Educational Establishments
Over fifty bird boxes have been put up around the site ...
Do you have an environmental policy in place?
Yes, I published an environmental plan within my first year on site. This is a very valuable tool and gets reviewed on an annual basis.
Do you work with local or national environment agencies?
Not currently, as I have extensive environmental knowledge through working with Bob Taylor, in particular, and working with Operation Pollinator/Syngenta during my golf management career. Bob passed on a wealth of experience and I was a corporate member of the Kent Wildlife Trust within previous employers. This corporate membership is something I wish to introduce to St. Lawrence in Autumn 2018.
Do you employ an environmental consultant?
No, both myself and Alan currently feel in control of the site’s environmental management, but it is something that we would look at going forward, should we feel the need.
Following a very strong environmental background in golf course management, the environmental work through the site is of optimum importance and exceptionally rewarding.
In the last two years, we have erected over fifty birds boxes, two owl boxes and countless wildlife habitats from log piles, drilled crossed sections, bug hotels and green waste and cardboard composting.
A small wildflower area has been implemented within the polytunnel compound and the Junior School pupils love this area. We are now looking to expand this with an area that lies between the rugby and cricket grounds. This is a project for this year and one that will see us sow a chalkland mix
... along with bug hotels with wild carrot, ox‐eye daisy and the like.
The School is a very valuable nature corridor and these wildflower areas will only help increase the butterfly populations and help increase the numbers of the spectacular chalkhill blue butterfly which we witnessed last year in the polytunnel compound. The results will be for all to enjoy and I have already experienced this with years of working with Operation Pollinator.
The construction of the new facilities compound will incorporate rainwater harvesting and a recycle machinery washdown area.
What would you consider to be the state of our industry?
The industry is in a stronger position now than many years ago, but we just need to continue to attract young people. Not only attracting them in, but then keeping them focused and motivated to want to stay within the turf/horticultural industry.
Are we undervalued?
No, I don’t think so. If you portray yourself in a professional manner, I strongly believe that others will treat you as such. I do think people misunderstand what our role as groundsmen/land managers fully entails. However, it is up to us to educate them and I believe we are getting there slowly but surely. It will not happen overnight, however strides have been taken in recent years.
How would you raise our profile?
Within our workplace, simple but very effective things like newsletters and blogs can really help. Social media is a great tool and needs to be utilised to optimise our industry profile image.
Turf industry associations are starting to knock down some walls and all turf employees should be encouraged to join their organisation. The bigger the
PC JUNE/JULY 2018 I 63
... and log piles
membership body, the bigger a voice we all can have, not to mind the greater networking opportunities that present themselves.
Do you and your staff attend industry shows, seminars, demo days, road shows?
This year was the first year in some fifteen years that I was unable to attend Harrogate, but will endeavour to return next January. These type of industry gatherings continue to grow and grow, with endless educational avenues to explore for all levels of employees.
Many of my closest friends in the industry have been made through these gatherings, along with meeting up with many from overseas, including my homeland of Ireland.
The current team at St. Lawrence haven’t been exposed to many educational seminars in the past, but this is going to change going forward. We work within the education sector and we need to not only educate our kids, but also our staff.
I am a huge believer in education and I was very fortunate during my developing years to have the support of great line managers like Stephen Byrne and Duncan Kelso. It has driven me to get the full potential out of all my staff ever since going into management.
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