Great Timing For Environmental Benefits of Turf Poster

By Jerry Rousseau

The Canadian Turf Research Foundation (CTRF), posted a helpful resource on its website today, August 20, 2015, called the 'Environmental Benefits of Turfgrass Poster'.  For those turf managers in western Canada currently affected by unusally hot and dry conditions and facing scrutiny over the use of water, the poster will assist both individual facilities and industry organizations with their public and media advocacy efforts.

Originally commissioned in 2013 by the CTRF using funding earmarked specifically for environmental advocacy, the poster is an attempt to raise awareness of the positive impact that turfgrasses and golf courses have on the environment and urban landscapes.

Rationale from the project proposal was stated as follows:

"Golf and turfgrasses are commonly viewed as negative components in the push towards sustainability of our urban landscapes. Research has shown that golf courses and the turfgrasses contained within have a number of attributes that provide important functions in increasing environmental sustainability. Golfers are potentially strong advocates for the environmental benefits of the game although they are often unaware of the benefits themselves. There is a need for easily accessible materials targeted at golfers to increase the awareness of the positive impacts golf courses and turfgrasses have on the environment. The materials must be based on scientific research and will direct the golfer to research that is being conducted on golf course sustainability. The materials not only need to be made available to the golfers but also to the employees of the golf course to raise overall awareness amongst the consumers and industry stakeholders alike."

The poster was put together and audited by the Canadian Turfgrass Advisory Group, a collection of turf research scientists and technical consultants based out of Guelph, Ontario and can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.   All turf managers are encouraged to distribute this freely.

CTRF Background Information

The Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundation (CTRF) is a partnership between Golf Canada, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, the Western Canada Turfgrass Association, the Saskatchewan Turf Association, the Manitoba Golf Superintendents Association and the Turfgrass Research Foundations of Alberta, Atlantic, Ontario and Quebec. The CTRF funds research projects at different Canadian universities and research facilities designed to answer the research needs of the Canadian golf and turf industry.