Playing Field Evaluations for M-NCPPC

Abstract

Students in PLSC402 worked with Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation to assist the department in improving the maintenance practices on some of their sports fields to provide safe, agronomically sound play areas for county residents and amateur sports teams.

Students provided assistance in creating a “turf inventory” on the county’s recreational sports fields and Board of Education fields, which the Department of Parks and Recreation may take over in the near future. While it wasn’t feasible within the framework of the class to examine every sports field, PLSC402 “Sports Turf Management” students examined and researched three fields, which were representative of other county field conditions and traffic and play patterns.

The results of standard sports turf field assessment measurements, including shear strength, surface hardness, bulk density, and volumetric water content, are included in this report. Based on these findings, field visits, and observations agronomic recommendations were developed and included in this report.