STMA to release new best management practices

The Sports Turf Management Association (STMA) will unveil its new best management practices (BMPs) on April 22.

For the past 17 months, the STMA BMP Task Group has been developing a comprehensive environmental best management practices program. The Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager: A Professional Guide for Sports Field Management provides chapters and our membership at-large with the tools and resources to document solid environmental practices for legislators, regulators, employers and community constituents. Although members have been following excellent practices, this program validates those and positions the Sports Field Manager as a strong steward of the environment, which will aid in educating decision makers.

The 100-plus page document has two components: a fully designed PDF detailing the BMPs and a customizable Word doc for chapters and individuals to include information specific to their region. A “How to Use” instructional quick guide is a companion piece that will help sports field managers and affiliated chapters customize its content. STMA also can provide chapters with knowledgeable experts who can help with customization.

The BMP includes technical best practices in 12 areas:

• Planning, design and construction
• Turfgrass establishment
• Cultural practices – mowing
• Cultural practices – nutrient management
• Cultural practices – irrigation
• Cultural practices – cultivation and surface management
• Cultural practices – IPM
• Pesticide management
• Sustainable landscaping
• Synthetic turf
• Maintenance operations
• Emergency preparedness

The guide should be provided to legislative bodies to educate them, proactively now, and in response to impending legislation affecting sports field management. Often legislation is introduced that can negatively impact the ability of sports field managers to provide safe playing surfaces for their athletes. Those introducing the bills are not in our industry; thus, they are not well-informed about the commitment of STMA members to protecting the environment.

Chapters and members can follow their state’s legislative activity at the National Conference of State Legislatures (bill information services) database and easily look up any legislation affecting the environment in their state. There is no charge to search this database.

The affiliated chapter, Mid-Atlantic STMA (MASTMA), is the first chapter using the template to customize information for their four-state region. MASTMA has been working in tandem with STMA to create their customized environmental practices guide that can be immediately used to educate state legislators.

The guide also is relevant to the constituents served by sports field managers. Athletes, coaches, parents, community members and others will benefit from knowing the environmental stewardship practices that are in place at your facilit

Those interested may visit here on April 22 to download this resource.