The 2008 TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year award, sponsored by Project EverGreen, goes to a group that was among the first to communicate the positive attributes of golf from an environmental, economic and lifestyle standpoint. It was a consortium of the allied golf associations of Colorado, which based its campaign on the self-funded study: Golf in Colorado An Independent Study of the Economic Impact and Environmental Aspects of Golf in Colorado.
The TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year award is given annually to an active green industry member for outstanding efforts in communicating the benefits of environmental stewardship to a particular audience within the turf and ornamental industry.
The Colorado study was one of the first of its kind in the United States to gather information linking water use to the economy of the state and compare natural resource usage to other industries within the state. The efforts have strengthened the voice of golf in Colorado, defined economic impact numbers that were previously unavailable, defined the environmental inputs required to operated a golf course in Colorado and quantified the amount of water consumed by Colorado golf courses annually. Conducted in 2002, the study is still used today to communicate with legislators/regulators, media, the environmental community, golfers and general public.
The study was executed by Colorado State University and THK Consulting at the direction of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association, Colorado Golf Association, Colorado Women's Golf Association, Colorado Section of the PGA, Colorado Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America and the Colorado Chapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association. Joe McCleary, GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at Saddle Rock Golf Course in Aurora, Colo., was the project leader. To view the survey click here.
"This is an excellent example of an industry coming together to develop a plan to communicate its value," McCleary said. "The foundation of the communication plan was to conduct the study and collect the data. Once we had the information, we were able to sit at the table with key constituent groups and provide an accurate snapshot. It was vital in our successfully communicating the positive impact of the golf industry."
The study has also been recognized by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America with its Presidents Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2006.
"The TOCA selection committee was intrigued by the collaborative nature of the effort and the connection of the environment, economics and recreation," TOCA Executive Director Den Gardner said. "It provides a template for other industries to use as they position themselves in dispelling inaccuracies and myths. TOCA applauds the allied golf associations of Colorado for their leadership."
Previous winners of the award include Mark Welterlen, Grounds Maintenance magazine; Bill Love, W.R. Love Golf Architecture; Tim Doppel, Atwood Lawncare, Inc.; Doug Fender, Turf Producers International; Allen James, RISE; Ron Dodson, Audubon International; Jeff Gullickson, Spokane Country Club, Spokane, Wash.; Kevin Trotta, Grounds Manager & Turfgrass IPM Specialist, North Rockland Central School District, Cornwall, N.., and Helen Stone, publisher of Southwest Trees & Turf and President of Stone Peak Services.
