01a - EAFB_Establishing Vegetation Guidance.pdf

Establishing Vegetation

GRASS

1. Preferred Planting Season: 15 May to 1 August and winter dormant seeding, planting just before the ground freezes in the fall.

Acceptable Planting Season: 1-15 August. Planting between 1-15 August can only be justified if the seeded area is watered and the construction sites or disturbed areas needing revegetation were not available for planting before August. Although a light frost will not affect newly seeded grass, grass planted after 1 August can be damaged if prolonged hard freezing temperatures set in prior to 1 October. August planting must be dictated by fall weather conditions. Fertilizer applied to grass planted after 1 August should contain little or no nitrogen and a light application of phosphorus and potassium. High nitrogen levels in the spring encourage snow mold.

2. Recommended Grass Species

For lawn and field areas:

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) - 'Nugget' or 'Park' varieties are preferred, but

'Common' from a northern grown seed source is acceptable

Creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra) - 'Arctared' variety is preferred, but 'Pennlawn' or

'Common' are acceptable varieties.

For Airfield Bird/Aircraft Strike Hazard Zone:

Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) - ‘Manchar’ or ‘Polar’ varieties

Creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra) - ‘Arctared’ variety is preferred, but ‘Pennlawn’ or

‘Common” are acceptable varieties.

For hillsides with erosion problems:

Creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra) - 'Arctared' variety is preferred, but 'Pennlawn' or

'Common' are acceptable varieties

Bering hairgrass (Deschampsia beringensis) - 'Norcoast' variety.

For wet areas:

Creeping foxtail (Alopecurus arundinaceus) - 'Garrison' variety (wet areas)

American sloughgrass (Beckmannia syzignache) - 'Egan' variety (very wet areas).

3. Seed Mixtures and Seeding Rate

Kentucky bluegrass/creeping red fescue (50/50 mix): 3.5 - 4.0 lbs/1,000 sq ft

Kentucky bluegrass: 2.5 - 3.0 lbs/1,000 sq ft (unshaded areas)

Creeping red fescue: 3.5 - 4.0 lbs/1,000 sq ft (shaded, acid, erosion, or drought areas)

Smooth brome/creeping red fescue (50/50 mix): 2.3 lbs/1000 sq ft, use .3 lbs of smooth brome with 2.0 lbs of creeping red fescue (Bird/Aircraft Strike Hazard Zone)

Bering hairgrass: 0.4 lbs/1,000 sq ft (erosion areas)

Creeping foxtail: 0.2 lbs/1,000 sq ft (wet areas)

American sloughgrass: 0.2 lbs/1,000 sq ft (very wet areas).

Nurse or Protective Crop - Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) may be used as a nurse or protective crop for the recommended grass species.

Ryegrass shall be no more than 20 percent of the seed mixture.

4. Fertilizer

Formula: 20-20-10S.

Rate: 300 pounds per acre or 3/4 pound per 100 square feet.

Time: Prior to seeding.

Method of Application: Hand (small areas) spreader (large areas).

5. Water

Newly seeded areas must be kept moist. Moist conditions are critical for proper germination. If precipitation does not occur frequently enough to keep the seed bed moist, water must be applied. Watering should stop when runoff begins.

6. Mowing

The first mowing should be delayed until the grass is 3 to 4 inches tall.

7. Length of Maintenance Period

Eight weeks for all types of grass.

TREES AND SHRUBS

1. Planting Seasons and Requirements:

Trees and shrubs will be transplanted from forested areas only when they are dormant. The preferred transplanting season is after a fall killing frost. Trees and shrubs can usually be transplanted from 15-20 September to freeze-up. Trees can also be transplanted in the spring

(approximately 1-15 May) before the leaves are more than one-fourth open. The spring transplanting season is less desirable as the ground may be partially frozen, especially in heavily shaded or wooded areas. Balled and burlaped, containerized, and bareroot nursery stock can be planted when the ground is not frozen. Planting berry or fruit producing trees, shrubs, or hedges is prohibited in the vicinity of the airfield (between Flightline Avenue and the Richardson

Highway, and in the loop area).

2. Recommended Tree Species

White spruce Picea glauca

Paper birch Betula papyrifera

Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides

Alaskan larch, Tamarack

Lodgepole pine

Larix laricina

Pinus contorta var. latifolia

Scotch pine Pinus sylvestris

3. Recommended Shrub Species

Late lilac Syringa villosa

Potentilla Potentilla fruticosa

Common juniper Juniperus communis

Creeping juniper Juniperus horizontalis

Tree and shrub stock should be locally grown, within about 100 miles of Fairbanks, or from local seed stock. In some cases material from the same latitude is acceptable if local material is not available. Stock from Delta Junction and Nenana are acceptable, but the photoperiod and winter temperatures South of these locations are different enough to cause concern. If local seed has been sent to nurseries outside of the local area the plant materials should still be locally adapted and could be acceptable. Any deviations must be approved by Natural/Cultural Resources in writing. All nursery stock shall be healthy and free from disease, insect pests, mold, and fungus.

The minimum recommended sizes and planting distances for trees and shrubs are shown in Table

8-13 and Table 8-14.

Table 8-13. Minimum Ball Diameters.

Height of Plant (feet) Tree Diameter 1 Foot Above Ground (inches) Diameter of Ball (inches)

Trees*

0 - 4 5 - 8

8 - 12

1-2

2-3

Shrubs

0 - 3 4 - 6

7 - 9

10 - 12

N/A N/A

N/A

N/A

Note: *If tree height and stem diameter are in different ball size classes the larger root ball is required.

Table 8-14. Minimum Planting Distances for Trees and Shrubs.

Cantonment Area Base Housing

From Trees Shrubs Trees Shrubs

Other Trees/Other Shrubs 20 15 10 10

Clumps of Trees/Clumps of Shrubs 20 15 10 10

Buildings 10 6 8 6

Street 25 25 8 8

Sidewalk and Utilidors 6 6 6 6

Power Lines 20 15 8 8

Notes: 1. When group or clump planting, the minimum distance from other trees/shrubs does not apply.

2. Do not plant trees/shrubs where they will interfere with the line of sight at a street intersection or with snow removal.

4. Watering

Transplanted trees or shrubs should be watered once weekly, soaking the ground thoroughly except during periods of adequate rainfall during the first year of growth. Trees and shrubs should be watered during the growing season only, from leafing out in the spring until their leaves turn in the fall.

5. Guarantee (if required)

Growth will be guaranteed for 1-year after planting.