The Landscape & Changing Behavior

Can we change behavior of people by the way we maintain landscaping?

Copyright 2011 - 12 by Mario Vaden

Most people don't realize how much we can affect behavior of other people by the way that we maintain landscaping or grounds. I think that design elements and plant selection can affect behavior too, but I'm going to share just one story to drive this point home.

 

Years ago, I worked at several golf courses, including some country clubs. In fact, it way my main entry level to horticulture and tree care.

At one point, another greenskeeper and myself began working for one of Portland's munipal golf courses: Eastmoreland Golf Course. I came from Columbia Edgewater Country Club, and the other man from Tualatin Country Club.

Eastmoreland's bunkers (aka sand traps) at that time were pretty raggity looking. Sand had eroded from the banks down to the low spots, the edges were irregular and weedy looking, and some spots puddled from bad drainage or because the sand was too thin.

Morning duties for one or more greenskeepers, is to move the hole on the green for the flag, and smooth-out the sand bunkers. Technically and ethically, the golfers are supposed to smooth out foot prints after they take a shot. But every morning, we would find 1, 2, 3 sets of foot print trails in each bunker.

Completely aside from the footprint or morning grooming issue, the ex-Tualatin greenskeeper and I asked the Eastmoreland superintendent for a go-ahead to dial-in every bunker on the 18 hole golf course. He agreed, and over the period of a couple of months we finished them all. We gave them a crisp detailed edge, modified the outline and shapes, added sand as needed, increased the depth where sand eroded, and corrected drainage to eliminate some puddling.

In the end, the bunkers were so nice, they were as good looking as those at Portland Country Club, if not better. We should know, too. Greenskeepers had an extra fringe benefit of golfing free at other golf courses and country clubs. So we played at Portland Country Club, Riverside CC, Waverly CC, etc.. Nobody had nicer looking bunkers than the ones we improved and detailed.

So what else changed?

After the maintenance improvement, we would around each golf green to move the pins, but there were hardly any footprints in the bunkers. Maybe 2 or 3 sets of footprints per each 9 holes.

Previously, there were like several sets of footprints per bunker, about 900% worse.

And there were already signs out on the golf course before all of this, that reminded golfers to rake after themselves. So we learned that taking maintenance to the highest level actually changed the behavior of people much more than signs in this case.

Keep this in mind when you design or maintain landscaping, both commercially or residentially. If you let the landscape care go sour and neglected, don't be surprised if some people follow that lead. If you take exceptional care of your landscaping, expect it to be treated with respect much more so.

Even the way we dress can alter the events in of a day.

Years ago, I recall being in a Beaverton Goodwill second-hand store looking for spare table game pieces: while wearing grubby work clothes after a full day of pruning. Before being told that no restroom was available, the employee looked at me head to foot ... could even see their head move.

Close to that point in time, I was downtown Portland, and had an extra hour before an appointment. Wearing slacks, brown leather shoes and a nice shirt, I stepped into a business that sells appliances to restaurants. Then asked where I could get a snack or lunch nearby. Their first recommendation was an expensive French restaurant, even though there was a dozen more affordable places in-between.

Some of these days are never forgotten.