Each year in North Carolina 150,000 acres of new turf areas are developed including athletic fields, recreational areas, golf courses, home lawns, and other turf sites, and that development continues to grow. For example, golf course construction greatly increased during the 1980s and 1990s. Each turf site is an ecosystem whose grasses clean the environment by absorbing gaseous pollutants and intercept pesticides, fertilizers, dust and soil. The need to protect surface and groundwater quality is a serious environmental issue.
Good design can prevent or minimize erosion and runoff.
Good design provides for buffers and natural vegetated areas near streams, wetlands, and other fragile areas. It also minimizes the development of gullies, the redirection of streams, and the unnecessary disruption of the natural landscape, especially around drainage ditches, and stream banks. Protecting the environment benefits everyone. Turfgrass sites can be constructed while protecting and preserving valuable natural resources if responsible design and construction practices and governmental regulations are followed. Mismanagement of turf area construction could have a major impact on the environment.