Sports Turf & Urban Landscapes credit:

2 Hours

Turfgrasses comprise over 40 million acres of residential lawns, parks, golf courses, and athletic fields, and are a major US crop with acreage similar to wheat. Lawns provide numerous ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, evaporative cooling, and water filtration. However, turfgrasses are criticized for excessive water, fertilizer, and pesticide use. This course examines the environmental concerns and benefits of turfgrasses with an emphasis on sports turf design, construction, and maintenance, while exploring lawn alternatives.