The Mid-Atlantic Sports Turf Managers Association (MASFMA) is proud to announce the development of a critical Best Management Practices (BMP) manual. This research-based document is being developed specifically for the Sports Turf Manager and will integrate science based best practices in the areas of integrated pest management utilizing federal and local nutrient and pesticide regulations; protecting natural resources; and most importantly protecting the athletes and community who utilize the fields. The BMP manual will afford turf professionals the opportunity to be recognized as professionals and environmental stewards.
Fundraising efforts were launched during the first quarter
of 2019 and the MASFMA Board of Directors successfully hit the initial goal of
$15,000 and is now able to move forward with hiring Kingsbury Consulting to
begin the manual. To date, major donors include Bayer, the Maryland Turfgrass
Council (MTC), Turf Equipment and Supply Company, the Sports Turf Managers
Association Chapter of Illinois, and Finch Services, Inc.
MASFMA member Patrick Coakley, CSFM, said, “By reaching our
first plateau for the BMP project makes this real now; it is no longer just an
idea. This is now going to happen. Pen hits paper and the document is being
built. I think this will give us the momentum we need to finish out the
fundraising portion and get this done.”
Kingsbury Consulting has successfully completed BMPs in
several other states prior to beginning the Mid-Atlantic BMP. Kingsbury
Consulting’s Principal, Stacey Kingsbury, holds a master’s degree in
environmental management from Yale University, and has expertise in water
quality, environmental management and strategic communication.
MASFMA President Jeremy Driscoll states, “The BMP being
produced for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Turf Managers Association will be a tool
that can be used by anyone in the Sports Turf Industry. It will not only provide
the most productive, technical and safest methods of performing day to day
operations, it will be a guideline for advancing the essential mandatory
routine care of athletic fields to provide the best playing surfaces possible.
It will also serve as a voice to government legislators, public individuals,
and anyone who stands to listen and understand that those performing these
tasks on sports fields are educated, trained, and licensed in the proper usage
of equipment, pesticide applications and other areas of expertise.”
MASFMA plans on using the Mid-Atlantic BMP as a template
that other locations are able to share and replicate. Coakley adds, “The
long-term goal for the BMP project is to make a universal sports turf template
to be used by all local SFMA chapters nationwide.”
For more info please contact Melissa Dornan, MASFMA
Executive Director, 202.617.0447, Melissa.L.Dornan@gmail.com
