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Golf course expert brings green approach to groundskeeping
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By putting green ideas into action, one person can have a significant positive impact on his or her surroundings. The Baltimore Sun recently profiled one such individual – Mike Papineau of the Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville, Maryland.
Papineau is the course’s superintendent and resident turf specialist, and he’s set out to change the way golf courses take care of their grounds.
As the paper reports, environmentalists have often scrutinized the sport because harsh chemicals and large amounts of water are usually used to maintain courses. Papineau has joined the growing ranks of groundskeepers taking a different approach.
"Given our proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, instituting ecologically sound practices is incredibly important," he told the paper. One of these practices is allowing natural growth around the course’s bodies of water to filter impurities and prevent chemicals from entering the water table.
Papineau’s work has paid off, as the Eisenhower course has been certified as a cooperative sanctuary by Audubon International. He acknowledged that his job takes a lot of involvement, telling the paper it "isn’t just mowing the grass and cutting a hole anymore."
In fact, the job now involves data collection, as Papineau’s crew takes water samples for testing and uses a computerized irrigation system to water the grass precisely and avoid too much water consumption. Papineau also keeps a log of the animals he sees on the course. These species, which include deer, foxes and even the occasional bald eagle, are undisturbed.
Audubon International is a nonprofit group devoted to preserving biological diversity. As described on its website, the organization follows a set of principles designed to promote resource management and efficient land use while helping create a more sustainable future. These principles urge communities around the world to reduce water usage, support ecosystems and use resources that are easily renewable.
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