Natural Turf
41
GROWTH
ello and Happy New Year. When the editorial team at Pro Landscaper initially approached the Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) about getting involved in a supplement dedicated to natural turf, we were delighted. We believe, as they clearly do, that turf is an essential part of the landscape. It doesn’t just look good, it has a cooling effect on the environment: reducing temperatures in urban areas by several degrees during hot weather. It absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and when it rains heavily, turf reduces the risk of homes flooding by absorbing rainwater,
By publicising and implementing our Quality Standards for Cultivated Turf, the TGA has instilled a discipline among its members that has helped give customers confidence in the product they buy. www.pro-landscaper.co.uk
INDUSTRY replenishing the aquifers that provide our drinking water. Turf growers and the seed breeders, fertiliser and machinery manufacturers, as well as other companies who supply products and services to them, work hard and invest continually in new technologies to develop strong, healthy turf that breathes life into your projects. So where does the TGA fit in? Formed in 1995, it comprises some 60 companies, including affiliates, collectively responsible for producing approximately 70 per cent of the cultivated turf grown in the British Isles and supplying specialist knowledge and infrastructure to that industry.
SHARING KNOWLEDGE Since its formation, the TGA has been at the forefront of raising the standard of the cultivated turf supplied to professional and domestic customers. This goal is being achieved by constantly seeking to improve the standards of TGA members through unity of purpose and the sharing of knowledge and new ideas. By publicising and implementing the TGA Quality Standards for Cultivated Turf, drawn up by Robert Laycock, an independent agronomist and expert in the field of turf quality, the TGA
has instilled a discipline among its members that has helped give customers confidence in the product they buy. In recent years, the association has widened its scope of activities and has been involved in discussions with Government departments, water companies and other related bodies about the impact of water restrictions on the turf industry. The TGA has also been on the steering group of the ‘Greening the Games’ committee, which is playing an important role in making sure the landscaping aspects of the 2012 Olympic Games are properly recognised by organisers and contractors. We look forward to keeping you up to date with our activities through future issues of this supplement, but you can also learn more about the TGA, find a wealth of information in our Knowledge Base, or locate a TGA grower at our website: www.turfgrass.co.uk. I wish you, and your businesses, a pleasant and prosperous 2012. Tim Mudge, Chief Executive, Turfgrass Growers Association
January 2012 | Volume 2 | Issue 1 |