Did you know?

Growing Green has improved our community in many tangible ways!

If you’ve ever visited John Collins Park in East Grand Rapids, you’ve experienced this improvement, and you might not have even known it!

John Collins park is an almost 3 acre jewel enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.  On any given day, the park is full of people of all ages walking, biking, playing with pets, picnicking, fishing, taking in concerts, or observing wildlife along beautiful Reed’s Lake, like great blue herons, trumpeter swans, and even bald eagles.

Maintaining the park aesthetic has been a priority for the city of East Grand Rapids.  In the past, this was done through traditional turfgrass management, which included the use of synthetic fertilizer, weed and feed, and pesticides.

Across the country, people are becoming aware that the chemicals used in traditional turfgrass management are linked to adverse health effects for people, pets, and the environment. To avoid these adverse effects, alternative methods are becoming more widely used, which maintain turfgrass in a more healthy and environmentally friendly way.

Growing Green approached the City of East Grand Rapids to see if there was interest in learning about newer, environmentally friendly approaches.  Upon learning there was interest, Growing Green, in partnership with Midwest Grows Green, helped the city obtain a “Play Free” grant from Stonyfield Organics in 2019.   The grant  provided start up money toward switching to organic,  along with technical guidance on the principles of organic grounds management and  how to select and apply certified organic products.  East Grand Rapids is now one of more than 35 communities across the US who have adopted organic practices through the Stonyfield Play free grant program.

What changes were made?

Instead of synthetic fertilizer which degrades soil structure and creates excess runoff,  organic fertilizer is used. The grass is aerated, which provides oxygen to the roots. Weeds are managed through cultural practices and OMRI certified products. The grass is cut at 3” high, and clippings are mulched and returned to the soil.

What were the results?

When transitioning to organic lawn care management, there can be an initial period where the turf is not as aesthetically pleasing and weeds begin to creep in.  This is because it takes a little time for the soil to regain its healthy microbial life and organic matter after the use of synthetic chemicals.  Once this transition period has passed, the turf density is regained, and the grass takes on a new health and resilience not possible on a chemical based program.   This was seen at John Collins Park- the first year,  the grass did not look quite as good, but as the benefits of organic has taken hold, and the staff has become more familiar with how/when to apply the organic products, the grass is again aesthetically pleasing, as well as healthy and resilient!  Anecdotally, staff has noticed that the park requires less watering than its other parks, which is commonly seen due to the grass growing longer roots under organic management.

What’s in store for the future?

Now that the City has mastered organic practices at John Collins Park, they feel confident to extend these practices to other parks in the city.  This is a positive step for all who use East Grand Rapids parks! Our thanks to the city of East Grand Rapids, who continually strive to use best practices for the health of our city and its inhabitants!