Peter Landschoot

Landschoot retires after serving as PSU extension turf specialist for 35 years

Penn State University announced that Peter Landschoot, professor of turfgrass science, retired with emeritus status after serving as the resident turfgrass management specialist for Penn State Extension for 35 years. His work has had an impact both inside and outside the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Landschoot was recently honored by the Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization, which presented him with the Fowler Founders Award at its annual conference. That award, named in memory of Donald Fowler, a Penn State Extension educator, recognizes individuals for their dedication to making a difference in the sports turf industry of Pennsylvania.

“Throughout his very long and distinguished career, Peter has been a selfless, hard-working and thoughtful faculty member who makes an impact with everything he does,” said Erin Connolly, professor and head of the Department of Plant Science. “Peter had responsibilities in teaching, research and working with the turf industry, and he has done an excellent job with his diverse set of duties. The department is grateful for his hard work and dedication. We will miss his leadership and consistent focus on helping students and stakeholders.”

Landschoot taught courses in “Case Studies in Turfgrass Management,” “Case Studies in Golf Turf Management” and “Turfgrass Management Practices in the United Kingdom and Italy.” As a member of Penn State Extension’s Green Industry Team, he provided key leadership on all turfgrass extension activities, and helped smooth the merger of the horticulture and agronomy programs. He also oversaw Penn State’s turf research facility. He also ran an integrated applied research and extension program focused on several aspects of turfgrass management. A recent focus has been nutrient management, and his efforts and collaborations led to implementation of new nutrient management legislation.

“In response to federal and state efforts to curb nutrient loading in the Chesapeake Bay, I devoted a significant portion of my extension work to addressing nutrient management issues in turfgrass systems,” Landschoot said. “I served on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Urban/Suburban/Rural Watershed Implementation Plan Committee, which was instrumental in developing a plan to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s total maximum daily load goals for reduced nitrogen and phosphorus.”