Green Ground and Maintenance Policy

September 10, 2021
 

Green Ground and Maintenance Policy
 

Green Grounds and Maintenance Programs are part of a comprehensive approach to operating a municipality in an environmentally friendly, resource-efficient manner. Implementing this program will help improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, improve public health and reduce costs.

IT SHALL BE THE POLICY OF MARGATE WHERE PRACTICAL TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING FOR THE REASONS INDICATED:
 

Reducing the use of pesticides benefits human health.
 

Beyond ecological damage, pesticide exposure is associated with cancers, nervous system disorders, respiratory problems, and learning disabilities. Pesticides enter drinking water systems and come into direct contact with residents in parks and children in schoolyards. Employees are also exposed when preparing and applying pesticides. Eliminating the use of these toxic chemicals reduces the health risks to the community.
 

Green Grounds and Maintenance saves money.
 

Efficient landscaping strategies use low-maintenance native and drought-tolerant plantings to reduce the volume and frequency of watering, saving staff time and lowering water bills. Reducing the amount of lawn area that requires mowing similarly saves staff time and fuel costs. Integrated Pest Management strategies reduce pesticide purchase costs. Composting and the use of recycled materials can reduce mulch and fertilizer
 

Green Grounds and Maintenance reduces a community’s carbon footprint.
 

Reductions in mowing and watering save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing chemical inputs of pesticides and fertilizers also reduces the community’s carbon footprint since these products require significant energy for production. Substituting native plantings for lawn areas and planting more trees captures carbon dioxide from the air, offsetting some of the community’s carbon emissions.
 

Green Grounds and Maintenance increases biodiversity and provides wild life habitat
 

By incorporating native species, reducing chemical inputs, and reducing lawn area, green landscaping strategies improve wildlife habitat and promote a greater diversity of flora and fauna.
 

Green Grounds and Maintenance improves water resources.
 

By capturing and filtering runoff, green landscaping techniques reduce the amount of pollutants entering surface waters, recharge groundwater sources, and reduce the volume of stormwater entering treatment facilities.
 

Green landscaping is attractive.
 

Reducing lawn area and increasi.ng plantings of native trees and perennials, meadows and wildflower areas can improve the aesthetics of municipal grounds, making the community more attractive.
 

THIS POLICY MAY BE IMPLEMNTED BY METHODS AND PRACTICES LIKE:
 

Recycled Materials and Composting
 

• Compost landscape waste (e.g. leaves, pruning’s, etc.) or use the waste as mulch.
 

• Reuse materials from the municipal waste stream, such as tires and cement, whenever possible, to products, including hardscape products, including benches and planters. .
 

Efficient Landscape Design
 

Use’ native species’ instead of exotic plants whenever possible.

Native species require less maintenance and provide valuable habitat for local wildlife.
 

• Avoid excessive fertilizer use.

Test soils for ph to determine which plants are best-suited to the soil type.

Further test soils to determine composition, and then apply specific fertilizers to correct soil chemistry if needed, instead of using a generic mix that often provides excess phosphorus.
 

Minimize Water Consumption
 

• Minimize lawn areas to reduce required maintenance, and replace lawn areas with higher value landscaping.
 

• Design landscaping with storm water management in mind.
 

Consider property contours and create plantings that will slow water flows and filter runoff to improve groundwater recharge and prevent erosion.
 

• Improve operations with efficient watering schedules, improved irrigation equipment, and rainwater capture.
 

Water the landscape only when needed, instead of setting schedules that are hot sensitive to weather and species- specific needs. Minimize evaporation, and utilize efficient irrigation techniques, such as drip irrigation systems.

Be sure to search for and fix leaks promptly.
 

Integrate Pest Management
 

• Significantly reduce or eliminate the use of conventional pesticides through an Integrated Pest Management program.