Fort Bragg no-mow areas protect environment

By Tina Ray/ParaglideNovember 12, 2009

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Like the wildflowers that grow on Fort Bragg' More could be coming to an area near you as the number of no-mow zones is set to increase.

Several areas on Butner Road could soon be designated no-mow zones, said Julia Love, sustainable land use planner, Environmental Management Branch, Directorate of Public Works.

The no-mow zones were established early this year as a result of a 30 percent budget cut in grounds maintenance and in an effort to protect reforested areas on the installation, Love said.

Currently, there are nearly 35 acres of no-mow zones on Fort Bragg, said Christine Hull, DPW's operations and maintenance officer.

The Fort Bragg Arbor Board, which is made up of several wildlife biologists and sustainability planners, the installation architect, the grounds maintenance chief, the maintenance contracting officer, the landscape architect champion and the historic properties expert, will continue to identify areas that can be designated as no-mow in the future, said Love.

Wildflowers native to the Southeast have been planted on Fort Bragg, she said. Loblolly pine trees were planted in the no-mow area at the All-American access control point and Gruber Road.

Spending less money on grounds maintenance in the face of budget cuts reiterates the Army's environmental strategy to "sustain the mission - secure the future."

According to a U.S. Army release, "The Army will reduce impacts on the environment and the true cost of doing business."

Fort Bragg's environmental strategy earned it the first Secretary of the Army Sustainability Award in 2008. The award recognizes outstanding sustainability initiatives by Army installations or activities and individuals.

Hull, who helps Fort Bragg manage its use of natural and energy resources, said the no-mow zones are beneficial to the installation.

"Creating no-mow areas is an important first step in changing the overall appearance of Bragg from a typical inefficient urban landscape to a more functional Sandhills ecosystem appearance," Hull said.

The no-mow areas also help Fort Bragg work with a budget for grounds maintenance.

"The no-mow areas help reduce mowing requirements so that we can use already limited resources (people, equipment and dollars) to focus on high visibility and safety-related mowing," Hull said.

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