Fine Fescue Grass Composition for Wildlife Deterrence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airports face significant challenges with wildlife strikes due to attractive turf grass installations that require frequent mowing, leading to environmental damage, increased maintenance costs, and safety risks, while existing deterrent methods are often ineffective and unsustainable.
Innovation Solution
Implementing fine fescue grass species, such as hard fescue, creeping red fescue, and slender creeping red fescue, which are low-maintenance, less attractive to wildlife, and require reduced mowing, thereby addressing both wildlife deterrence and environmental concerns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional turf grass is installed to provide aesthetic and recreational value, then the lawn appearance is improved, but wildlife attraction and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the botanical composition parameter by replacing traditional turf grass with fine fescue species that have inherent wildlife-deterrent properties through their chemical composition and growth characteristics, thereby maintaining aesthetic appearance while reducing wildlife attraction
Solution Approach 2:
The fine fescue grasses possess inherent chemical compounds and growth patterns that naturally deter wildlife without requiring external intervention such as pesticides or barriers, allowing the lawn to self-proProtect against wildlife intrusion
2Shape
If frequent mowing is performed to maintain lawn appearance, then the turf height is controlled, but environmental damage and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the grass species parameter to fine fescue, which naturally maintains shorter turf heights and grows denser foliage that requires less frequent mowing, thereby reducing environmental damage from frequent mowing operations while maintaining acceptable lawn appearance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of requiring frequent mowing into a benefit by selecting fine fescue species that naturally limit turf height and reduce maintenance needs, transforming a maintenance burden into an environmental advantage by reducing fuel consumption and disturbance to the lawn ecosystem
3Object-affected harmful factors
If existing deterrent methods are used to control wildlife, then wildlife presence is reduced, but effectiveness and sustainability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The fine fescue grasses naturally produce chemical compounds and growth patterns that inherently deter wildlife from entering and grazing in the area, providing a self-sustaining deterrent mechanism that does not require external intervention or lose effectiveness over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the botanical composition to fine fescue species that possess inherent chemical and physical characteristics making them unappealing to wildlife, thereby providing a reliable and sustainable deterrent effect that persists without degradation
Data Source
AI summary
A seed composition for growing grasses to deter geese, deer and other animals transmitting diseases like Lyme disease through ticks and droppings. The composition includes: (a) about 20-50% by weight Hard Fescue; (b) about 20-50% by weight Creeping Red Fescue; and (c) about 20-50% by weight Chewings Fescue. Optionally, it may further include up to 20% of a high endophytic tall fescue, high endophytic ryegrass or combinations thereof. The resulting grasses require little to no regular mowing.