UConn researchers are monitoring different plots for color, soil quality, and grass and weed density.
Researchers at UConn are investigating the feasibility of managing grade school athletic fields without pesticides. It's science that could one day inform state law.
Since 2010, Connecticut has banned the use of pesticides on the grounds of K-8 schools. For some athletic field managers, that's led to confusion about how to best manage their turf. "Unfortunately, a lot of the managers, because they're not sure what to do, are essentially doing nothing," said Jason Henderson, an associate professor of turf grass and soil sciences at UConn.
Henderson said neglecting fields could lead to unsafe playing conditions: turf that's filled with ruts or hard-packed soil that could increase concussion risk.
He's managing 24 field plots: testing a variety of organic and non-organic turf treatments. The goal is simple, to demonstrate what works, and what doesn't, when a school athletic field goes organic. "Having ... grass that's perfectly green is not something that you're going to have when you have a pesticide ban," said Julie Campbell, a graduate student working on the project. "People are going to have to adjust what they think about the fields."
Campbell said they're monitoring the different plots for things like color, soil quality, and grass and weed density. They even have a machine, which stomps on the soil to simulate cleat marks.
Henderson said he hopes the research, which is funded through the EPA, will help formulate some best management practices for taking care of fields without pesticides. "It's more than just, 'Hey we need this to look nice.' It goes beyond that with sports fields," Henderson said. "That's the biggest challenge right now ... finding alternative ways to maintain cover and keep the fields playable and safe for our youth in Connecticut."
During the last legislative session, a proposal to expand the state pesticide ban to include high school fields failed.
