Feature Story

Changing Regulations and Protecting The Environment: A Proactive Approach

“Why does the Elizabeth River Project want to work with the Virginia Turfgrass Council?” we asked the Elizabeth River Project’s RiverStar Homes coordinator. The answer to that question posed seven years ago at a Chesapeake Virginia Panera restaurant set the foundation for partnerships with environmental groups across Virginia.

She said, “We understand people along the Elizabeth River will have lawns and landscapes. We want to work with the industry to help them do it right and not harm the river. “

The Elizabeth River and its tributaries encompass the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. The waters are surrounded by both residential and industrial facilities, including at one ship yard. In 1997 the Elizabeth River Project (ERP) was founded with the purpose of “restoring the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business and community partnerships.” The task was huge. “Dead” and “beyond hope” were frequently said about the river’s industrial regions. Vast amounts of thick tar-like sludge caked the bottom. Oysters and other sea life were nonexistent. In less than 25 years, the ERP cultivated state and local political connections, raised vast amounts of donations, and established strong relationships with businesses in communities affected by the Elizabeth River. Results are nothing less than phenomenal. Marine life has returned and oysters are being harvested in several places.

The Virginia Turfgrass Council reached a turning point when the ERP asked for our help.

Prior to that Panera lunch, an adversarial relationship existed between environmental groups and industry associations such as the Virginia Turfgrass Council. A deep chasm separated “us” from “them.” Bridges began to be built as we realized our commonalities exceeded our differences. Groups such as the ERP want clean rivers, abundant wildlife, and restored environments. Industry groups want the same. Working together is not without its challenges, but the results make it worthwhile to identify differences, reject extremist views on both sides of the chasm, and work through misconceptions.

Environmental groups have strong grass-roots support and political networks that are extremely effective at enacting legislation, especially in states such as Maryland where localities are allowed to regulate pesticides and fertilizers (in Virginia, such regulation is only done by the General Assembly).

Recently, an environmental group leader we work with was able to publicly correct another speaker at a large conference. The correction was necessary because the first speaker, the leader of another environmental group, made several untrue statements about the turfgrass and landscape industries. In another case, a very well respected beekeeper told the Mayor of Virginia Beach that the industry is often falsely blamed for deaths of pollinators.

Turfgrass managers across the U.S. are keeping a keen eye on proposed and new regulations on the use of pesticides and other chemicals used in maintaining healthy, weed and pest-free natural grass. While these changes are a call to action for all turfgrass professionals to work to educate stakeholders on the history and proper use of the products in danger of being banned or increasingly regulated, we must simultaneously work with environmental groups and find alternative products and practices that allow us to uphold the aesthetic and functional standards we’ve set.

What happens when anti-pesticide and anti-fertilizer laws are enacted? For instance, in Montgomery County, Maryland, a new pesticide law prohibits the use of certain products. In response, companies such as Newsom Seed developed an Organic Lawn Program that works within the requirements of those and other regulations.

Programs such as the one developed by Newsom seed represent shifting priorities in the turfgrass industry. For the Virginia Turfgrass Council, efforts to understand and engage with communities and lawmakers culminated in the creation of the VTC Environmental Institute. By expressing our investment in a healthy environment and our willingness to consider alternative products, we are not only working in good faith with environmental groups, but also supporting innovation in turfgrass management.

Below: These natural products are some that are included in Newsom Seed’s Organic Lawn Program.

Jack Findling of Newsom Seed