Cover Story
TURFGRASS AND THE ENVIRONMENT:
A Renewed Commitment through the VTC Environmental Institute
In
recent years, turfgrass and landscape managers have faced a confounding paradox: while they have worked tirelessly to improve their products and practices in pursuit of a healthy environment and budget conscious operations that produce a beautiful end product, they’ve experienced mounting pressure from environmental activists and regulatory agencies. Newly imposed (and ever-changing) regulations on products, equipment and practices have necessitated a tremendous amount of ingenuity and advocacy on the part of all segments of the turfgrass industry. From golf course superintendents to lawn care operators, everyone has experienced the pressure to do more with less, even amid a challenging labor shortage. Organizations like VTC have fought to preserve their ability to work within the law while educating policymakers and environmental groups about the many environmental benefits of properly selected and maintained turfgrass and landscapes, and the conscientiousness of turf and landscape professionals who make up the industry. In the last two years, VTC has created and launched the VTC Environmental Institute with the specific purpose of communicating the value of the industry in promoting and advancing a healthy and thriving environment. Two primary drivers of this effort have been service projects and the Come to the Bay conference. VTC Executive Director Dr. Tom Tracy says, “This year’s event was a tremendous success in establishing working relationships with well-connected environmental groups. Several representatives of those groups said they look forward to working together on projects. Remember, these are persons frequently cited by politicians, regulators, and media outlets as the go-to sources of expertise on potential environmental regulations. It is very clear that we, the industry, are taking a leadership role on environmental issues.”
18 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL March/April 2022 www.vaturf.org
Pollinator seed packet distribution has been an integral part of sharing the VTC-EI’s vision with industry professionals, policymakers, the general public and environmental groups alike. Dozens of volunteers gathered in Virginia Beach to plant 15,000 Beach Grass plants.
