The present state and issues concerning the school lawns of public elementary and junior high schools in the northeast area of Chiba prefecture

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to survey the present state and issues concerning the schoolyard turf of public elementary and junior high schools in Chiba prefecture. Schools having schoolyard turf make up 2% of all the schools in Chiba prefecture. In most cases, warm-season turfgrasses, including Zoysia matrella, Z. japonica and Cynodon dactylon×C. transvaalensis “Tifton”, are used. The results of a detailed survey on the schools in the northeast area are as follows: (1) The number of students per school has been decreasing, thus reducing the wear stress on the turf. (2) Schoolteachers do almost all the turf maintenance, which is a problem. (3) Low cutting at 1-2 cm is considered to have caused the occurrence of weeds, which in turn required herbicides to be used. (4) In most schools, turf maintenance costs are less than 50, 000 yen per year. (5) When turf area is more than 11-17 m² per student, it can be maintained without any limitation to use throughout the year.