New Handbook Will Help Make Golf Courses More 'Green'

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), in partnership with LandStudies, Inc., published the new Best Management Practices Handbook with financial assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Growing Greener Grant Program.

"Pennsylvania has over 800 public and private golf courses covering thousands of acres of open space, streams and ponds," said Don Welsh, President & CEO Pennsylvania Environmental Council. "With this Handbook, superintendents can improve water quality and watershed habitat at their courses using proven best management practices that in many cases will also lower maintenance costs."

The Handbook includes a detailed description of each recommended Practice, its environmental benefit, and a local example with contact information so that superintendents can learn first-hand how to install the Practice. The Handbook also includes hyperlinks to additional online resources for each Practice.

PEC and LandStudies were assisted by John Chassard, Director of Grounds at the Lehigh Country Club, and Jeff Broadbelt, President, Agrostis Golf Management. Mr. Chassard and Mr. Broadbelt and LandStudies collected information about state of the art Practices from golf course superintendents across the Commonwealth as part of the development of the Handbook.

The Handbook provides information about how the Practices, such as created or restored wetlands and natural floodplains, can generate additional value environmental service credits, including nutrient reduction, wetland mitigation and habitat credits.

The Handbook also includes techniques for capturing and mitigating stormwater runoff and increasing groundwater recharge at golf courses. These stormwater management practices can be integrated with local watershed management strategies in cooperation with local municipalities.

The Handbook can be downloaded free at www.pecpa.org/gchandbook.

Information about LandStudies, Inc., is available at www.landstudies.com.

About Pennsylvania Environmental Council

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council promotes the protection and restoration of the natural and built environments through innovation, collaboration, education and advocacy with the private sector, government, individuals and communities as partners to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Environmental Council

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