West Orange WEHI preliminary report

4 provide only short-term solutions. Some turf man- agers are starting to use compost and compost amended with bulking agents, such as aged crumb rubber from used tires or wood chips, as cost-effective alternatives. Incorporating tailor- made composts into compacted soils improves root penetration and turf establishment, increases water absorption and drainage, and enhances resistance to pests and disease. Using tailored compost can also significantly reduce the costs associated with turf management. Research con- ducted at a U.S. Air Force golf course in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for example, indicated that turf grown in areas improved with tailored compost required up to 30 percent less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than turf treated conventionally. ç Greening the Links The U.S. Army Golf Course Operations Division at Fort George Meade, Maryland, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began a 3-year pilot demonstration in 1995 to determine the effec- tiveness of compost amended with crumb rubber in alleviating soil compaction, erosion, and turf dis- ease problems. The golf course superintendent esti- mates that using compost technology would save nearly $50,000 a year in maintenance costs. At the U.S. Army Golf Course at Fort George Meade, Maryland, erosion can clearly be seen on the untreated right side of the path, while rubber amended compost is helping keep erosion in check on the left. ç What Are the Benefits of Using Compost? Soil Enrichment: • Adds organic bulk and humus to regenerate poor soils. • Helps suppress plant diseases and pests. • Increases soil nutrient content and water retention in both clay and sandy soils. • Restores soil structure after reduction of natural soil microbes by chemical fertilizer. • Reduces or eliminates the need for fertilizer. • Combats specific soil, water, and air problems. Pollution Remediation: • Absorbs odors and degrades volatile organic compounds. • Binds heavy metals and prevents them from migrating to water resources or being absorbed by plants. • Degrades, and in some cases, completely elim- inates wood preservatives, petroleum products, pesticides, and both chlorinated and nonchlori- nated hydrocarbons in contaminated soils. Pollution Prevention: • Avoids methane production and leachate formation in landfills by diverting organics for composting. • Prevents pollutants in stormwater runoff

drocarbons in contaminated soils. Pollution Prevention: • Avoids methane production and leachate formation in landfills by diverting organics for composting. • Prevents pollutants in stormwater runoff from reaching water resources. • Prevents erosion and silting on embankments parallel to creeks, lakes, and rivers. • Prevents erosion and turf loss on roadsides, hillsides, playing fields, and golf courses. Economic Benefits: • Results in significant cost savings by reducing the need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides. • Produces a marketable commodity and a low-cost alternative to standard landfill cover and artificial soil amendments. • Extends municipal landfill life by diverting organic materials from the waste stream. • Provides a less costly alternative to conventional bioremediation techniques. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army, Fort George Meade, Maryland