Synthetic Infill Augments Sustainable Landscapes
By Steven Jay Porus Green Industry Education
Diminishing resources and client demands have made Sustainable Landscapes extremely important. Water-wise (or Xeriscape) native plant material along with water-efficient irrigation systems are crucial components of sustainability.
This being said, clients are still emotionally attached to their green lawns because the senses bring happy childhood memories of playing in the grass. Unfortunately turfgrass requires more water than other plants in the landscape and therefore should be used sparingly. But if reducing the size of your lawn creates anxiety, another option is artificial turf. Today’s synthetic turf looks like grass, feels like grass and with a spray, it can smell like freshly mowed grass.
Safety concerns about artificial turf include heat and abrasive surfaces. Synthetic turf manufacturers are extensively researching and developing their products to address these issues.
Mondo has developed Mondoturf Ecofill. Mondo uses its patented and factory-manufactured polyolefin-based granule for its in-fill system instead of rubber. Ecofill retains less heat than traditional black rubber granules, so it minimizes the need to water down fields prior to use. It also is halogens, formaldehyde and aromatic amine free, and it’s 100 percent recyclable, which is an industry first. It was designed through extensive biomechanical research to reproduce all of the properties of natural grass while delivering the appropriate amount of shock absorption and energy return for optimal, natural-field-like athletic performance. Ecofill is an environmentally friendly material that is made from recycled content. It is virtually odor free, even in hot, humid conditions, and it eliminates carbon black runoff.
Sportexe's Omnigrass is soft, yet exceptionally durable and consistent. OmniGrass is an ideal, low-maintenance choice for all levels of athletics. OmniGrass was designed with safety in mind. 100% rubber infill helps to maximize safety. New exclusive Strenexe™ fiber is more durable and less abrasive than previous slit-film fibers. Quadback™ provides dimensional stability. Seams sewn edge-to-edge to eliminate bumps
FieldTurf’s smaller fiber denier allows a less heavy pile, without sacrificing fabric density. Because of FieldTurf's heavier sand content, its fibers do not mat or lay over like competitors fibers. This is a critical difference. This is because each FieldTurf fiber is surrounded and 'stabilized' by a heavy, stable mix of sand and rubber and physically cannot lie over.
The current technology of Synthetic turf can augment the Sustainable Landsapes. Green Industry Education is exploring this viable option for SmartScapes 2007. This project assesses a residential landscape, designs a sustainable landscape, will perform site preparation and planting of new sustainable landscape. All phases of this project will be documented on video and used to create a new online training session. The project co-chairs include:
William Baker (William Baker and Associates) - Certified Golf Course Superintendent, Certified Arborist, licensed pest control advisor, pesticide applicators license. Janet Hartin (University of California Cooperative Extension) - B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Minnesota, Environmental Horticulturist specializing in sustainable landscapes. Susan Sims (Sims Tree Learning Center) - Agricultural Biologist, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, CA Certified Urban Forester, CA Licensed Agricultural Advisor, CA Licensed Agricultural Applicator.
