August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 65

Propane Mowers Take the Field
Agencies see improved efficiency along with environmental benefits
By Elizabeth Beard

he time has finally come to say goodbye to a trusted workhorse. James
Page, park maintenance manager with the Dallas Park Maintenance
Services Division, is parting ways with his aging fleet of diesel mowers.
" We can still mow with them, but that's an aged diesel engine, before any
environmental restrictions were put on turf equipment, " Page explains. " Now
we're looking to phase them out of the fleet. "
Cleaner, Greener Fleets
Dallas is just one of a number of U.S.
cities that are gradually replacing their
fleets of diesel mowing equipment with
alternative fuel versions. Many are motivated by city-wide environmental sustainability policies calling for greener
fleets and reduced carbon footprints.
" One of our interview questions
for new employees is 'What impact
does grounds maintenance have on
the environment?' " Page says. " The
answer is basically everything.
" The new mowers have been a great
tool for reducing the environmental
footprint of our parks, " Page continues.
" Along with a proactive wildflower program we started almost six years ago
now, which involves planting new areas
of wildflowers in our parks every year
to reduce mowing. Our improvements
with propane and wildflowers have reduced mow time, improved emissions
and improved the curb appeal of park
lands. Definitely a win-win for the environment and park users alike. "
The decision in Dallas to purchase
the propane mowers was made easier
by rebate programs, such as the U.S.
Department of Energy's Clean Cities
program, which is designed to reduce
petroleum use in transportation, and
the Texas Environmental Rebate Program, which helps replace outdated
agricultural tractors.

" We're constantly researching
cleaner-burning equipment that will
meet our needs, and we keep our eyes
out for rebate programs, " Page says.
In Columbus, Ohio, the goal for
the city to become more green comes
from Mayor Michael B. Coleman.
" The mayor has really made a very
concerted effort to become more
green throughout the entire city, "
says Terri Leist, assistant director of
the Columbus Recreation and Parks
Department. " We're encouraging recycling for residents, planting more
trees in the city's right-of-ways, and
moving toward propane equipment
and vehicles, which is how we came
upon the use of propane mowers. "
The department purchased 12 zero-turn propane mowers and put them
to use in April 2013. According to Park

Maintenance Manager David Stearns,
the mowers are deployed in seven of
the department's 12 zones and are primarily used for mowing parkland.
" We're running a combination of
gasoline and diesel mowers in addition to propane, " Stearns says. " In
the long term, we want to switch to
propane where possible. "
Mow in the Know
Both Dallas and Columbus implemented extensive staff training for the switchover. One important aspect of both
training programs is that they include
training even for employees who may
not be operating the mowers initially.
" We have a diversely trained work
unit, so if the equipment operator is
absent, then we do have some backups
who know preventative maintenance
and safe operation of that mower, "
Page says.
Fuel Efficiency
Although Page estimates that fuel
costs for propane mowers are 30 to
50 percent less than diesel, it's an-

Dallas Park Maintenance Services Division mower

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