Landscape Management
 

As a third goal to be implemented in fiscal year 1999-2000, The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources was to develop an environmentally based landscape management policy and environmentally sound landscape plan.

Objectives

The purpose of this policy would be to highlight environmentally sound landscape practices that should be adopted by all landscape managers within the department. This policy would be the equivalent of a farmer's Best Management Practices (BMP) program. It would

• Encourage land managers to carefully administer the use of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers to minimize negative impact on the environment
• Promote the selection of culturally adapted plants that do not require chemical applications
• Encourage employees to adopt water conservation techniques, such as minimizing the construction of paved surface areas that increase stormwater runoff

An in-depth department-wide analysis of potential barriers to implementing all facets of the third goal was to be conducted.

Accomplishments

Information has been gathered from a number of other organizations working on or having adopted similar policies and task force members are in the process of developing a draft proposal. A task force has been formed consisting of

• Rebecca Lucas of Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens (chair)
• Steve Allen from Historic Bath
• Richard Clarke from Historic Halifax
• Ricky Terry from the State Capitol
• Dr. David Hardy, the Environmental Extension Agent from the Craven County Cooperative Extension (advisor)

Future Plans

Completion of the landscape management policy should occur by the fall of 2000.