Course Conditions
The weather makes the headlines once again. It seems we wouldn't have much to discuss if it were not for the weather. In this weeks post I will just let the photo do the talking.
Steve continues to tear apart the 3100 hubs. This one is a deep set wheel and you can see the accumulation of debris that has built up over the season. This is next to impossible to get out with the hose due to the backing plate. There really is no other way to get it out other than removing the wheel.
We have embarked on a few small drainage projects on the eleventh hole. The weather has held us up a bit but we will have no problem wrapping them up this week.
Energy Trust of Oregon
Given the recent cold weather we realized that we could probably save some money if we insulated our ceiling above the office and break room. With the success of our lighting project last year we decided to contact the Energy Trust of Oregon again to see if there were incentives available within the realm of insulation. Sure enough, we can get up to 0.30 cents per square foot, not to exceed the total cost of the project. It looks like we need to buy 1,190 square feet of R-19 insulation, install it, and send them the receipts. By my calculations our net cost will by less than $170.00!
My own take on promoting our good work
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| Sustainable Golf 2.0 | |
Previously posted on Turfhugger.com:
It read as follows:
" I think there's a better chance for long-term financial success if we get off the treadmill of trying to meet golfers' expectations by continually increasing maintenance intensity and budgets, and figure out how to make money respecting the real intent and spirit of the game while protecting the planet's vital resources. Plenty of superintendents can see the need for some sort of transition, and they have the ability to develop a sustainable maintenance program. The problem is that they do not have the time of ability by themselves to educate their boards and members, or owners and paying golfers, about what they are doing and why."
So, do we not have the time or the ability to educate our board members and golfers? I think superintendents do. A number of superintendents are doing this exact thing. If we can find the time to communicate our message, others can do so as well. We all want to see our industry succeed but it is difficult for some to put themselves "out there". Being "out there" is not necessarily a bad thing. It is not a matter of shameless self promotion but a matter of educating others of your successes and putting your industry in a good light. Tom Mead makes a perfect point in this story so lets get behind it and continue to promote our good work and help our golf courses achieve a more sustainable operation.
Announcing the Publication of Attracting Native Pollinators
This is a wonderful source of information to anyone interested in the conservation of native pollinators. Whether it is a tool to help develop a conservation program at your golf course or a book to educate "small ones" on the value of native pollinators, this is the book to have. My friend Matthew Shepherd and a Xerces Society staff member was integral in the development of this book. He has worked tirelessly over the past few years to complete this project. Big congratulations to Mathew and the Xerces Society for a job well done. The book also features one of my photographs on page 193 and one from Dan Dinelli, CGCS and 2009 Presidents Award winner from North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill on page 196. The book is available from the Xerces website or on Amazon. It is a must for your collection.
Announcing the Publication of Attracting Native Pollinators
We are excited to announce that our new book, Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies, is available. The book is published by Storey Publishing, North Adams, Massachusetts. Attracting Native Pollinators is coauthored by four Xerces Society staff members Eric Mader, Matthew Shepherd, Mace Vaughan, and Scott Black in collaboration with Gretchen LeBuhn, a San Francisco State University botanist and director of the Great Sunflower Project.Since Xerces published the groundbreaking Pollinator Conservation Handbook in 2003 conservation practices have evolved, and that book has begun to show its age. At 380 pages, Attracting Native Pollinators provides dramatically expanded breadth and detail, reflecting the latest understanding about creating and managing pollinator habitat. Illustrated with hundreds of color photographs and dozens of specially created illustrations, Attracting Native Pollinators is divided into four sections:
- Pollinators and Pollination explains the value of pollinators, and includes informative chapters on the natural history and habitat needs of bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, and wasps.
- Taking Action provides comprehensive information on ways to help pollinators and on creating nest sites and safe foraging areas. It includes guidance on conserving pollinators in all kinds of landscapes: gardens, natural areas, farms, recreation land, even ecoroofs.
- Bees of North America provides help with identifying the more abundant and important bee species, and supplies detailed profiles of more than thirty commonly encountered genera.
- Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Landscape shows how various kinds of land, including urban gardens, suburban parks, and farms, can be enhanced to support diverse pollinator populations. Sample planting designs and fifty pages of illustrated plant lists facilitate selection of the best plants for any region.
- Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home.
“Precise, elegant, and thoughtful, the recommendations offered by the Xerces Society will become essential to advancing a healthy and diverse food-production system.”
- Gary Paul Nabhan, author of The Forgotten Pollinators and Renewing America’s Food Tradition.
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