Monthly Feature Hosted By:
	David Phipps, GCSAA Class A member at Stone Creek Golf Club, Oregon City, Ore.

When we order fertilizer for our golf course we have a choice. We can order Brand X or Brand Y and we can get it with slow release nitrogen or quick release nitrogen, we can stipulate how much Potassium or Phosphorus we want in the product. We can pretty much tailor make it to fit our needs. Have you ever considered your golf course’s environmental program? Have you ever thought about tailor making an environmental program that works best with your property?

I believe that we as superintendents have progressed so far in the environmental arena that we now have a choice in picking a program that best fits our needs. The first program that comes to my mind is the Audubon International Program that was conceived by the New York Audubon Society in conjunction with the USGA.  Also, we have nationally recognized programs that were developed by superintendents. Some of these programs that come to my mind are the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Environmental Stewardship Guidelines and the Michigan Environmental Stewardship Program. These two fantastic programs were developed in conjunction with superintendents as a not for profit program and each fulfill a niche on their own. The Safe Harbor Program is another outstanding environmental program that is designed to help private land owners provide habitat for threatened and endangered species on a voluntary basis. You can learn more on this as you follow the wonderful work that Bob Farren, CGCS and his staff has done at Pinehurst Resort, they are this years Presidents Award winner.

Our goal is not to pick a program that is watered down and is an easy “feather” in our cap, but rather to pick a program that is going to decrease our properties risk assessment and go beyond regulatory requirements. The City of Charlottesville, Virginia has found just the program that fits their needs to a tee. They have adopted the Environmental Management System (EMS) for all of their parks including Meadowcreek Golf Course at Pen Park. They pursued this program because of its wide range of activities and the visibility of its operations to their local citizens. The department wanted to distinguish itself as a leader in the community in terms of environmental protection and worker health and safety; much of the same reasons that we as superintendents feel when we pursue a program such as this. Follow this case study on EDGE and read how the City of Charlottesville tailor made this program into what I feel is one of the most comprehensive programs available today.

If you are compelled to share an environmental case study, we would love to hear from you. Your completed case study will earn you 0.25 service points. If you have any questions feel free to contact myself at dcphipps@bctonline.com or Mark Johnson, GCSAA’s Senior Manager, Environmental Programs.

March's Guest:
	Jim Horne, Office of Wastewater Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

As the experiences from the city of Charlottesville make clear, an environmental management system (EMS) is not some esoteric, "pie in the sky" approach, but rather a very practical tool that can help golf courses and many other organizations use a number of existing practices and ideas to achieve their environmental and organizational goals.  An EMS does not dictate to an organization what it must do--it gives the organization a flexible, proven framework to address day to day management issues and set goals for the future.  Using an EMS is also a great way to engage staff throughout the organization and build support for long-term environmental stewardship efforts.

U.S. EPA has been a strong supporter of EMSs for a number of years.  We have set forth an agency-wide EMS Position Statement at www.epa.gov/ems and have adopted EMSs for all of our own facilities.  Our support and our adoption of EMS is based on one simple fact--they work!  They help organizations meet their environmental obligations, operate more efficiently, and help ensure that environmental goals are met on a continuing basis.  EPA also provides national recognition for organizations that use EMSs to achieve environmental results through our Performance Track program.  A growing number of states are also developing similar programs.

Over the past several years, my office at EPA has assisted approximately 40 public entities, such as the city of Charlottesville, adopt EMSs for a wide variety of operations.  To help spread the word about EMSs and the benefits they can provide, we have established a clearinghouse of EMS information at www.peercenter.net.  This clearinghouse provides a wealth of information on how to develop an EMS, the experiences of those that have done so, and contact information on individuals that can help other managers understand the benefits of adopting an EMS for their operations.

As a member of the GCSAA Environmental Programs Committee, I am impressed with the commitment to the environment shown by GCSAA and its members.  Golf course superintendents and their staffs deal with environmental issues every day. Developing EMSs tailored to the specific needs of golf courses could help provide GCSAA members and others with a proven, flexible way to demonstrate a continuing commitment to the environment while also continuing to build the game of golf.