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July 25, 2019 by NYS BMP · Our stand alone publication, Best Management Practices for Pollinators on New York State Golf Courses, has been revised and republished, now available for on-line reading as a flip book: https://nysgolfbmp.cals.cornell.edu/nys_pollinator_bmps_2019/. Over 400 wild species of pollinators inhabit New York State. Golf courses, especially in developed areas, can provide significant areas of habitat to support these species and domesticated honey bees as well. This publication contains the information superintendents need to protect pollinators while responsibly using  pesticides to meet their needs and guidance on providing habitat to support healthy pollinator […]

June 3, 2019 by NYS BMP Pest management is a critical component of maintaining a playable and functional golf course. A fully implemented best management practices program demands the highest level of progressive Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Progressive IPM observes and records pest pressure, uses predictive approaches to assessing injury risk, considers intervention with lowest environmental impact, and assesses performance of intervention for integration in pest management programs. This summer, when you consider intervention to control pests that includes the use of pesticides, consider products with the lowest environmental impact. This idea is identified in the two BMP statements: Determine least toxic […]

May 21, 2019 by NYS BMP · New York State’s golf course BMPs were first published in 2014. Now five years later, we are updating the BMPs, in some cases adding new and updated information, including incorporating the pollinator BMPs (published in 2017). We have also incorporated discrete BMP statements to complement the BMP principles we identified in the first edition. As part of the process of revising and updating, we are seeking input from superintendents across the state and the state’s regulatory agencies to review the draft final version and provide comments to NYGCF. Any superintendent or asst. superintendent in NYS is […]

May 13, 2019 by NYS BMP · The golfing season in northern climates includes managing cool-season turf playing surfaces through stressful summer months (e.g. high temperature, low moisture). To prepare for summer stress, use opportunities in the spring during dry periods to apply strategic moisture stress to your playing surfaces by purposefully withholding water from the plant. Allowing soils to dry and create stress in this way often results in increased rooting and improved drought stress tolerance that will pay off in the summer. In addition, you should assess your irrigation system’s ability to produce uniform soil moisture before summer stresses occur. The […]

May 7, 2019 by NYS BMP Golf turf playability and performance lies at the heart of golf course Best Management Practices that protect and preserve water quality. Optimizing playability demands a well-drained, firm playing surface able to withstand traffic and demonstrate resiliency during normal play. The key to achieving these goals lies in the management of surface organic matter.   Turf is a perennial plant system that increases surface organic matter as a result of turf growth and management (Figure 1). Organic matter accumulates at the surface from the development and deposition of plant parts such as leaves, stems, and roots. Underground […]

May 6, 2019 by NYS BMP Drift when it comes to pesticide applications is something to be avoided, as it can potentially cause not only water quality impacts, but also damage to susceptible off target crops. In addition, a lower than intended rate of pesticide will be applied to the turfgrass, thus reducing its effectiveness. To avoid drift, the first step is to know the difference between There are two types of drift airborne (spray) drift and vapor drift and the contributing factors to each. Spray Drift  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines pesticide spray or dust draft as “the physical movement […]

May 6, 2019 by NYS BMP Most people can easily recognize a monarch butterfly, but did you know that their numbers have suffered dramatic declines in the last 40 years? Habitat loss in both their summer and overwintering locations has played a major role in this decline. A number of recent conservation efforts have been put in place to help protect monarchs and their habitat. One such program is aimed directly at golf courses: Monarchs in the Rough, a new program sponsored by Audubon International and the Environmental Defense Fund. Because monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed, and their caterpillars […]

April 23, 2019 by NYS BMP · The New York Golf Course Foundation (NYGCF) is a newly launched non profit to promote sustainable golf management efforts in New York State. This new organization is an evolutionary step for the New York State Best Management Practices (BMPs) project begun in 2012 that established the state’s first golf industry BMPs. The foundation’s mission is to continue and expand upon the work of the BMP committee, raise the profile of the state’s golf industry with respect to its environmental sustainability efforts, and to fundraise to provide a sustainable source of revenue to continue these efforts. Scientists […]

April 22, 2019 by NYS BMP At Whippoorwill (country club?) buffer strips around ponds on the property had become overgrown and encroached upon by invasive species. Because of the rocky, steep hillside, chemical control was not an option and physical removal difficult. To control the growth, an innovative approach to vegetation removal was utilized: goats. Goats are browsers who prefer brushy vegetation and vines (including poison ivy) versus other species like sheep who prefer to graze on grass. Goats are also unique in weed seeds are left unviable after being digested and will not grow out of their excrement. Green Goats, a […]

April 22, 2019 by NYS BMP · Spills happen and being prepared can make the difference between being able to safely contain the spill and not.  Have you checked your spill kit recently to make sure you have everything you may need? The following is a checklist for what should be in your spill kit at a minimum to make sure a small issue does not become a bigger problem: Gloves (nitrile, at least; foil barrier laminate better) Tyvek® coverall Goggles Temporary storage container for spill Sorbent pads and/or socks Loose absorbent (SlikWik®, vermiculite) Sweeping compound Warning sign or caution tape Chalk (for […]