IPM-Based Landscape Design

Athletic & Recreational Facilities

Athletic and recreational facilities are very common features on school grounds and parks. Because their use involves children in or on these facilities, it is especially important to construct them in such a manner that the need for herbicides is largely unnecessary in their maintenance. This can be accomplished through the use of: all-weather surfaces instead of sand or other loose materials, using landscape fabric where a mulch is used, including an edging around the perimeters to prevent the encroachment of weeds and grass, and underlaying features such as backstops and fencelines, benches, bleachers, etc. with concrete.

See the sections discussing mowing strips and underlayment and landscape fabric with mulch for further information regarding those topics.

Upper left photo shows a gravel track where field bindweed (morningglory) has invaded large areas and will continue to spread. Now that it has become established, it cannot be effectively removed without the use of herbicides.

Upper right photo shows an asphalt track with no edging and encroaching weeds. Some weeds are very capable of growing into and through asphalt (e.g., horsetail, quackgrass).

At left is an all weather track with concrete mowing strip/edging around the perimeter. This will prevent weed problems and premature wear for many years.

Long jump run-up where jumping pit has a surrounding mowing strip to contain sand and prevent lateral encroachment of weeds and turf. However, it has not been adequately maintained due to insufficient funding for maintenance of the school district's landscape facilities. Also, the run-up is intended as bare gravel, a perfect environment for weeds and a situation that presumes the use of herbicides.


These long jump pits and run-ups have been built for longevity and ease of maintenance. A wide concrete strip surrounds the pit and landscape fabric has been installed underneath the sand to prevent any deep rooting of weeds. The run-ups have a thick rubber mat over a concrete pad; surrounding boards and bolts hold mat in place.


Baseball field backstop and bench with concrete underlayment limits maintenance and prevents weeds, tall grass, and pedestrian wear. Both of these examples are retrofit projects as part of a school IPM program; the original construction did not include the underlayment.

On the other hand, this city park's baseball field has no underlayment for the benches and backstop. The turfgrass underneath grows tall and is sprayed at least once a year.


A set of bleachers that have no underlayment. Note how the Himalayan blackberries are growing from underneath into the seats.	Bleachers with concrete underlayment. No maintenance is required!	Portable bleachers that are easily relocated for mowing underneath and to other areas as needed.

Underlayment was added along this fenceline and between it and the track at the time the track was reconstructed. Originally, the turf went all the way to the edge of the track and the very narrow area, and had to be regularly maintained with mechanical trimmers.


	Moveable goal posts and bleachers allow the use of fields to be rotated easily and they facilitate mowing operations (they make it easy to cut the tall grass that grows up around objects placed on turf). They also help prevent wear spots such as in the photo at left by periodically changing the layout of the field.

	A playground with sawdust shavings, fabric underneath, and a wide mowing strip to contain the mulch and prevent lateral encroachment of the turf.
	Mulch is shredded rubber from used tires that lasts many years and provides a clean, safe surface for the playground. Fabric underneath chipped rubber separates material from soil.

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Last modified: October 7, 1999

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