We haven spoken on here many times before about the value of well maintained public green spaces.

Turf professionals know this better than anybody. But until now it's been mostly anecdotal, first-hand account evidence which could be cited for why they are so important. And crucially why it's so vital that their maintenance budgets do not get slashed any further.

Well now, thanks to national charity Fields In Trust, there are some hard statistics which could hopefully help in any argument over their true worth to the community.

New research from Fields in Trust demonstrates a direct and statistically significant link between publicly accessible parks and green spaces and health and well being.

Based on new analysis of existing data from Defra and Natural England and a new primary data (sample size 4,033) the charity say they have established, for the first time at the national level, a link between an individual’s use of parks and green spaces and an improvement in health and wellbeing (covering General Health and the four ONS wellbeing questions - life satisfaction, sense of worth, happiness and anxiety).

According to their findings, on average, the more frequently park/greenspace trips are made, the higher an individual’s wellbeing. The most practical and effective use of an individual’s time would be to visit their local park or green space at least once a week to gain most of the health and wellbeing benefits. This results in a recommended ‘dosage’ for parks and green space.

The way Fields In Trust describes it if it's ‘Five a day’ for fruit and veg then it is ‘Once a week’ for parks. Which is a catchy tag line and one that it would be great if it caught on in the national psyche.

The new research also identifies the importance of parks and green spaces as venues for community connections, helping to reduce the risk of loneliness. Research highlights links between park usage and demographics; parks and green spaces are particularly important to families who are twice as likely (33%) to be users of parks than non-users (18%).

The findings are released as Parks and Green Spaces Minister, Marcus Jones MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for Local Government formally responds to the Department for Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into the Future of Public Parks. As part of his response, the Minister announced the creation of a ‘Parks Action Group’. This advisory panel, chaired by the minister, will include Fields in Trust as a member alongside other green space organisations who are tasked with applying their expertise to inform a new cross-departmental group of government departments.

Chief Executive, Helen Griffiths said: “I welcome the Ministers response to the CLG Parliamentary Committee and Fields in Trust’s appointment to the newly established “Parks Action Group” at this pivotal moment for the future of parks and green spaces. Our ongoing research recognises how these spaces help to address significant public policy issues including health and wellbeing and community integration. We are looking forward to furthering our work with colleagues across the sector to ensure that we value parks and green spaces and take account of the vital contribution they make to local communities.”

The full findings of the new Fields in Trust research will be published in a full academic paper which will identify not only details of park and green space usage but will also reveal the results of a new bespoke survey identifying the value placed on parks and green spaces by those who use them.

That paper will make no doubt fascinating reading and hopefully will make those in charge of the purse strings of our public green spaces sit up and take notice.

Viking, the mowing machinery arm of German firm STIHL that is due to be fully merged into its parent by this time next year, has unveiled what it claims is a world first, with the launch of iMow TeaM – an app which allows the simultaneous control of up to ten of its iMow mowing robots. The move could see the machines begin to move from domestic and light professional grounds use towards uptake by more and more professional users, believe Viking and Stihl management.


Still sold under the Viking brand for now, STIHL has developed a ‘team’ concept for its iMow robot mower, allowing multiple units to work together

By controlling up to ten of the iMow MI 632 M mowers together, the iMow TeaM app can control the cutting of up to 4,000 square metres or more of grass, taking the technology into areas such as football pitch, golf course and park mowing.

The mowers can cut a predetermined area of grass at the same time - even at night, if required - and work independently, with STIHL and Viking suggesting this helps to overcome the difficulties of finding labour and allows more skilled staff to be freed up for other tasks. In addition, they point out that the use of multiple units can help to maintain surfaces such as football pitches within narrow time windows.

The mowers are co-ordinated by an intelligent software product, developed by Viking, which coordinates and oversees the deployment of the team. The user always has full control and access to the machines from anywhere via the free Viking app for smartphones or tablets. Self-explanatory, simple menu guidance is used to ensure operators require no prior technical knowledge, with a ‘wizard‘ guiding users through the initial installation. Once the mowing plan has been finalised, the server automatically transmits the data to the whole team.

The iMow TeaM navigates inside a perimeter wire laid out on the ground, and patterns are guided by a randomised algorithm designed to create a neat, even cutting pattern. If the robot mowers are required to devote extra attention to particular areas, up to four intensive zones, with a choice of three intensity settings, can be programmed via the app. With the aid of smart technology the machines then work more intensively on those areas.

On slopes up to 45 per cent and on difficult terrain the controller responds by throttling back. On-board sensors detect if it starts raining, the battery power drops or the job has been completed, and the robot mower then heads for a docking station where it parks under cover and recharges. Each machine can use any docking station free at the time. The docking stations can also be sited in a secure area at a distance from the area of grass to be mown, said to be especially advantageous in the case of areas of land that are accessible to all, such as public parks or football grounds.

iMow models are mulching mowers, and cutting height can be set within a range of 20 to 60mm, with finely-shredded cuttings returned to the soil as nutrients. The cutting blades are sharpened on both sides and the direction of rotation reverses regularly to ensure even wear. Sensitive lifting sensors fitted to the iMow are said to ensure instant detection when the unit is lifted up, with the blade comn to an immediate stop.

Do you think that your local park, playground or playing field is the best in the country?

Here’s your chance to prove it. National charity Fields in Trust have launched a campaign to find the UK’s Best Park, as voted by you.



This unique award is open to all public green spaces across the UK through a simple online nomination at www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark. 

In advance of hosting the awards sports presenter and journalist Jacqui Oatley launched the campaign saying: “I am delighted to be hosting this year’s Fields in Trust Awards and can’t wait to hear stories of the fantastic work being done on green spaces across the UK.”

Nominations for the UK's Best Park open as new research from Fields in Trust is published which demonstrates a direct and statistically significant link between publicly accessible parks and green spaces and health and wellbeing.

Fields in Trust Chief Executive Helen Griffiths was this appointed as a member of the governments ‘Parks Action Group’, an advisory panel convened by Parks and Green Spaces Minister Marcus Jones MP she said: "Parks and open spaces are arguably the most universal of all public services. They are used by the entire community from pre-school children through to retired adults - our nation's parks and green spaces are places to enjoy life experiences, whether that’s reaching a personal sporting milestone, teaching grandchildren to cycle, engaging with nature, having a first kiss or simply walking a much-loved dog. We want to ensure that we value parks and green spaces and take account of the vital contribution they make to local communities.

“Our Awards help recognise the role that our local parks play in our neighbourhoods, bringing people together and creating a safe outdoor environment that should be available to everyone. We want to celebrate all the much-loved green spaces and invite all park users to vote for their favourite.”

The UK’s Best Park award is one of ten categories that together form the sixth, annual Fields in Trust Awards. Winners will be revealed at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 29th November in an event which celebrates the achievements of individuals and organisations who have worked over the last year to ensure that everyone has access to protected outdoor recreational space.

Categories include the Community Champion Award and, sponsored by environmental regeneration charity Groundwork, the Young Champion Award. A new category for 2017 is for the Friends Group of the year, which will celebrate projects with significant community participation in running or improving a park or green space.

The Buckinghamshire Golf Club has recently undergone a £3 million course redesign. The course has been lengthened to 7200 Championship yards, 112 bunkers have been redesigned to 64 and the 25-year irrigation system has been replaced with a new Toro Lynx controller with 1275 Flex 35 and T5 sprinklers, ensuring that not an inch of the 226 acre venue goes without a good watering.


The Buckinghamshire

Course manager Andy Ewence who has been at the club in Denham for five years says the club has very high standards and the course, which was designed by John Jacobs OBE and is host to numerous competitions, needed some alterations to ensure its position as one of the finest inland course in the British Isles. “We wanted to update some aspects of the course. Lengthening it adds a new challenge for our members and better suits the tournaments we host. We’ve reduced 112 bunkers to 64, relocated the remaining 64 and lined every one with bunker Blinder. We’ve added lake edges to two feature holes and concrete pathways for ease of movement around the course.”

It was while making these changes that Andy and the team decided to replace the irrigation system. Andy explains, “The irrigation system was 25 years old and as a result the PVC piping was turning brittle, it was very unreliable and the computer system needed updating. And all of these factors were visibly displaying on the course. We had dry patches and grass that was turning yellow. Redesigning the course was the perfect time to update the system.”

Andy says the owners were very much behind the investment and encouraged him to seek out “the best”, a decision Andy turned to irrigation specialists Lakes and Greens to help him make. “We were after the highest specification, the full package,” says Andy. “Wall-to-wall sprinklers, a mapping system and Grundfos pumps that work with the controllers were key.

“We are very familiar with the Toro brand as we are on a five-year leasing package for all our turf machinery and the quality is outstanding. But Toro Irrigation was chosen for its own merit and it was the Lynx control system in particular that sold it to me. I’ve been using the system since April 2017 and in my opinion it is the best system I could have chosen, it’s so easy to work with. But the real proof is in the grass, it looks amazing: green and lush and the members have really noticed a difference.” 

This week (25 September – 1 October) marks Why Amenity Matters Week.

Through the eyes of the Colins family, the campaign encourages families and friends to celebrate the enjoyment of our local parks and sports grounds and recognise the contribution of those who maintain our green spaces and infrastructure.



Launched by the Amenity Forum, Why Amenity Matters Week also aims to show how the UK’s urban spaces, roadside verges, trees, hedges and railway lines are maintained and how the amenity sector, responsible for caring for this managed landscape, impacts on our daily lives; helping us travel to work and enjoy leisure activities while contributing to the economy and protecting the natural environment. The campaign highlights how invasive weeds have a negative impact on the economy estimated at £1.7 billion with £6 million alone being spent on controlling Japanese Knotweed on the road network in the UK.

As well as promoting the importance of the sector, the week also highlights the benefits of enjoying local parks and sports grounds as well as saluting the sector’s ‘unsung green heroes’ who care for them and ensure they are managed safely. The campaign is also designed to raise awareness among commuters of the maintenance work that goes on behind the scenes to keep the country’s railway network, stations and highways clear from weeds.

During the week, a social media survey on Twitter is set to quiz those enjoying urban green spaces on who they think manages our amenity areas, who is responsible for keeping streets and verges weed free and who ensures our urban trees stay free of pests and disease.

At the same time, members of the Amenity Forum who range from local greenkeepers to national water companies will lift the lid on what’s involved in looking after their patch.

The Amenity Forum represents the diverse sector behind the maintenance of the managed environment; from manufacturers to suppliers, trade associations, local authorities, major users, landscape, sport and leisure. In the landscaping sector alone, 61,500 people are employed within the UK and the annual turnover for the landscaping services industry is £4 billion.

Independent Chairman of the Amenity Forum Professor John Moverley OBE said: “Most people appreciate that the environment around them is maintained in some way but fewer realise that there is a huge contribution from something called the amenity sector behind this; working to ensure our green spaces and essential infrastructure are managed safely for public enjoyment and leisure. What they do impacts upon every UK citizen every day providing a safe and healthy environment and sports and leisure areas fit for purpose.

“Studies have shown a positive and clear link between mental health and access to parks and green spaces. The Get Moving campaign was creative to help show the importance of effective and safe weed control to the smooth running of things we take for granted, such as clear pathways and roads.

“This year we want to encourage everyone to get back out into their local parks and green spaces and to recognise the contribution of those working in them to enable us to travel, keep physically active and protect the environment.

“Those responsible for weed, pest and disease control may go largely unnoticed but their work is vital in ensuring that our journeys to work, the shops, for recreation, are safe and our environment is protected and that invasive plants like Japanese Knotweed are controlled.

“During Why Amenity Matters Week why not give a thought to the green heroes who are quietly making a big impact on your enjoyment of outdoor space.”

Every seed counts when it comes to restoring playing surface quality on golf courses or getting stadium pitches established and stable for the new season. Typically there are now greater expectations for turf managers to achieve excellent turf surfaces, with shorter intervals in which to achieve it.

Reporting new trials at STRI Research in Bingley, Yorkshire, last week (20-21 September), Syngenta Technical Manager, Marcela Munoz, highlighted the push for rapid seedling growth - with warmth and high humidity - creates conditions highly conducive to disease, especially in sports stadiums with poor airflow or under germination sheets.


Marcela Munoz

“Seedling blight diseases can affect success at many levels, from individual plant losses reducing sward density, to patches of bare ground or even total seedling kill – possibly losing two or three weeks in the restoration timeline that may never be recovered,” she warned.

Syngenta research, in association with STRI, has investigated application timings and agronomy options to utilise new fungicide technology that can reduce the impact of seedling diseases and establish stronger swards more quickly.

“The work has looked at ways to protect seedlings through the first 14 to 21 days from emergence, when new growth is especially vulnerable to infection, but managers want to avoid travelling or walking on the surface to avoid seedling damage,” reported Marcela.

Pot trials at STRI have already established that the crop safety of new Instrata Elite has no adverse effect on germination or seedling establishment on the Fescue, Bent or Ryegrass species tested. The trial looked at application at sowing, or in the days immediately prior to sowing, to investigate the potential to reduce disease pathogens on the soil surface and provide a reservoir of protection that may be taken up by the seedlings.

“Following that success, new pot trials have established that Instrata Elite is also safe to use on plants from first emergence. The trial showed no phytotoxicity effects from applications at the seeding; 1st leaf or 2nd leaf stage - with sprays at label rate and even tested at double the label rate.


Instrata Elite - 2nd leaf stage 

“Although most turf managers would aim to avoid such early applications, to prevent physical damage to the plants during spraying, well-timed treatment with an appropriate fungicide could stop disease outbreaks from developing further, and help to protect clean seedlings from infection,” she advised.

Marcela pointed out that preventing seedling blight infection is seen as important not only to protect against die-back and losses, but also to avoid the stress on small plants associated with disease attack; clean healthy seedlings are better able to establish and develop stronger roots.

A further development of the seedling establishment research - which is being shown at STRI Research 2017 – is a field-scale evaluation of the pot trials. Instrata Elite has been applied to turf pushed to create disease conducive conditions for seedling blight pathogens, to test the fungicide activity.


Tom Young presents at STRI Research 2017

The trial has also been extended to include Primo Maxx II in the early foliar application, to provide information for future recommendations on the optimum time to begin the PGR programme after seeding. The work assesses potential benefits of physiological effects to promote tillering and stronger rooting, whilst evaluating any effect of growth regulation on the establishing leaf.

“The new fungicide trials are part of an initiative to provide future fully integrated recommendations for seeding best practice,” added Marcela. “It builds on previous successful Syngenta and STRI seedling establishment research with Qualibra wetting agent - which demonstrated the significant advantages for seedling growth from more effective soil moisture management.

“Together with ITM aspects of seed selection - for varieties with good germination, vigour and disease resistance – along with management of shade, moisture and fertility, there will be real chance to enhance the speed and reliability of future seedling establishment and successful renovation,” she concluded.

Multi-sports facility, The Roehampton Club has signed another five-year exclusivity agreement with Toro.


Standing from left, course and grounds manager Peter Bradburn, deputy head groundsman Ben Hunter and Reesink Turfcare’s Trevor Chard watch first assistant Simon Bailey put the Toro Greensmaster 1600 through its paces on one of the ten grass tennis courts

The priority for course and grounds manager, Peter Bradburn, who heads up a team of 20 is to maintain the high standards on the golf course, tennis courts, croquet lawn and gardens. With its Toro fleet set to grow by up to 75 percent under the new agreement to include machines suitable for all three surfaces, the Club has once again chosen Toro, after conducting a thorough market testing exercise.

“I’ve been involved in the building of golf courses all around Europe,” Peter says. “And although the country changes, Toro has always been a constant. In fact, many projects I have worked on were intentionally undertaken because they involved working with Toro as you can rely on the quality of Toro’s equipment, aftercare and service.

“This agreement encompasses all the turf-based facilities we have here, the management of which requires a multi-disciplined approach”.

Included in the first order under the new agreement comes the Groundsmaster 4700-D and the Greensmaster 3250-D for the 18-hole parkland golf course, which in 2015 was accepted by the World of Leading Golf for the quality of the course. The reason behind choosing the GM4700-D is the greater width of cut it offers. Peter says: “We’ve changed how we manage the roughs by opting for a machine that can deliver a wide cut each time. This improves our timings working around the course, meaning we get things done more quickly.”

Improvements have also been made to the way the fairways are managed. Groomers have been added to the new GM3250-D, which Peter and the team have found enables a better quality of cut in damp conditions. “We can cut in all weathers using this machine”, he says. “And being able to get straight out on the course in the morning regardless of the dew, and start cutting, improves the day’s productivity.”

Being the course and grounds manager of a multi-sports venue involves, says Peter, “wearing many hats!” There are four croquet lawns at the club, all at international standard and reputed to be the best in the UK. Hosting the Croquet World Cup and International Open Championships each year and regular internal and external tournaments, it is essential all four lawns live up to expectations. Peter explains: “Cutting on the croquet lawns is low at 3mm to create a billiards table finish. The Toro Greensmaster 1600 pedestrian mowers fitted with 11-blades deliver a 3mm cut without losing the velvety finish our players like.”

For the 30 tennis courts, of which ten are grass, Peter has brought in Toro’s Greensmaster 1000 pedestrian mowers. “Tennis is a very different surface to manage to golf and croquet. A good, consistent bounce is required and to achieve that the courts must have a high clay content and the grass plant must be well established with a dense root mass to stabilise the ground similar to that used for the cricket field, otherwise the wear caused by play traffic would disintegrate the surface very quickly. The GM1000 mowers offer a precise but gentle cut, ideal for this surface.”

The countdown to Europe’s largest annual turf management event has officially begun, marked by the opening of online visitor registration.



SALTEX 2017 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 1-2 November, and has already attracted over 250 exhibitors - a number that’s set to grow further in the weeks leading up to the event. Confirmed to return are a number of leading brand names spanning the whole turf management industry including manufacturers and suppliers of world-class products and services for the maintenance of pitches, grounds, landscaping, parks and estates.

SALTEX will also once again boast unique show features such as:

• Learning LIVE - an all-encompassing free-to-attend education programme offering grounds and open space practitioners across all disciplines, volunteer as well as professional, the chance to increase their CPD points.
• Outdoor demonstrations - providing an opportunity to see a number of products in action directly outside the SALTEX halls 6, 7 and 8.
• The SALTEX College Cup - a national student-led sports-turf challenge sponsored by Ransomes.
• Pathology & Soil Science LIVE - allowing visitors to look in detail at the symptoms of some common turfgrass fungal disease problems.
• The Young Groundsmen’s Conference, sponsored by Rigby Taylor and Top Green - an ideal opportunity for young people looking to advance their career in the groundscare industry
• Ask the Expert – free pitchcare advice from the IOG’s team of regional pitch advisors based on the IOG Hub
• The IOG Industry Awards - the UK’s biggest celebration in groundsmanship held on the evening of the first day (1 November) at the National Motorcycle Museum.
• NEW for 2017! The Job Clinic – the chance to receive one-to-one advice from industry expert Frank Newberry on how to progress your career, write a compelling CV and perform well in an interview situation.

Located in the centre of the UK, whether you are travelling from overseas or within the UK, the NEC is incredibly easy to get to by car, rail or air.

SALTEX 2017 is free to attend. To register your attendance and beat the queues visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook - www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX