Staff Training

From the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses workbook, Wildlife and Habitat Management category: We train staff to understand that management practices may positively enhance or adversely impact wildlife species and habitats on the property.

It is imperative that all maintenance staff at a golf course have a firm understanding of the environmental importance of the work that they perform. Environmentally sensitive areas on a golf course such as ponds or other water bodies must not be adversely affected by maintenance practices.

Entering into or disrupting these areas can have a detrimental affect on the wildlife that inhabit the golf course.

As part of the initial training in any golf course maintenance department new staff must be taught that their actions on the course do have an effect on wildlife habitats. All staff must understand that these areas need be protected in order to preserve their health and integrity. It is up to the superintendent to ensure that staff members understand their duties and how to perform them in the most environmentally sensitive manner possible.

Guidelines should be layed out in the employee manual with step by step directions on the most environmentally sensitive way to perform duties such as :fueling up machinery, dumping of grass clippings and where employees can and cannot drive vehicles on the golf course, amongst other things.

It is important that everyone involved with the maintenance at a golf course understands and abides by rules governing the protection of environmentally sensitive areas on a property.