NESTMA News

Your Input Needed: Regional BMPs

NESTMA is adapting SFMA’s BMPs for the Sports Field Manager for the New England region. We are looking to highlight important topics with a few case studies that illustrate important lessons learned and practices that work. Have you been successful with a management practice or facility upgrade that others could learn from? Share your story!

Topics that we may cover include (and we welcome other ideas):

• Communication with user groups and/or administration (e.g., communication with user groups to help relay why a task is done; help support need for equipment or supplies)

• Irrigation upgrades/strategies that support water conservation (e.g., wetting agents, sensors)

• IPM success stories…pest management strategies that support environmental sustainability

• Expanding native habitat (e.g., creating an out of play/meadow area, “advancing pollinator health”)

• Fertility (e.g., attempting to reduce your fertility program where possible)

• Record keeping /assessments to support field improvements

• Developing a budget for a municipality

• Advancing professionalism in the industry

• Washing equipment (e.g., effect on environment)

• Turf covers (e.g enhancing establishment)

We have a template we follow for consistency of the series of case studies. We will need photos and a brief write-up (bullet points are fine) in the following categories:

• Problem that needs to be addressed

• Site conditions

• Goals

• Steps taken

• Results

• What was learned

If you are interested or have questions, please contact Vickie Wallace, victoria.wallace@uconn.edu, or Ben Polimer, polimerb@weston.org. •