One small step at a time.

By Kirsten Conover Perception sometimes overrides the reality of a situation, especially within the realm of golf course maintenance. Green speed is an example of this phenomenon within golf. An example outside of golf is the idea that golf courses are bad for the environment and are major abusers of fertilizer and water. This perception is a stubborn idea that continues to persist despite data and information to the contrary. To attempt to change the collective mind of the general public is an overwhelming proposition but to change the perception of the membership at a golf course or individuals is a little less daunting. However, maintaining a golf course to specified standards takes a great deal of time and leaves little opportunity to tackle other issues. Or does it? One obvious step to address the environmental issue is to join Audubon International and become part of the sanctuary program. Budget constraints or lack of interest may preclude participation in this program for some clubs but there are other ways to increase environmental awareness on a course without great expenditures of time or money. At Royal Poinciana Golf Club we try to incorporate environmentally friendly practices into our regular maintenance work. When it is time to trim the palm trees on the course, we hold a few trees off the list. The fruit and fronds will provide food and shelter for animals. We recently released a rehabilitated screech owl that immediately took advantage of a booted, untrimmed sabal palm. Fox squirrels also utilize the dense foliage to nest and raise young. Rather than cut down dead pine and cypress trees, we snag them to allow for perching and nesting sites for birds. This past winter a peregrine falcon made short work of a songbird on the top branches of a dead cypress tree in the rough on the seventh hole of our Cypress course. Snagged pines also provide osprey and bald eagles with prime perching sites. Woodpeckers and screech owls nest within the cavities of the dead pine trees. Instead of hauling downed palm fronds or tree limbs back to the organic dumpster, we create a small brush pile in an out-of-play fringe area. This will create habitat for small mammals like rabbits or foxes. Take a fallen palm tree and instead of cutting it up or hauling it away, place it in a shallow section of a pond or lake to provide sunning areas for turtles or hunting platforms for wading birds. Aquatic plants like duck potato or Changing Perceptions ...One Small Step at a Time This photo shows no fewer than 11 wading birds foraging in this natural setting. They don’t mind the duck weed. Photo by Kirsten Conover.