Sustainable Turfgrass Management in the Canadian Prairie Provinces

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The turfgrass industry can be defined as all public and private organizations that maintain grasses for recreational purposes. This initiative focuses on the highest priority knowledge gaps in the turfgrass industry which include: the reduction of winter injury, reduction of biotic stress, grass selection for alternative turf uses, and water quality and conservation. To address these knowledge gaps, the industry wishes to expand applied research activities in a planned and collaborative manner that will increase industry sustainability and research outcomes. These expected outcomes include best practices, improved processes, lower production and maintenance costs and more sustainable business practices. Further, these outcomes are expected to have a positive and direct impact on both rural and urban communities in Alberta and the Prairie Provinces. Given the number of communities with strong links to the turfgrass industry, it is very clear that the industry will also have a positive and direct impact on economic development, through innovation, job creation, tourism and recreational investment and expenditure. Olds College and its industry partners strongly believe that this initiative is strategic, timely, scalable, and achievable. From an Olds College perspective, this initiative was selected on the basis of strong student numbers in turfgrass management, industry demand for collaborative turfgrass research and a 24 year history of industry support. Olds College and other industry partners are fully prepared to undertake all incremental activities described in this initiative. In conclusion, this initiative will enable the turfgrass industry in the Prairie Provinces to become the "new Green" renewable industry.