ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND ADVOCACY

A lot of important work was done the past few years to develop the New York State BMPs and lead to the creation of the New York Golf Course Foundation you will see below. Please follow the link and take some time to learn how our profession positively impacts the environment while promoting the game we all love. I recently attended New York's Lobby Day to advocate on behalf of the Long Golf Course Superintendent's Association and New York State Turfgrass Association to help educate our Representatives on the importance of our profession managing our properties and how vital this open green space is to the area. Our game is constantly under attack in Albany even though good science and research is available emotional decisions and agendas towards environmental issues are firmly in place. That is why the BMPs are so important and our work locally with Nassau/Suffolk water districts, Cornell University, and the New York State DEC should not be taken for granted. These efforts have only been funded by the local Superintendent Associations, so please understand the time is coming for the Club Managers Association, the PGA of America, and Private Club Membership to get more involved with issues that could be devastating to Club business. Among these issues being pursued or actual bills introduced are; property tax assessments for highest or best use rather than current use, cutting funds to the Turfgrass Environmental Fund, Nitrogen application restrictions, Legislative Bans of Pesticides leading to fewer tools, and growing concerns with our access to water. As professionals, we support promoting sound agronomic programs while being environmentally sensitive daily and fully support the use of science and research to help shape our future waterways, green space, and our great game.
The below link has great information about what we are currently doing and along the right side of the blog I have other avenues to access other Associations. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. We are all in this together for the good of the game and to preserve the environment for our kids. Thank you!

http://nysgolfbmp.cals.cornell.edu/