As youth move into higher levels of education, Agri-science programs with FFA leadership and career centers can build on these foundations. Urban and suburban Agri-science programs and FFA are well positioned to create and deliver curriculum to achieve these educational goals. Many current programs in the state, including several in the Detroit area, utilize turf and landscape management as an area of study and career growth. By partnering with the turfgrass industry and other organizations urban Agri-science programs could integrate corporate scholarships into their course structure, offering students educational opportunities at Michigan State University and at various community colleges. This proposed path to higher education removes many of the barriers currently present for urban youth to continue their education beyond high school. Lieutenant Governor Cherry’s Subcommittee report on Higher Education clearly shows the economic and social benefits of continuing education.

One such university program that is uniquely designed to help accomplish these efforts is The Institute of Agriculture Technology (Ag Tech) offered through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU. This two year certificate program is designed for persons seeking a university level education but desiring to enter the jobs market earlier than they would through a four-year curriculum. Ag Tech training programs, like others at MSU, generate qualified interns who offer new skill levels to a variety of agricultural and horticultural firms including those within the many industry segments of turfgrass management. This unique MSU program combined with those offering four year degrees maintain exceptional track records of job placement upon graduation making them ideal partners with career pathway programs found in Michigan schools.

A turfgrass stewardship initiative, bolstered by regional cooperation, would support the expansion of these programs contributing to the vibrancy of urban and suburban schools, the incorporation of environmental principles, the promotion of neighborhood pride of ownership and the integration of young people into the economic community. This model would encourage youth to continue their education beyond high school by exposing them at early age to the link between education and career.

Turf to create jobs
The demand for qualified people who can manage attractive and functional turfgrass areas continues to grow. The recently completed Michigan Green Industry Labor Study suggests that over a third of all existing “Green Industry” jobs will require filling the following season, offering a potential for 11,000 new jobs in turf maintenance in 2005. Additionally, this study suggests that the “Green Industry” as a whole represents a stable jobs market proven to resist great fluctuation in job demand despite economic downturn.

The industry of turfgrass management offers a diverse array of jobs relating to the professional care of golf courses, school grounds, athletic fields, home and commercial lawns, parks, cemeteries and its agricultural component of sod production. The range of job categories within these segments include entry level or laborer positions, skilled jobs with technical or formal training, positions with supervisory or managerial responsibilities, as well as entrepreneurial opportunities in business ownership. Each industry segment has its own individual dynamics and as such offers unique benefits to Michigan’s jobs market.

The expansion of golf courses in Michigan provides a consistent demand for large numbers of workers. Encompassing nearly 96,000 acres of maintained turf and employing nearly 10,000 people, golf courses represent a cornerstone of Michigan’s tourism industry. Golf course management offers long term career opportunities for formally trained individuals as well as abundant locally based seasonal jobs which make up over 80% of the industries work force. The golf course industry continues to support vibrant two year, four year and graduate level programs at MSU as well as bolstering environmental protection objectives through their support of research efforts and the Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program.

In 2002 Michigan schools employed over 3,000 persons to manage nearly 60,000 acres of general grounds and athletic fields. Vigorous new school and field construction efforts combined with dwindling budgets have increased the urgency to train qualified workers to manage these facilities proficiently within budget constraints. Educational programs at MSU along with the support of state and national industry organizations are beginning to create regional cooperation efforts which support training and career pathway development in this promising industry segment.

The management of municipal parks, cemeteries and other green expanses account for over 4000 Michigan jobs. Clean and well maintained parks and “commons” have long provided centers of cultural enhancement utilized by industry and municipalities to attract and retain employees and residents. Demand for qualified workers in this field continues to grow as communities seek to re-use land and generate increased open green space as part of efforts to create “Cool Cities”.

The demand for professional lawn and landscape care continues to experience unprecedented growth both statewide and nationally. Many notable characteristics unique to this industry segment offer great potential to expand related jobs into urban and suburban communities. In 2002 a MDA Rotational Survey examining the Michigan Turfgrass Industry revealed that lawn service companies employed nearly 12,000 people - the largest provider of jobs in the industry - with a third of these positions - over 4000 jobs - providing year-round employment. Other studies have shown that this segment possesses the highest percentage of jobs offering health care and retirement benefits, requiring technical skills, and offering positions that are difficult to fill. Matching these unique statistics with the needs of local communities to provide solid employment opportunities to diverse youth populations deserves considerable attention as a viable component of urban revitalization.

The turfgrass industry in the state of Michigan offers significant potential for career development and job opportunities. Turfgrass stewardship objectives can strengthen efforts to provide inner-city youth employment opportunities, afford industry firms, schools and municipalities qualified workers and incorporate environmental principles through an integrated training and educational structure. A clear link between education and success in the job market is established.

Turf as sensible and functional land use option
Many communities across Michigan are planning for and experiencing the revitalization of their metropolitan and suburban centers. As priorities focus on strategies to attract young workers and families to vibrant communities, programs such as Governor Jennifer Granholm’s “Cool Cities” initiative have sought to define the elements necessary to maximize these efforts. Creative land use and re-use serves as a key theme in this and other urban revitalization discussions and ventures. The role of turfgrass in these efforts becomes significant as it is often used either as the primary visual or functional component in the development or re-development of the landscape.

Most metropolitan areas, through the build up of industry throughout the last century, have become starved for open green space. The re-utilization of wore down, abandoned or contaminated land has led to exciting and valuable improvements in many Michigan communities. Attractive parks and inviting paths connecting residents to shopping districts and cultural centers are replacing dilapidated buildings and worn concrete in progressive efforts to create “walkable” communities. Large expanses of land once occupied by recently or long closed factories is experiencing new life as it is transformed into golf courses and premier living communities. Spent landfills, once considered a “throwaway” component of urban areas, are turning into large multi-field athletic complexes encouraging the physical fitness of children, youth and adults as they participate in soccer and other sports.

The growth and revitalization of urban areas is often subject to regulatory mandates to manage storm water generated from the increasing amount of roads, sidewalks, parking lots and roof-tops. The use of turf areas and its contaminant filtering properties offers solutions to handle certain storm water situations employing relatively new concepts such as grassy swales and rain gardens. Grassy swales use turfgrass species tolerant of salt and wetness to create inverted boulevards and widened road shoulders acting as catch basins to filter storm water from streets and parking lots. Rain gardens utilize specialized turf species and other moisture loving plants to act as storm water basins while still maintaining the functionality of a landscaped park or garden. These two examples offer practical methods which largely employ turfgrass as the chief functional component reducing the amount storm water runoff into fragile water sheds.

The utilization of turfgrass in the use and re-use of urban land benefits Michigan communities by increasing cultural, environmental and economic vibrancy. A turfgrass stewardship initiative can benefit urban revitalization plans by partnering with municipal planners, developers and contractors to integrate the many unique dynamics of turfgrass research, education and outreach into their efforts. The creation of multi-functional attractive greenspace for combined passive and active recreation that also helps manage storm water, provides evaporative cooling, and establishes wildlife corridors is a cost-effective and beneficial result of a comprehensive turfgrass stewardship initiative.

Affecting environmental and social change
Environmental awareness and institutional change is best achieved when young. The success of smoking cessation, drug and alcohol awareness, and recycling are all examples of successful programs that started with children. The environmental goals of Michigan to protect our valuable resources are best achieved through the education of our youth and implementation of voluntary environmental stewardship programs readily promoted and embraced by the turfgrass industry. Coordinated and comprehensive citizen’s outreach and education delivered by existing local and regional advocacy groups and complemented by MSU Extension sends a sustained and clear message of environmental action and resource protection.

The early integration of hands-on math and science linked to actual work experiences and a realization that education equals success in a job and career offer a new paradigm for educational success. The Careers Pathway mandate is a concept in need of a delivery system, and the Turfgrass Stewardship Initiative will help provide that delivery. Economic success is clearly correlated to level of education, and this initiative removes barriers to continuing education for many of our at-risk youth.

The potential for increased job demand in turfgrass is significant given the stable growth of specific industry segments such as lawn care, sports turf, parks and golf course management. As urban and suburban communities engage in revitalization efforts much of the demand for green industry workers is likely to come from metropolitan areas. The demographic makeup of many of these communities, in terms of race and ethnicity, offer great potential to increase diversity in the green industry and in university programs while providing career opportunities to inner city youth and adults.

Urban revitalization and intelligent and innovative land use are achieved with this initiative. The link with the “Cool Cities” initiative provides a dynamic driver for moving forward. Cities can have planned greenspace that can also function to protect natural resources and encourage recreation and aesthetic enjoyment.

The Michigan Turfgrass Stewardship Initiative will require cooperation, collaboration and partnerships between MSU, Michigan government, environmental groups, cities and local governments, and a proactive industry. Components of this far reaching initiative are already in place and functioning. A successful history of partnerships already exists between the turfgrass industry, MSU, State agencies, and advocacy groups. Clearly we have an opportunity to take this experience and move it to the next level with this comprehensive initiative.

References
Department of Labor & Economic Growth Media and Public Relations, Office of the Governor; Michigan Cool Cities Initial Report; Lansing MI, 2003

Rosenbaum R., Babladelis P., The Michigan Green Industry Labor Study; Michigan State University, East Lansing MI; 2004

Kleweno D.D., Matthews V., Michigan Rotational Survey-Turfgrass Survey 2002; Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Michigan Department of Agriculture; Lansing, MI 2002