Contributions to Urban Landscape Ecology Project

The green industry has grown tremendously during the past few decades.  According to PLACA, homeowners in the US alone spent $17.4 billion on professional lawn care, landscape, and tree care services in 2000.  However, banning of highly effective products, stringent regulations by local governments on the use of chemical pesticides and inorganic fertilizers, chemical and nutrient run-off issues, and changing public perception about the safety of chemical pesticides to the environment and human health, have created new challenges for the continued growth of the lawn and landscape industry.

An Ohio State University OARDC interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach initiative, the Urban Landscape Ecology Program addresses these urban issues.  This program builds on the strength of the Ohio State University in turfgrass, ornamentals, and landscape research and extension programs and aims to capture the essence of changing public attitudes to develop new technologies and build a comprehensive approach to urban landscape planning, establishment and maintenance. A focus of this collaboration is integrating edible plants and food production into the urban landscape.  To this end, Joe Kovach, OSU IPM Coordinator, has been conducting innovative experiments with modular design of highly productive polyculture for fruit and vegetable production.

Contact Parwinder Grewal, grewal.4@osu.edu, or Joe Kovach, kovach.49@osu.edu , for more information.