‘GRASS ROOTS’ OUTREACH EXPANDING By Suz Trusty
Te ‘Grass Roots’ Initiative, a collaboration of the U.S. National Arboretum (operated by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service) and the National Turfgrass Federation (NTF), fills a vital role in delivering the message of “…the uses of turf, the management of turf, the benefits of turf, the value of turf.” Its centerpiece, an innovative exhibit of interactive displays located near the Arboretum’s visitor center, has been capturing the attention of an ever-increasing number of Washington, D.C. visitors since it opened in the fall of 2014.
Te Lawn Institute is one of the sponsors of ‘Grass Roots.’ Kevin Morris, NTF president, and executive director of the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP), says, “Sod producers, locally and regionally, were instrumental in donating products and services to launch the ‘Grass Roots’ exhibit.” Exciting outreach is radiating from that solid base reports Geoffrey Rinehart, Grass Roots Initiative coordinator, providing an update on the highlights.
‘Grass Roots’ Growing to Maryland SoccerPlex
Women’s Soccer League. In addition, it hosts regional and national youth soccer tournaments, drawing over 600,000 visitors per year. Te ‘Grass Roots’ exhibit is strategically located to attract those visitors, on a one acre site in front of the ticket booth on the south lawn adjacent to the SoccerPlex’s stadium field.
“We are very excited to partner with ‘Grass Roots’ and to have such an interactive and educational exhibit at the Maryland SoccerPlex,” said Maryland SoccerPlex Executive Director Trish Heffelfinger. “Te exhibit will highlight new technologies in the turfgrass industry, and the effects of turfgrass and lawns on the environment. It will also, hopefully, lead to further scientific breakthroughs.”
Tat enthusiasm is shared. “Collaborating with the Maryland SoccerPlex made sense on so many levels," said Morris. "Right from the beginning Trish (Heffelfinger) offered to not only help with funding, but offered the expertise of SoccerPlex Director of Grounds Ryan Bjorn and his crew.” Rinehart adds that the assistance will extend far beyond the initial development, with Bjorn and his crew providing the onsite maintenance for the exhibits. “It’s already a great partnership,” says Rinehart. “We’re all looking forward to the open communication and ability to share the similarities and differences between the sites, both on the technical components of turfgrass management and the visitors’ interaction with the exhibits.”
Construction of the ‘Grass Roots’ exhibit at the Maryland SoccerPlex began in March, with the grand opening of the completed exhibit scheduled for early September. Photo by Shaun May, Maryland SoccerPlex
Te USDA/NTF ‘Grass Roots’ initiative and the Maryland SoccerPlex have partnered to create ten interactive educational displays at the complex in the same format as those featured in the arboretum exhibit.
Te Maryland SoccerPlex, about 25 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., in Boyds, MD, features 24 regulation- sized soccer fields and an award-winning stadium field. It’s the home of the multiple programs of the Soccer Association of Montgomery (SAM) and of professional- level play with the Washington Spirit of the National
TPI Turf News July/August 2016
Construction began in March, with the grand opening of the completed exhibit scheduled for early September. Naturally, the first area of concentration was the sports field segment. Rinehart says, “We put in the irrigation and the four sports fields are in place, each featuring a different surface. Te cool-season field is turfed with HGT Bluegrass. One of the warm-season fields is Latitude 36 Bermudagrass; the other is Zeon Zoysiagrass. Te last field is synthetic turf. Chad Price, president of TPI member Carolina Green Corp., Indian Trail, NC, handled the sports field installations. Te company also was a major contributor of sod and services for the ‘Grass Roots’ displays at the arboretum.”
“Te ‘Grass Roots’ exhibit drew an estimated 30,000 visitors during our first calendar year,” reports Rinehart. “Tat’s nearly seven percent of the 400,000 visitors to the arboretum. Attracting seven percent of the Maryland SoccerPlex’s 600,000 visitors would total 42,000. With the format of tournament play, a team might play its first game at 8:30 am and then play again around 11:00 am. Families are at the complex and will be looking for something interesting to do between games—like visit the ‘Grass Roots’ exhibit. We’re anticipating that factor will raise the attendance percentage significantly. And the number
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