research

Documenting yourprogress towardsustainability
These practical, science-based sustainability metrics can help
you and your facility measure and communicate concrete
progress toward reaching sustainability goals.

Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D.
Larry Stowell, Ph.D.
Micah Woods, Ph.D.

78 GCM December 2013

Sustainability. The word is getting a bad rap
these days, and justifably so, as it is used (andmisused) for every purpose under the sun —from advertising chewing gum, to “greenwashing” environmentally damaging practices, topolitical campaigns and the workplace. Chancesare, it even shows up in your own job goal documents. But how can you meet a goal of sustainability when its meaning has become so vagueand diluted that a recent Google search on “defnesustainable” yielded more than 28 million entries?
How do you develop tactics, strategies and plansaround an idea that no one can pin down? Andhow will you and your co-workers know how successful you’ve been without some system for measuring sustainability?
Without the ability to measure it, sustainability remains a mushy, confusing and frustratingly unobtainable goal. Without quantifcation,
evaluating the achievement of sustainability goals
becomes wholly subjective — in the eye of thebeholder. Although you may think you’re doing agreat job, you have no way to communicate it or
to prove it, unless you have some way to measureand document it.
In this article, we present several simple monitoring approaches that can help take the mush outof sustainability, and instead treat it as a measurable, science-based agronomic phenomenon. Allof these procedures can easily be put into practiceat your facility.

inputs — including water, pesticides, fertilizers,labor, energy and money. A recent USGA Green
Section Record article (2) calculated savings of$1,700 to $7,000/acre/year in water use alone forgolf courses in the southwestern U.S. that have
implemented turf reduction projects. Dependingon the situation, superintendents have converted
out-of-play areas, tee surrounds, shady locations
and other turf areas to native and/or low-maintenance vegetation, mulch, non-overseeded turf orother lower-upkeep replacements.
Superintendent Sandy Clark, CGCS, of Barona Creek Golf Club in California, reduced turf
acreage by 12 acres (4.85 hectares), most notably
by replacing overseeded bermudagrass tee surrounds with native vegetation.
Several useful software tools can provide a
hard and fast quantifcation on turf acreage at
the start of a turf reduction program, and periodically thereafter. Free applications, such as
Google Planimeter (www.acme.com/planimeter/)can quickly obtain approximate measurement ofturf acreage using satellite photos from Google
Maps. For more precise measurements of acreage, a superintendent can purchase a geo-rectifed
aerial photograph of the course that can be usedwith one of many geographic information system
software packages, or a company such as Course
Vision can use ground-based GPS systems to survey and inventory a course, and produce detailed
maps and measurements for the entire property.

The single biggest impact onsustainability: reducing turf acreage

Fertilizer inputs: How low can you go?

Decreasing the number of highly maintained
acres is without doubt the most effective way toincrease sustainability by reducing almost all

We have suspected for many years that mostsoil nutritional guidelines (including our own)
overestimated the amounts of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other key nutrients neededresearch

Barona Creek GC’s overseeded bermudagrass tee surrounds (2007) (top) were removed (bottom) and replaced with native vegetation (2008), a move that decreased theturf acreage and resulted in signifcant savings in water and fertilizer inputs. Photos by L. Stowell. Credits for Google Maps images: 2007 – Image ©2013 DigitalGlobe, ©2013 INEGI, ©2013 Google; 2008 − Image U.S. Geological Survey, ©2013 INEGI, ©2013 Googlefor turf health. The operating principle in mostcases was a desire to ensure that there is never adefcit in soil nutrients. But as economic and environmental concerns have grown, the emphasis has
shifted to targeting the lowest levels of soil nutrients that will provide turf performance that meets
expectations. This may seem like a subtle shift inthinking, but it can have enormous impacts onsustainability, as shown below.
To fnd out how low we could really go interms of soil nutrition, Pace Turf and the Asian
Turfgrass Center pooled a huge database of morethan 17,000 soil samples that had been collectedfrom turf facilities over the past 20 years. Of these,
we identifed 1,500 samples that met our requirements (primarily that they were collected fromareas where the turf was performing adequately),
and then statistically analyzed the data to determine the lowest levels of each major nutrient that
could predictably support good-quality turf.
The result was the Minimum Levels for Sus-

tainable Nutrition (MLSN) soil guidelines (Table1), which were introduced last year (4) and callfor reductions of 50% or more in many key soilnutrients. Since that time, the guidelines havebeen adopted by turf managers around the world,many of whom have been pleasantly surprised at
how low they could go in terms of soil nutrition
without sacrifcing turf quality or playability.
We believe that most superintendents can makesignifcant reductions in the total nutrients appliedat your location by using MLSN as a guide. To participate in the effort to identify more sustainableturf nutritional guidelines, read about the Global
Soil Survey for Sustainable Turf (Page 82).

Measure total pounds and toxicity
levels of pesticides applied
Reducing the total pounds or kilos of pesticides used is a good goal, but reducing the toxicityof the pesticides applied is equally important.
Determining the weight of pesticide (insecti-December 2013 GCM 79

research

Minimum Levels for Sustainable
Nutrition soil guidelines
Nutrient

Analytical test

Conventional guideline (ppm)

MLSN guideline (ppm)

Phosphorus

Olsen>126

Phosphorus

Bray 2>75

25

Phosphorus

Mehlich 3>50

18

Potassium

Mehlich 3>11035

Calcium

Mehlich 3>750

360

MagnesiumMehlich 3>14054

SulfurMehlich 315-40

13Nitrate (nitrogen)

KCl

3-20

1-10

Ammonium(nitrogen)

KCl

<70-7

Total nitrogenKCl<203-10

Table 1. The Minimum Levels for Sustainable Nutrition (MLSN) soil guidelines, developed jointly by
Pace Turf and the Asian Turfgrass Center, suggest that most key soil nutrients can be reduced by
50% or more without signifcant changes in turf quality and playability. The nitrogen requirements
above are best determined based on turf growth potential, which incorporates site-specifc weatherand turf type to calculate nitrogen demand (1). The values provided above can be used in theabsence of growth potential data.

U.S. EPA toxicity categories
Toxicity levels

Label signal word
CategoryHigh

Moderate

Low

Very low

DANGERWARNINGCAUTION

none requiredI

IIIII

IV

Acute oral LD50

0–50 mg/kg

50–500 mg/kg

500–5,000 mg/kg>5,000 mg/kg

Inhalation LC50

0–0.05 mg/liter

0.05–0.5 mg/liter

0.5–2 mg/liter>2 mg/liter

Dermal LD50

0–200 mg/kg

200–2,000 mg/kg

2,000–5,000mg/kg>5,000 mg/kg

Primary eyeirritation

corrosive or
cornealinvolvement orirritation>21 days

corneal involvement
or eye irritation
8-21 days

cornealinvolvement or eye
irritation 7 days

minimal effects

Primary skinirritation

corrosive

severe irritation at72 hours

moderate irritation
at 72 hours

mild or slightirritation at 72hours

Table 2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pesticide Toxicity categories (5). The label signal words canbe found in prominent positions on each pesticide label; the toxicology information can be found on theMSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) that accompany each product. Keep in mind that the terms LD50 (lethaldose) and LC50 (lethal concentration) refer to the amount of pesticide that causes death in 50% of thetreated animals. The lower the dose or concentration, therefore, the more toxic the product is.

80 GCM December 2013

cide, fungicide, herbicide, nematicide, etc.) used
is simply a matter of keeping track of the pounds
or kilos of pesticide active ingredient applied overthe course of a year. Every pesticide label contains the information necessary to calculate howmuch of each pesticide active ingredient is present
in the jug or bag of formulated product. Using aspreadsheet to keep track of these amounts is not
only the easiest method for keeping records safe,
but also the most effcient in terms of comparing
totals from one year to the next.
To keep track of the toxicity of the products
used, make a separate column on the spreadsheet for each pesticide toxicity class, and track
the pounds or kilos of pesticide active ingredientused for each of these toxicity classes. In almost
all countries, pesticides are separated into three orfour toxicity classes, ranging from very low toxicity to high toxicity, based on the result of laboratory animal testing. These tests usually include
oral, inhalation, dermal and eye exposure. Thescheme used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employs the use of four toxicity
classes, from Category I (most toxic) to Category
IV (least toxic) (see Table 2).
To fnd out which toxicity class any given product falls into, the pesticide label is the best guide.
Products labeled with a “CAUTION” signal word
are regarded as the least toxic products, while a“WARNING” signal word indicates increasedtoxicity and “DANGER” indicates the highest
toxicity product. The Material Data Safety Sheet,or MSDS (in some cases known as the Safety Data
Sheet, or SDS), also contains useful informationon pesticide toxicity.
A more detailed evaluation of pesticide toxicity, known as the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ), incorporates the results of toxicology
testing, leaching potential, soil and plant halflife, farmworker and consumer risk and overall
ecological risk (3). An equation that measures
the impact of each of these factors is then usedto generate an EIQ value for each pesticide, withlower values indicating lower overall toxicity.
EIQ values for most commonly used pesticides
are available online (www.nysipm.cornell.edu/publications/eiq/fles/EIQ_values_2012entire.
pdf) courtesy of Cornell University.
Whichever method is used to characterize
the toxicity of pesticides used at a facility — thesimpler method described here or the more comprehensive EIQ approach — the bottom line isto keep careful records. Recording the changes
in total pounds of all pesticides used, as well as
the ways that you have shifted the types of pesticides used — from more toxic to least toxic — will

researchfrom one year to the next.

Global Soil Survey for Sustainable TurfPace Turf and the Asian Turfgrass Center have teamed up toadminister a citizen scientist project known as the Global Soil Survey
for Sustainable Turf.
The survey hopes to enlist the participation of superintendents fromaround the globe in an effort to validate and expand on the Minimum
Levels for Sustainable Nutrition (MLSN) soil guidelines described inthis article and, in so doing, contribute to positive changes in the wayturf is fertilized.
Participants in the survey will receive a sampling kit that allows them to collect soil samples fromthree areas of good-performing turf at their facility. These samples will be analyzed by Brookside
Labs for nutrient content, and the data will be sent in a report to the participant. The data will also
be added to the Pace Turf/Asian Turfgrass Center database. The result will be new and improved
sustainable guidelines for turf nutrition that will be publicly shared with the turf community.
Read more about the global soil survey at www.paceturf.org/journal/global_soil_survey
and on Page 38 in the October GCM.

Vvv

The research says
➔ Superintendents should
document their efforts to improve thesustainability of their golf course.
➔ Reducing turf acreage will
have the greatest impact on a course’s
sustainability.
➔ In many cases, nutrient inputs
can be reduced by as much as 50% ormore by following the Minimum Levels
for Sustainable Nutrition.
➔ Keeping records of the total
number of pounds and the toxicity levels of the pesticides applied will show
how changes in pesticide use have
improved the sustainability of a course.
➔ Water usage can be reduced
by using recycled/reclaimed water,
improving irrigation efficiency, using
new water technologies, avoiding overseeding, using drought-tolerant turf
cultivars and reducing turf acreage.
➔ Superintendents should also
keep track of fuel costs and volumes,
labor hours, and kilowatt hours andelectrical costs.
82 GCM December 2013provide excellent documentation on your progress
toward more sustainable practices.

Water usage
Although fresh water is technically a renewable
resource, humans are currently using it at a muchfaster rate than it is being replenished by nature.
As a result, experts have voiced concern that competition for water can become serious enough inthe near future to be the source of violent confict— the so-called water wars.
While agriculture is by far the greatest userof water worldwide, golf courses can certainly dotheir share to decrease water usage in some of thefollowing ways.
• Take advantage of recycled (reclaimed) water if
it is available. To evaluate the quality of potential new water sources, and to understand theimpact they may have on turf quality, see these
irrigation water-quality guidelines (www.pace
turf.org/journal/irrigation_water_guidelines).
• Improve irrigation effciency through periodic catch-can testing or professional irrigation audits. Water savings and turf-quality
improvements can be signifcant when irrigation systems are maintained properly.
• When possible, switch to drought-tolerantvarieties, avoid overseeding or completely
remove turfgrass from certain areas.
• Keep abreast of new water-saving technologies
such as subsurface irrigation, wetting agentsand monitoring with soil moisture meters.
Track water volumes in gallons or liters on aspreadsheet so that consumption can be compared

Staying on track
Once you’ve got those spreadsheets going, why
not keep track of other inputs that can contributeto your sustainability profle?
• fuel costs and volumes• hours of labor• kilowatt hours and electrical use costs
Each sustainability parameter should be measured at the start of the sustainability plan and at
periodic intervals thereafter so that progress canbe easily tracked.
Whether it’s Jan. 1, the start of the fscal year or
your birthday, select a date for annual assessmentof sustainability progress using the parameters
above, and hopefully, some additional ones thatyou identify on your own. By monitoring parameters that have hard and fast numbers attached tothem, you will have a clear and easy way to communicate your progress as a means of motivating
your employees, highlighting it in your job review,
and publicizing it in your clubhouse, your newsletter or your website. You, your crew and yourfacility should be able to take pride in contributing to both a more economically and environmentally sustainable operation.
Literature cited
1. Gelernter, W., and L. Stowell, 2005. Improved overseeding
programs: the role of weather. Golf Course Management73(3):108-113.
2. Gross, P., and T. Eckenrode. 2012. Turf reduction template.
USGA Green Section Record 50(12). Online (http://gsr.lib.
msu.edu/article/gross-turf-6-8-12.pdf). Verifed Oct. 24,
2013.
3. Kovach, J., C. Petzoldt, J. Degni and J. Tette. 2012. A
method to measure the environmental impact of pesticides.
Online (www.nysipm.cornell.edu/publications/eiq/default.
asp). Verifed Oct. 24, 2013.
4. Stowell, L., and M. Woods. 2013. Minimum levels for sustainable nutrition. In: Proceedings: Constructed Rootzones
2012. Applied Turfgrass Science Online (http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/ats/proceedings/2013/rootzones/8.htm). Verifed Oct. 24, 2013.
5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2012. Label Review
Manual, Chapter 7. Online (www.epa.gov/oppfead1/labeling/lrm/chap-07.pdf). Verifed Oct. 24, 2013.

GCM
Wendy Gelernter (gelernter@paceturf.org) and Larry Stowellare the principals of Pace Turf LLC, San Diego, Calif., and Micah
Woods is chief scientist at the Asian Turfgrass Center and anadjunct assistant professor in the department of plant sciencesat the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.