On Wednesday and Thursday this week I, along with my colleagues from TurfPro and Service Dealer, will be attending this year’s SALTEX show at the Birmingham NEC.

We have a stand (HO11) and are looking forward to meeting many industry practitioners and managers who have taken the time out to come to the show. 

It will be interesting to see the turn out this year, so soon after the recent GroundsFest show held in September?  

SALTEX was first held in 1938 at the Hurlingham Club. I can’t claim to haven’t attended every one (!), but I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a single IOG / GMA Show since 2000. I view it as an important opportunity to keep in touch with what’s going on in our ever-changing industry.

Organisers say that this year they have 400 exhibitors to see, plus the opportunity to attend many educational seminars as part of their Learning Live agenda.

As an RFU volunteer pitch advisor, I shall be keen to catch up with what's available in multi-sport facility funding from the panel of governing body representatives from the ECB, the FA, the RFL, the RFU and the Football Foundation. This panel is set to include:

• Ted Mitchell, national facilities development ,anager - Rugby Football Union
• Andy Clay, programme manager (grass pitches) - The Football Foundation
• Iain James, head of facilities services - England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
• Tom Little, facilities manager - Rugby Football League (RFL) 

Having recently attending a RFU webinar with over 80 rugby clubs in attendance, there is a substantial pot of money being made available for pitch improvements and machinery for grass roots clubs. 

This seminar is on the first day of the show, Wednesday at 10am, on the Community Sports stage.

As for other seminars, I shall be keen to attend How to attract young people into the industry. This will be held at 13.00 on Wednesday on the main stage.

The expert panelists in this session will discuss the diverse opportunities that the grounds sector offers young people - and how to encourage them to get started on a rewarding career.

It will certainly be an interesting debate and one which for a number of years has been the talk of the industry. 

For me personally, this is one of the biggest challenges our industry has had to face for many years - particularly post-Covid. Encouraging young people to come and work in our diverse industry is proving to be difficult. Principally, I’d argue this is down to pay and conditions. Also I feel school leavers are not aware of the sheer scale of roles that are available in our industry and, more importantly. what career paths are available to them.  

The problem with our industry in general is that we are fragmented, with many aspects not working together. 

I will say we have many admirable, hardworking, national organisations representing our industry. The likes of the GMA, BIGGA, R&A, BAGMA, APSE, PMA, Lantra, Basis, Amenity Forum, Arb Association, Landscape Institute, Fields In Trust, RHS, Gardeners Guild, and many others, are all aware and doing their bit to get new blood into the industry. Also many of our major equipment manufacturers do similar. And not forgetting the colleges and education institutions.

But the question remains, is what all these organisations are doing, enough to solve this recruitment crisis. 

I personally do not think it is enough.

I would like to see the collaboration of many of these organisations, finally coming together to deliver a new national education / academy scheme. Essentially a new pathway programme that entices the next generation to come and work in our industry.

The government, I hear, has a substantial amount of money to commit to such a scheme that ideally should pay for their education and wages during the duration of a two-year pathway programme. The aim should be to see five thousand students a year for the next five years. That would hopefully bring in 25,000 new recruits into our industry. Yes, it’s a big ask, but doable I believe.  Certainly if there was willingness to come together.  

Ideally the scheme will enable the student to attend college and experience four different placements, to give them the all-round experience to work in our industry.

We have a sector that can offer many different placement needs depending on what the student would be interested in.

Local authorities would have placements in many of their parks and departments. We then have all the different sporting venues to choose from. There’s also private gardens, nurseries, forestry, National Trusts, RHS  gardens, English Heritage, plus many others.

It is not time now for our industry to finally come together for the benefit of us all?

This new collaboration of the senior CEOs and managers of all of the above and interested parties, have a great opportunity to make a difference and perhaps solve the three major challenges facing our industry - pay and conditions; recruitment; and recognition of what we bring to the table as turf professionals.

I look forward to meeting you at SALTEX.

A new report, Engineering better sports venues: Designing for athletes, spectators and the environment, has been released, exploring how sports venues can reduce carbon emissions, improve the experience for athletes and spectators, and be accessible to all.  

The report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers highlights the role engineers, working together with architects, governments and sports organisations, play in creating venues that are not only sustainable but also inclusive for all users.

In a statement the publishers said, "As sport grows in popularity, so does its environmental footprint. Mega sporting events continue to captivate global audiences, accelerating the demand for large-scale venues. 

"This growth comes with a significant environmental cost, with the global sports industry contributing an estimated 350 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually - approximately one percent of global carbon emissions.

"As well as being important for health and well-being, sport can help build stronger communities by bringing people of all backgrounds together to watch and take part at all levels of sport."

Ruth Shilston, Fellow of the Institution and co-author of the report, added, “As engineers, we’re passionate about bringing our creativity and expertise to create better outcomes. With the climate emergency arguably one of the most pertinent challenges of our time, impacting spectators and athletes globally, we have a fundamental role to play in the creation of sporting venues which are inclusive, sustainable, and resilient to a changing climate.” 

The report’s recommendations for improving sports venues include:

• Cutting emissions: Sports venues should aim to cut emissions across the entire supply chain, from construction to operations. The report highlights the leadership role of large venues in helping smaller clubs and grassroots organisations adopt decarbonisation strategies. It calls for incentives for public and active transport to sporting events, reducing the carbon impact of getting to and from venues.
• Venues for tomorrow - flexible and sustainable: The report calls for greater use of hybrid, temporary, or portable venues to reduce sport’s environmental footprint. Retrofits of existing venues should look to increase usage, making investments more sustainable and cost effective.
• One size does NOT fit all - inclusive design: A call for a consistent framework for inclusive sports venue design. This report urges collaboration between architects, engineers and disabled communities to create spaces that are truly accessible for everyone.
• Tailoring comfort to all: Sports venues should rethink thermal comfort, ensuring they cater to the needs of spectators and athletes – from different ages to abilities. Smart tech like sensors and AI can optimize comfort, not just for athletes, but for fans as well.
• Transparency Leads to Accountability: The report pushes for governments and sports organisations to implement more stringent requirements and greater transparency on the environmental impact of sports venues. Public reporting of emissions and the energy performance of sports venues will drive accountability and progress.
• Powering Innovation - Funding for the Future: The report highlights the need for more research funding in sustainable and inclusive venue technologies, ensuring that solutions for elite stadiums can trickle down to community venues. 

You can access the report here.

It’s an exciting and busy time for the team at Cabot Highlands, as work is well underway on the construction of a second 18-hole course to complement the renowned and outstandingly picturesque Castle Stuart Golf Links.

Investment from the new ownership has also extended to the electrification of the club’s mower fleet, with eight FL22 pedestrian mowers from Infinicut handling the undulating greens.

Tasked with the construction of Old Petty - set to open fully in 2026 - is course manager, James Hutchison, who is assisted by a team of 16 on the daily maintenance of the Castle Stuart course. He said, “We were keen to explore electric options so had demonstrations of the Infinicut along with other electric hand mowers. There were a few things that the team and I liked about the Infinicut - it felt lighter and followed the contours of our greens to deliver a really consistent cut. The range of the battery was also far better. It ticked a lot of boxes.” 

Following the successful demonstration, the club purchased eight FL22 mowers from the golf range, which were installed by local dealers Fairways GM. “The support from Fairways GM is fantastic and this goes a long way when you’re running a pay and play," James confirmed. "We need the peace of mind that back-up is swift and professional should we ever need to call on it.” 

James concluded, “We host a number of amateur events throughout the year which the mower fleet are imperative to in terms of preparations. Moving forwards, we’ll be adding more Infinicuts to our fleet as we prepare to open the new course and potentially welcome more, bigger and even better events into our calendar.” 

Reesink Turfcare, UK distributor of Toro fine turf machinery, has issued a statement saying the "vast majority, 95 percent" of its popular Toro models are now in stock and available for immediate delivery - with them saying that figure is set to reach 100 percent very soon.

Jon Cole, divisional business manager, Reesink Turfcare, stated, “We want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding through this post-pandemic period of lingering supply issues and the extended lead times the industry has endured. We appreciate and very much share the frustration this may have caused and value their loyalty to the brand which saw them prepared to wait."

He continued, “The good news is the wait is over and lead times on machines are tumbling. While extended lead times remain on a very small number of products, through careful planning we are in a position where we can mitigate the effect of these lead times on our customers. We have been working tirelessly through our extensive back orders and are now in a position where we have very nearly caught up. This has left us in the fortunate position of having 95 percent of our most popular machines back in stock and ready for dispatch.” 

Examples of some of the most popular machines now available include but are not limited to the Toro Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 hybrid and all-electric eTriflex 3370 greensmowers, the Reelmaster 3575-D fairway mower and the  Reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder. There are also entire ranges of equipment now in stock including all pedestrian greensmowers, all Groundsmaster models - from the 3500 all the way up to the Groundsmaster 4700, and the full Toro Workman range.

Jon concluded, “We are just waiting on a few remaining lines to have a complete line up meaning the wait is well and truly over. With the extended lead times there has been a huge amount of business booked for 2025, which again we are extremely thankful for. With this in mind and to continue with the good news, we are able to offer a range of finance options to suit the customers budget and buying cycle, giving customers the tools to either bring their deliveries forward or take advantage of the available stock to get the machines and fleet deals they want quickly.”

The company also said that more machines mean that demo fleets across the country are expanding and there is now a wide range of machines available for customers to access and test onsite prior to purchase. Customers are encouraged by the company to contact their local dealer or Reesink representative to find out more.

About Bernhard and Company

Bernhard and Company’s considerable knowledge and understanding of turf and its horticultural requirements stems from a long immersed history in the sector. Stephen Bernhard, founder of Bernhard and Company, developed a special interest in the technical issues surrounding the mowing of turf. 

In particular, this included the critical effect that reel grinding techniques had on mower performance, maintenance time and cost and on the quality of turf that resulted from alternative approaches.

Bernhard and Company leads the way in providing turf health solutions to the industry and our partners.

Our best-in-class products, training and support partnerships deliver exceptional performance to sports venues worldwide.

About Maya

Maya Global is at the forefront of transforming land management through innovative technology and deep industry expertise. Harnessing cutting-edge AI and advanced data analytics, the platform provides actionable insights for effective management of land and resources.

The solution integrates real-time soil sensing, weather data, and predictive modeling to support sport ground managers in optimising operations and advancing turf management practices. With a commitment to user-centric design and operational efficiency, Maya Global empowers professionals worldwide to achieve exceptional results and drive sustainable change in their fields.

As a leader in smart land management solutions, Maya Global combines technological excellence with a dedication to advancing the future of agronomy and sustainability.

Responsible for:

• Achieving sales targets and growth of business for Soil Scout and Maya
• Developing and submitting territory sales plans
• Identifying and managing new business opportunities
• Developing new business initiatives and strategies to maximise sales opportunities
• Maintaining operating costs with the area budget
• Competitive intelligence 

Duties and responsibilities:

Establish annual business plans, strategies, and in-field activities to achieve agreed sales targets. These can include demos, seminar events, customer training,...etc.

Plan and establish area sales forecast and annual sales goals. 

Assist in the execution of annual sales goals by:

• Sales support activities
• Identify, monitor, and maintain opportunities through company CRM
• Aid at local exhibitions/conventions/association events
• Assist with coordinating support/service activities to correct product issues
• Develop and manage relationships with prospects and current customers
• Scheduling and making regular visits with prospects and current customers
• Assist with negotiating orders with customers
• Coordinating field visits to customer locations and key accounts
• Assisting with introducing new products and services

Assist Bernard and Company and Maya by:

• Attend manufacturer training as required to maintain expertise and skills related to products and sales processes
• Report on competitive activity and new product introduction to the market
• Support / attend trade shows, activities, demos, meetings, field days, etc., as necessary
• Operates remotely with or without administrative support by answering customer calls, maintaining opportunity tracking, scheduling meetings, planning travel, utilizing CRM, and generating reports as needed
• To act in the best interests of the Company
• Represent the Company positively
• Perform other special assignments and duties as may be required 

Compensation plan:

The basic salary will be dependent on experience

In addition to the basic salary an additional range of bonuses will be offered based on targets reached. This will be further discussed with the potential candidate.

Included vacation time is 23 days per annum plus all observed UK bank holidays

Company car

We will reimburse all business expenses legitimately incurred in carrying out your role. You will be provided a company credit card for all travel expenses including hotels, meals, rental cars, flights, customer entertainment, etc. A company provided laptop and cell phone will also be included. 

All salary payments are paid monthly 

The ideal candidate will have several of the following:

• 2 or more years of industry experience
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Organised
• Strong communications skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Previous sales experience preferred but not required
• Comfortable with presenting in front of a group
• Must live in the designated territory

To apply click here

AUTUMN COLOUR ON SHOW

AUTUMN DISEASE PRESSURES

THE TRUE VALUE OF PARKS

PITCH SATURATION

INVEST TO SURVIVE

A POSITIVE GROUNDSFEST

AUTUMN LAWN RENOVATION TIPS

TIME FOR A SINGLE SHOW?

BATTLE OF THE ROBOTS

HEDGE FUND

CONTROLLING WEEDS

LETTING THE GRASS GROW . . .

ENHANCING THE CAREERS OF TURF PROFESSIONALS

RISE OF THE ROBOTS

WE ALL KNOW IT'S SUMMER . .

DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS

FACILITIES MUST RECOGNISE & REWARD TURF PROFESSIONALS

AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE

A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR OUR PROFESSION

IN-DEPTH WORK REQUIRED

A SAD DECLINE

WHAT MAKES A PERFECT LAWN?

WE MUST NOT BE THE CREATORS OF OUR OWN DOWNFALL

RENOVATIONS ON TOUR

A WORRYING TIME FOR PARKS

CONSEQUENCES OF THE CONDITIONS

STILL DELIVERING QUALITY GREEN SPACES

WATCH OUT!

THE VALUE OF SPRING RENOVATIONS

FULLY LOADED ARMOURY

THE VALUE OF TREES

WE MUST SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE

COUNCIL SERVICES IN DECLINE

INVESTING IN NATURAL GRASS PITCHES

WORRY OF WEATHER CLOSURES

BUSY & BUZZY BTME

A VERY PARTICULAR SET OF SKILLS

COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGES

View all of 2023's blogs here

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View all of 2019's blogs here

View all of 2018's blogs here

RAISING THE VOICE
At the Amenity Forum's annual conference

SUSTAINABLE PARKS
Parks For London case study

WHY GRASSROOTS RUGBY IS IN DECLINE
A steady drop off in participation.

SEEDS OF SUSTAINABILITY
Focus on a major supplier of grass seed and related products to the amenity sector

ON TEST
STIHL BGA 300 cordless leaf backpack blower

ON TEST
EGO Multi-tool

PUT THEM ON THE TOOLS!
Time for an attitude change

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE TRAINING SECTOR
Grasping the challenge of encouraging more sustainable practice

SUSTAINABILITY IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Lessons learnt and experiences

SKILL SETS NEED RECOGNITION
Turf professionals are underappreciated

GREATER RESPECT FOR GROUNDS STAFF MIGHT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
To the recruitment crisis

A COMPETITIVE SALARY
Why employers should advertise the salary when recruiting new staff

ON TEST
Makita XGT UV001G lawn scarifier

AN EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN MACHINERY SUPPLY
Focus on Kubota

MY PERSONAL GREENKEEPING PHILOSOPHY HAS NEVER CHANGED
I don't follow any set program

SUSTAINABILITY IN LANDSCAPING
A substantial element of amenity activity

IS IT TIME TO SAY NO TO 'NO MOW MAY'?
Any real benefits?

SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR PARKS & PUBLIC GREEN SPACES
Meeting the challenge

THE PATH TO WIMBLEDON
For groundstaff member, Conrad Cavil

ON TEST
EGO LBP8000E backpack blower

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE LAWN CARE SECTOR
A key consideration

BEEKEEPING IN COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENTS
The current situation

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE IN THE AMENITY SUPPLY SECTOR
Optimising land use through integrated solutions

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GOLF SECTOR
Focus on BIGGA

THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE
Bringing together key points

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR GOLF
R&A are supporting clubs

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF EVERY POUND OF BUDGET
A course manager's view

A NEWFOUND APPRECIATION FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS
Who look after grassroots pitches

SUSTAINABILITY & THE UK ACTION PLAN
For weed, pest and disease management

CONCERN FOR PARKS FOLLOWING COUNCIL BANKRUPTCIES
What does the future hold?

TAKING A GLOBAL LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY
Is the rest of the world also driving towards sustainable practice?

RENOVATIONS, PLAY AND THANKS
On my mind this week

SUSTAINABILITY – IMPLICATIONS FOR TRAINING & EDUCATION
Set to play a crucial role going forward

TULIP TREE
Liriodendron tulipifera

LYDIA BROOM
Genista lydia

THE LAWN AND ITS VALUE
Changing attitudes

GIANT HOGWEED
Invasive and potentially harmful

LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS & SUSTAINABILITY
Considering every stage of the journey

NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY
The most important nutrient

BERBERIS THUNBERGII
A shrub that has stood the test of time

ENSURING FUTURE PROSPERITY
Advice imparted at road shows

INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY
A key focus

PHOTINA RED ROBIN
A sensational flowering shrub

VALUING THE GRASSROOTS
We must not overlook those who maintain these grounds

MANAGING WEEDS SUSTAINABLY
In amenity spaces

DETECTING NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
In turf plants

SPRING RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY
A crucial period

SUSTAINABILITY IN SUPPLY
A focus on those who supply essential inputs to our sector

CHANGING CLIMATE
Is a borehole the key for clubs?

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SHARP END
How to put into practice when budgets are tight?

ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF GRASSROOTS RUGBY
Clubs are struggling

SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE
Seeking transparent and robust supply chains is essential

TIME FOR ACTION
To reverse recruitment crisis

CONTROLLING COSTS
Planning is crucial

THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
What exactly does the term mean?

CARING FOR THE GRASSROOTS
From volunteers to contractors

DEFRA IS LETTING DOWN THE COUNTRY
Complete failure to address the plastic grass debate

WE CAN ALL DO MORE
To aid biodiversity

MY LIFE IN GREENKEEPING
With Bruce Cruickshank

LEVELLING UP, GETTING SMARTER & GETTING AHEAD
Parks require so much more funding

SWITCHED ON FOR HARD WORK
Putting trimmers through their paces

MACHINERY HIGHLIGHTS
At this year's show

MY SALTEX
Daniel Lewis​, Manchester City Football Club

AWASH WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Two months till showtime

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
Priorities for the amenity sector

THE DECLINE OF ‘PARKITECTURE’
A symptom of the state of parks in 2022

DEVELOPERS SHIRKING GREEN SPACE RESPONSIBILITIES
Lack of financial commitment

TIME TO COME TOGETHER
For the good of the industry

THE DEATH OF GRASS ROOTS CRICKET
Gathering apace?

ROUTES INTO THE INDUSTRY MUST BE ENSURED
Q&A with David Fisher, Lantra’s head of industry partnerships

STRONG VIEWS ON CRICKET PITCH PERFORMANCE MARKING
A bone of contention

A PREMIUM PRODUCT
Delivered at Naas Golf Club

THE GREEN REVOLUTION
And Esker Hills

MAKING A CHANGE
Laytown and Bettystown Golf Links

A DAY AT THE RACES
Naas Race Course

WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE VOICE
How the industry needs to proceed

OVER 175 YEARS OF EDUCATION
Wesley College

ELECTRIC EXCITEMENT
Dennis's Ian Howard talks electrification

THE HOME OF CORK GAA
Páirc Uí Chaoimh

LONG POLE BATTERY HEDGE TRIMMERS TESTED
STIHL HLA 66 and HLA 86

OVER 800 YEARS OF HISTORY
Johnstown Castle and Gardens

A CLUB GONE WILD
Kilkenny Golf Club

A GOLF COURSE IN THE GARDEN OF IRELAND
Woodenbridge GC

80 YEARS YOUNG
Charleville Golf Club

AN UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE
Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Albeit gradually . .

GO WEST
Inishturk GAA pitch – one of the most westerly sportspitches in Europe

WORKING ON A TIGHT BUDGET
Nenagh Golf Club

ON A MISSION
Wrekin Golf Club aiming to enrich wildlife and fauna

WILD AND WONDERFUL
Design By Nature

LEARNING HOW TO SURVIVE
Abbey Par 3

TACKLING OBESITY
Vital that schools can provide sport

A LIFETIME OF LEARNING
Vital for turf professionals

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Tullamore Golf Club

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES
At Trinity College Dublin

BLENDING THE OLD WITH THE NEW
Bray Golf Club

A WELL POLISHED COURSE!
Ierne Social And Sports Club

IDENTIFYING THE TRUE VALUES
Of grounds maintenance

THE INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE & ADAPT
But it will survive

WIRRAL GOLF COURSES SAVED
Renewed hope and optimism for the future

GREEN SPACE CONTRIBUTION TO WELLBEING IS UNDERVALUED
Parks invisible on national agenda

A SHINING LIGHT IN IRELAND'S SUNNY SOUTHEAST
Wexford Golf Club

GREEN SPACES DO NOT LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES!
Keith Kent says we must invest in people

WE SHOULD TELL THE WORLD ABOUT THE UK INDUSTRY
Right time for all sides to come together

SOIL LIFE IS PRECIOUS
Good-quality soil can help save the planet

MORE THAN JUST CUTTING GRASS
Encouraging the next generation

A BUZZ FROM DOING THE JOB
Wide experience of the turf grass industry

PAYING THEIR WAY
Low wages is the bane of the industry

AMENITY MANAGEMENT IMPACTS US ALL
Professor John Moverley

CARING FOR PARKS OF ALL TYPES
Mary Worrall

TOP FIVE FRUSTRATIONS FOR CRICKET GROUNDSMEN
What causes you the most frustration in your role?

PROFESSIONALS AT THE CUTTING EDGE
Vic Demain and Phil Sharples

BOWLS CLUBS IN PERIL
A sad decline

A VERY SPECIAL INDUSTRY
Loz looks back

SNEAK PEAK AT A ROBOTIC "GAME CHANGER"
Commercial model capable of covering 50,000 m2 teased

HALESOWEN PICK A BIG ROBOT UP FRONT
Invest in mowers

COMPRESSED AERATION
The new way

PARKS MATTER MORE THAN EVER
Recent sector developments

ON TEST
STIHL blowers

THREE CORE VALUES TO SHAPE OUR INDUSTRY
Real concerns for the future

ENGLAND'S GREEN SPACE GAP
A split along racial lines

ON TEST
EGO STX3800 strimmer with RTX2300 Rotocut head

A SECTOR FACING IMPORTANT TIMES
Review of the National Action Plan

PARKS MATTER
The role of public parks in the recovery: a discussion paper

A UNIQUE SPORTING VENUE
Wormsley private estate

A BTME OUTDOORS?
A good bet for the industry

PARKS NEED APPROPRIATE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
Q&A with Philippa Reece, Parks and Foreshore Manager at Adur and Worthing Council

CRICKET LOAM
What does it mean?

A HERCULEAN EFFORT TO GET PARKS BACK TO NORMAL
Q&A with Chris Worman, Rugby Borough Council’s parks and ground manager

ON TEST
STIHL battery products

TURFGRASS STRESS MANAGEMENT
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and antioxidants during biotic and abiotic stress in turfgrass plants

AUTUMN DISEASE MANAGEMENT
The coming months are going to prove very difficult

THE ABUSE OF PARKS . .
Is the abuse of society

WHY PARKS MATTER?
A statement from the Parks Management Forum to the Prime Minister

THE 21st CENTURY PARKS MANAGER
Innovative, creative and entrepreneurial

EAT, SLEEP, CUT, REPEAT!
Cricket under covid

TIME FOR A SINGLE SHOW?
Debate brought back into focus

A CHALLENGING TWO MONTHS
Running golf design projects from home

PRESSURE SITUATION
Cementing the reputation

A CLUB TO BE PROUD OF
10 years at the helm of Olton GC

GAME CHANGERS IN TURFCARE
The day the Lord's outfield reconstruction proved its worth

THE ESSENCE OF ESSENTIAL
Finding a sensible way forward on defining "essential maintenance"

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS
2001

HOW TO LOOK AFTER A GOLF COURSE WITH NO GOLFERS
Fundamental to the survival of almost all courses, if not of the game itself

RAIN STOPPED PLAY WOULD BE WELCOME
. . along with ‘lunch is being taken early’

PHYSICAL CONTROL OF TURFGRASS PESTS
An urgent problem

A DIVERSE & ENTERTAINING WEEK
Successful BTME 2020

INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL
Opportunity to embrace new methods

ENVILLE ON THE UP
Major investments taking place

GREEN FLAG AWARDS 2019
A great success

U.S PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT SHOW EXCELS
Buoyant GIE+EXPO

LEGACY OF THE SOLHEIM CUP
At Gleneagles

A DAY OUT WITH THE LADIES
Behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup

COVENTRY UNIVERSITY'S EDIBLE GARDEN SUCCESS
2006 - present

HAIL THE GRASS MASTERS!
Boorish media comments about pitch quality are wide of the mark

CONTRACTOR SEES MULTI-DISCIPLINE SUCCESS
360 Ground Care serving professional facilities

BUSY TIMES
Judging the Green Flag Awards

TAKING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
What does it all mean in managing turf surfaces?

UNDER PRESSURE
Dry weather conditions continue to keep turf managers focused on moisture management

EDDIE SEAWARD
Death of Wimbledon’s influential grounds manager

MAJOR NEW IRRIGATION PROJECT
At Top 100 classic Berkhamsted Golf Club

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE HATTERS
Investment paying off at Kenilworth Road

ELIZABETHAN RESTORATION
At Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

WHAT IS BIOPHILIA?
The vital impact of parks and green spaces on health and well-being

WORM CONTROL
Without carbendazim

THE TRUE COST OF PETROL
Battery-powered outdoor power tools are now turning the heads of professionals

SANDS OF TIME
Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports

WHY DO WE DO THE RIGHT THING?
We must maintain industry standards

CHASING GRASS PERFECTION?
11 things you need to know . . .

MAINTAINING STANDARDS
Q&A with BASIS ceo, Stephen Jacobs

STRI RESEARCH DAY 2018
Hosted at research trial grounds in Bingley

THE MECHANIC
Leicester City FC invest in new role

LORD'S 'GRASS-GUVNOR' TO RETIRE
Mick Hunt bows out after 49 years

HOLLOW CORING & DEEP SCARIFICATION
Is it really necessary?

Recently I attended the Midlands Parks Forum annual conference at the stunning National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The Midlands Parks Forum is a charitable incorporated organisation, formed in November 2019 from a group of parks practitioners who had been working as a voluntary organisation for over 30 years. It benefits from a trustee board of eight experienced, green space managers and a Partnership Manager who  organise a number of learning events throughout the year for its members.

The Forum brings together a wide range of knowledge and skills to the charity to meet their strategic goals of improving green space through education, engagement, connection and support.

Membership of the organisation is open to organisations who manage or assist in the management of green spaces, and includes over 70 local authorities, parks trusts, small and large charities, and Open Space Community Forums such as those in Nottingham and Birmingham.

As a Green Flag judge, I knew many of the attendees at the recent event and am well acquainted with Andy Ansell, the National Memorial Arboretum’s estate manager who himself is a Green Flag judge. And once upon a time, he was a parks apprentice working with me when I was parks manager at Telford & Wrekin Council back in the late 1990s.  

The hosts for the day were chair of the Midlands Parks Forum, Liz Stuffins and Chris Worman MBE - both experienced parks managers who welcomed everybody to the day’s proceedings.

Both Chris and Liz were keen to emphasise that placing urban green spaces at the heart of essential infrastructure is one of the greatest challenges of this generation of green space managers. The evidence is clear that urban green spaces are fundamentally important for improving mental and physical health, enhancing biodiversity, reducing pollution, mitigating flooding, tackling urban heat island effects and enabling access to nature.

The Midlands Parks Forum’s Growing Hope conference intention was to help the sector address some of the challenges by sharing the latest research and best practice, exploring the range of green skills required for the 21st century parks manager.

 
In attendance were well over 90 delegates from the length and breadth of the country. The day was spit into a morning and afternoon set of activities. The morning was centred around several presentations while the afternoon was a mix of workshops and a tour of the National Arboretum led by Andy Ansell.
The initial presentations saw a mix of interesting projects and informative ways of working, along with a talk on a new £15 million funding pot being made available for local authorities by Drew Bennellick of The Heritage Fund.

First up was an interesting talk by Dr William Bird MBE who set up Intelligent Health to build healthier, active and more connected communities. He is an advisor to the World Health Organisation, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and Sport England. William has been awarded an MBE for his contribution to health and physical activity.

He gave plenty of examples of the benefits of having access to green spaces and how a 60-minute walk in a park would reduce a person’s stress levels dramatically. 

He also spoke of evidence that people who live near parks and open spaces are less likely to be obese and will reduce their chances of getting diabetes. Many local authorities are now working with health and wellbeing partnerships to develop better relationships with these departments to improve the health of their communities. More importantly, Dr Bird spoke about the many benefits young children gain from being exposed to the opportunity of playing and being active in outdoor public open spaces.

Let’s hope that all this new evidence, and all that we have being producing since Covid regarding the value of what public and green open spaces bring to the community, is heard. Is it not time the government made it a statutory service?

Next up was a talk by Jason Fergus on the value of sport and activities in Essex and how they had achieved greater participation in these by using their valuable green open spaces. 

This was followed by a talk by Barry Emmerson, head of parks at Islington Borough Council, on how they have transformed and reframed their parks services into being a health service which plays a vital role in the early intervention, prevention and treatment of health problems in a community based environment. 

His colleague, Andrew Miller, gave examples of how they have improved the efficiencies of the work force by investing in battery powered, bikes, vehicles and machinery to help them do their job - while at the same time reducing their carbon footprint.

Next, we heard from Dr Saira Ali from Bradford City Council who, with colleague Richard Middleton, gave a talk on how Bradford was changing planning opportunities to increase biodiversity and are striving to create healthy green spaces in some of the most challenging places. They are also looking to engage and empower the community in working alongside themselves by embracing co-design principles.

After lunch it was time to spit into various working groups to take up the opportunity to converse with some of the speakers and have a tour of the National Memorial Arboretum.

David Fisher From Lantra was on hand with Paul Rabbitts, chair of the Parks Management Association, to talk about parks professionals’ training and educational needs. This resulted in the completion of a questionnaire about the types of course they would like to help them with the many complex tasks they are expected to undertake as a parks and open space manager. 

I remember from my own experiences of being a parks manager, you had to be a jack of all trades, with the ability to be able to communicate, write specifications, manage people and resources and much more. Talking to a lot of current parks managers, these requirements have greatly increased with the need to be more socially aware and savvy with new technologies and social media formats. That’s without the diverse landscape facilities each local authority has, along with their own different political agendas and reduced budgetary targets cuts.

Delegates were offered further workshops, exploring Trees Outside Woodlands with Jackie Shallcross from The Tree Council.  Jackie has led on a £4.8m project gathering evidence on this project, and has just shared the report, which is of real value to communities. Another workshop was led by Simon Needle, strategic lead – Urban Forestry & Nature at Birmingham City Council who explored the role of parks and green spaces in a Local Nature Recovery Strategy which is currently in development.

Many delegates joined the glorious autumn afternoon tour of the arboretum Andy, getting an insight of the scale and size and national importance of this memorial Arboretum. 

Andy has ten full-time staff to look after and maintain the 150-acre site. He is also blessed with the fact that the NMA has a strong volunteer force which can generally give him plenty of additional staff to help keep the site tidy and operational. 

At the start of the tour, Andy gave a quick resume on the size and scale of the site and what new features are being planned in the form of more memorial garden areas, more car parks and the recent completion of the new entrance. We then saw a few of the main war memorials, dedicated to those who have lost their lives in active service.

Andy and his team are gearing up for this year’s Remembrance Day services and are working hard to ensure the site is ready for thousands of visitors who come to pay their respects. I have been several times and there is always something new to see. So it’s well worth a visit. 

I would like to thank Liz Stuffins and the rest of the Midlands Parks Forum charity for putting on a well-organised conference at an outstanding venue. I shall be looking forward to attending further forum events in the future.