The Top Ten most read stories in this TurfPro Weekly Briefing during the course of 2018 have been revealed.
Interestingly five of the articles which garnered the most opens were all to do with regulations surrounding use of chemical products on grass surfaces.
The rest of the top ten is made up of the unexpected and the slightly unusual.
Looking ahead, TurfPro will be with you once again throughout the year, bringing you all the latest, news, opinions and features of interest to the UK turfcare sector.
And so in ascending order of popularity, here are TurfPro's most read stories of 2018 . . .
10.
WGM RELINQUISHES DEERE PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS - 15th October 2018
Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd decided to relinquish its professional golf & turf business - with neighbouring dealers taking on sales responsibilities.
9.
COUNCIL WORKER MOWS DOWN BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT MEADOW - 6th August 2018
It was widely reported that an East Devon District Council employee 'misunderstood' his job and completely mowed flat a meadow being watched for a national survey.
8.
PROPICONAZOLE BASED FUNGICIDES TO BE WITHDRAWN - 10th December 2018
The EU Commission announced its decision not to renew the approval for the fungicide active ingredient, propiconazole.
7.
ARSENAL HEAD GROUNDSMAN TO LEAVE POST - 3rd December 2018
It was reported that head groundsman at the Emirates Stadium, Reece Watson, would leave the club in February 2019.
6.
GLYPHOSATE ADVICE OFFERED - 24th September 2018
Barrie Hunt, Roundup technical development manager came up with a Q&A for contractors and parks managers to answer timely queries about glyphosate.
5.
GLYPHOSATE GUIDANCE ROADSHOW ANNOUNCED - 6th November 2018
Complete Weed Control announced a series of roadshow events to provide essential guidance for the amenity sector dealing with the application of glyphosate.
4.
FORMER GROUNDSMAN WINS £80,000 COMPENSATION - 5th March 2018
Former Buxton groundsman was mowing a grass bank when he slipped on a tree stump, hit his head and passed out.
3.
IOG RESPOND TO USA GLYPHOSATE RULING - 20th August 2018
The IOG reminded all grounds personnel and contractors to ensure they carry out full risk assessments before carrying out any maintenance activity and to ensure appropriate control measures are in place.
2.
AMENITY FORUM ISSUES STATEMENT ON USE OF GLYPHOSATE - 13th August 2018
Following on from jurors in San Francisco awarding a former school groundsman $289m, ruling that Monsanto's Roundup gave him terminal cancer, the Amenity Forum issued a statement on Glyphosate useage.
1.
COUNCIL WORKER CHARGED FOR MOBILE USE ON MOWER - 21st May 2018
A council groundscare worker was thought to have become the first person in Britain to be charged with using a mobile while operating a lawnmower after being stopped outside a police station.
