Arizona latest state to publish BMP guidelines for golf courses
Cactus & Pine GCSA leads the development of statewide best management practices with grant from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
A collaborative effort by members of the Cactus & Pine Golf Course Superintendents Association and related organizations in Arizona has resulted in publication of the “Arizona Golf Industry Best Management Practices Guide.”
The Arizona BMPs were developed in part by using the BMP Planning Guide and Template created by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and funded and supported by the USGA.
The affiliated chapter received a $10,000 BMP grant that GCSAA funded through the association’s Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG) in part by PGA Tour. The BMP grant program provides funding through the EIFG to chapters for developing new guides, updating existing guides or for verification programs. GCSAA’s goal is to have all 50 states offer established BMPs by 2020.
“I think the key to the BMPs is make sure everything is covered and all the right people are involved, said Douglas Dykstra, the certified golf course superintendent at White Mountain Country Club in Pinetop, Ariz., who served as chairman of the project. “It’s a living, breathing document and as things change, it can be updated. That’s the beauty of it.”
The Arizona BMP Committee consisted of 23 members including Cactus & Pine GCSA superintendents and Chapter Executive Carmella Ruggiero. Other groups involved in the creation of the BMPs include the University of Arizona, United States Golf Association, American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Arizona Department of Agriculture, Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department.
The document includes information on planning, designing and construction; irrigation; surface water management; water quality monitoring and management; nutrient management; cultural practices; integrated pest management; pesticide management; pollinator protection; maintenance operations; landscape; and energy.
A particular focus was placed on the irrigation, surface water management and water quality management sections. Arizona superintendents are aware of the perception of the golf industry as a large water user and realize that the industry needs to be part of the solution for mandated conservation goals including those being discussed in accordance with the recent Lower Colorado Basin Drought Contingency Plan.
“Water is a huge issue for us,” Dykstra said. “The BMPs give us another tool and way to document and show that we are doing our part.”
Currently, 40 states have completed, or are in the process of completing, their BMPs. To see the Arizona BMPs and to learn more about GCSAA’s BMP program, visit www.gcsaa.org/bmp.
About GCSAA and the EIFG
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 18,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter. Visit our industry-leading magazine at GCMonline.com.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit EIFG at www.eifg.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
Contact:
Angela Hartmann, Associate Director, Communications
Phone: 800-472-7878, ext. 3647 or 785-393-1361 (cell)
ahartmann@gcsaa.org
