Actually, the Grass is "Greener"!

Harvard Facilities Maintenance Operations (FMO) is sharing in the promising results of the recent Harvard Yard Soils Restoration Project. This pilot effort, which started last spring, clearly demonstrated that plant health could be significantly improved even in a highly traveled urban landscape using only natural methods…no chemicals or synthetic fertilizers! Biological soil amendments that restored the plants’ natural nutrient cycles were created using only specially prepared composts and compost teas. The results included dramatically improved root growth accompanied by a significant reduction in irrigation needs. This joint effort was led by FMO and included Harvard Design School professor Michael Van Valkenburgh, the FAS Physical Resources office, and the Office for Sustainability. To find out how they did it, visit the FMO site.