Consultation - Municipalities

Municipalities across the country are beginning to deal with the issue of pesticide use to maintain lawns, landscapes, public parks, and sports fields. Questions are posed from diverse groups concerned about water quality, storm water run-off, and public and children’s health issues. The discussions focus on the use of synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides.

In fact, some cities and towns either have enacted local restrictions or are in the process of doing so on their municipal properties. Sports fields, public parks, and municipal green spaces are all turf areas that historically have been under varying degrees conventional management programs.

Osborne Organics, LLC has developed a turf management protocol that defines a natural, organic program and presents a creative approach to working within tight municipal budgets. There is a transition period that involves a period of time to move from one program to another. By addressing soil health, cultural practices, and natural, organic product we can move successfully to our goal of chemical-free turf.

The Technical Review Process Osborne Organics provides is comprehensive and includes the following components:

• Documentation of existing conditions; complete photographic documentation of sites to detail existing conditions with the goal of identifying strengths and weaknesses of given areas;
• Extensive soil testing for building a customized program;
• Nutrient and textural analysis, and samples for Bio-assay of soil microbial life;
• Assess current and past management practices, both cultural and product, and formulate management plan to move through the transition.
• A detailed final report to be presented outlining an action plan for going forward.