The northern half of UNM's Johnson Field will be inaccessible for several months starting this week as the University's Grounds and Landscaping crew attempts to nurse it back to health after years of rough treatment.
The revitalization process will begin with exterminating troublesome crab grass from the area, said Gary Smith, associate director of UNM's Environmental Services Department.
More than 600 pounds of blue grass seed will then be planted, along with 300 pounds of fertilizer and 57 cubic yards of compost material to bring the surface back to an aesthetically pleasing level that is safe for the numerous athletics played there, he said.
"Johnson Field is the most used 10-acre plot of land in New Mexico," Smith said.
The actual work on the north end of the field should be finished by early next week, but Smith said it must remain roped off until at least April to protect the new grass that will be growing there.
The project's total cost, including at least 150 hours of labor, will be more than $13,000, he said.
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Smith said the Landscaping Department has also used this time to replace several damaged control-valve boxes on the field, making them lower to the ground to reduce the possibility of athletes injuring themselves on them.
"Johnson Field is relied on by countless people every day for just as many different activities," he said. "It's our job to make sure the field is in the best shape possible."
This is not the first time people have had to maneuver their way around a roped off area of the field, either.
Smith and his crew performed the same services last spring on the south end of the field, which was in dire need of help, he said.
"The south end of the field gets a lot more traffic and was in real bad shape," he said.
Smith said he understands closing part of the field causes an inconvenience for people looking to use it, but said he hopes the UNM community understands that a healthy field will benefit everyone in the long term.
And many people who use Johnson Field say they couldn't agree with Smith more.
Shannon Robinson, head coach of UNM's men's and women's rugby teams, which practice exclusively on the field, said he is willing to make any adjustments necessary to help Smith in his endeavor.
"Our sport injures the field just like all the sports played here do," he said. "I applaud the efforts of the University for taking on such a big task."
