Mowing Program
Grass or turf in the Minneapolis parks is maintained through the MPRB Maintenance Section's mowing program. The MPRB turf maintenance program covers a total of 4,660 acres. Activities include:
- Periodic mowing of general park turf in the system.
- Mechanical trimming around all trees, shrubs and other structures.
- Mowing, fertilizing and aeration of high visibility/high usage turf or where ice rink operations kill the turf.
Initiated in 1996, the current mowing program divides turf areas into three management standards: athletic field maintenance, general parkland maintenance and natural area maintenance.
Athletic Field Maintenance
The following athletic fields include 430 acres of turf and are maintained on a daily to weekly basis, depending on usage. Grass height will be maintained at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches for designated athletic fields.
- Baseball, softball, football, soccer and cricket fields
- Basketball, horseshoe, shuffleboard, tennis and volleyball courts
- Archery ranges
General Park Turf Maintenance
General park turf maintenance includes 2,080 acres of turf that is maintained on a less frequent basis than athletic turf. General park turf is maintained as follows:
- Grass height can exceed 5" at times but will be cut back to 3" on a regular basis as time and weather allows.
- This standard will be applied to most of the park system.
- Areas which would be maintained at this standard include neighborhood parks, boulevards, parkways and active use areas within the regional parks.
Reduced Mowing in Natural Areas
Park natural areas include parklands that are maintained on an infrequent basis. These areas are located primarily within the regional parks and include some lands within neighborhood parks.
Goals for these reduced mow areas are to:
- Maintain park user safety and sight line visibility
- Reduce the spread of invasive and problem plant species
- Reduce mowing frequency in erosion prone areas
Natural area sites converted to prairie grasses, storm water ponds and shoreline buffers are managed through a variety of management strategies in collaboration with the Environmental Operations Section of the MPRB.
Need additional information about our mowing program? Contact Park Maintenance at 612-230-6400.
