The Common's new lawn looks fantastic!

The Common’s new lawn is greening up – and it is beautiful! But there’s another good story behind this pretty face.

The new lawn will be maintained using organics instead of chemical-based pesticides and herbicides. Long-time volunteer and resident Patti Fabbri has championed the benefits of organic lawn care for many years - benefits that include reduced water usage, cleaner stormwater, cost savings and reduced chemical exposure for residents and wildlife. When the DPW started planning for the Common’s overhaul, it was an excellent opportunity to turn it into a demonstration of how successful organic lawn care can be.

As Town Engineer Charlie Richter told the Lynnfield Villager last fall, “One of the goals was to install a more resilient and sustainable grass. By amending the existing soil on the Common with a carefully blended topsoil, we were able to develop a great base that helps with both preventing compaction and aiding in root growth. We also chose a special blend of grasses that when woven together into sod is more resilient and sustainable than the typical sod and grass seed used. We are hoping these extra steps will ultimately reduce water consumption and the need for fertilizer.”

“This is a good initiative for the Town”, says Richter. “We’ll be able to monitor the effectiveness of the organic treatment measures and expected cost savings.  Looking even further ahead, the Town has numerous grass properties that could also be converted to organic lawn care.”

Osborne Organics was hired to develop the organics program for the Common. The firm counts 20 years of experience guiding municipalities, school districts, and other large national organizations in their organic turf installation and management projects.