Golf Course Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2016 04 18

Home Browse Search

Butterfly ambassadors The University of Kansas manages a program called "Monarch Watch." I immediately joined the program as a monarch way station. Tagging kits let you catch butterflies and place a small adhesive tag to its wing. Using the tag KU can track and follow the butterfly's migration patterns. As a way of increasing our outreach and education program, a local Girl Scout troop came to the course to catch and tag monarch butterflies. The monarch butterfly has become the ambassador of our native areas. Milkweed is not the only plant colonizing our native areas. After inventorying and researching all the plants that were growing in the different areas, I realized that most of them have some kind of environmental benefit. Just to name a few: • Thistle is used by finches for food and nesting • Golden rods and boltonia are good for pollinators • Little bluestem produces seeds as a food source • Raspberries on the edge of the woods are a food source • Rag weed produces seeds that birds forage for in the winter months Educate, educate, educate Additional education efforts were required in the beginning. First, we had to dispel the notion that native areas had to be thin wispy stands of grass where golf balls could be easily found. We displayed pictures of the naturalized areas before we let them grow. The pre - naturalized areas are outside the scope of our irrigation system. They get very thin, and in some areas stony, especially in the summer. Golfers learned that you can easily find your ball, but the odds of an acceptable lie are slim. The notion that these areas were pristine before we let the grass grow was quickly dispelled. We then shared how the transition impacted the course's bottom line. We let members know how much money we were saving by not maintaining these areas. Native areas or no mow areas have also saved us thousands of dollars in man hours over the past few years. Our staff currently spends 31 percent (6,332 hours) of our time mowing. Approximately 40 percent (906 hours) of that time is mowing roughs. Over the years we have reduced our rough mowing by more than 10 percent, saving us 90 hours (or approximately $2,241.00) per year. That estimate doesn't include additional costs like fuel, equipment repairs or the cost of a new rough mower. Communication Next, we shared information about the naturalized areas in light of habitat and wildlife. We have seen an increase in our bird and animal population. Turkeys, foxes, and coyotes are a regular occurrence. Deer have been found bedding down in these areas. Blue birds, Thrashers and other birds utilize these areas. Many people don't realize that these areas provide critical habitat for beneficial insects. Informing the membership about all of these benefits and the specific 10