The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has awarded its inaugural Best Management Practices (BMP) Grant Program awards to four affiliated chapters: the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents, the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Iowa Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association.
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Through funding from its philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf, GCSAA awarded a total of $22,500 in grants. The Mid-Atlantic AGCS and Minnesota GCSA each received a grant of $8,750, while the Iowa GCSA and Florida GCSA each received $2,500 for their BMP projects.
“Best management practices are key to successful golf course operations and also provide a solid foundation for advocating on behalf of superintendents and the golf industry,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “GCSAA is excited to offer this new grant program to help our chapters start or enhance their BMP programs.”
GCSAA and the EIFG recommend the use of agronomic and environmental BMPs for all golf course operations. BMPs are broad-based and encompass management of turfgrass, landscape, environmental resources, buildings and operations.
GCSAA launched the grant program to assist chapters in developing new BMP guides, updating existing guides or for verification programs. The applications were reviewed by a grant task group composed of GCSAA members.
“On behalf of the Minnesota GCSA and its members, we greatly appreciate GCSAA’s recognition and encouragement of our BMP program,” Minnesota GCSA executive director Jack MacKenzie, CGCS, said. “As a state association, we are very cognizant of the importance of solidifying the message that we are a responsible industry leader by environmental stewards.”
