The turfgrass industry is an important industry in New York State. According to the New York State Turfgrass Survey, close to 3.5 million acres in the state are covered with turfgrass, consisting of lawns, parks, golf courses, sports fields, sod farms, industrial and institutional grounds, rights of way, etc. Five billion dollars of turf maintenance expenses contributed to the State’s economy. Additionally the New York Turfgrass Survey documents that New York employed over 43,000 employees who had turf maintenance as their primary responsibility with a total payroll of nearly $467 million. Over 843,000 acres of new turf was established at a cost of nearly $1.56 billion. Residents of New York benefit from turf in everyday life. Quality turfgrass provides countless environmental benefits such as holding rainfall for groundwater recharge, filtering pollutants, absorbing sound, cooling the air temperature and providing plentiful, clean oxygen. Dense, healthy turfgrass provides a safe playing surface for our children and athletes of all ages as well as beautifies and softens our urban landscapes. Turfgrass has a major influence on the quality of life for New Yorkers.
2022-2023
“Best Management Practices for NYS Golf Courses: Continued Implementation of Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Efforts”
Ken Benoit, Jr., CGCS – New York Golf Course Foundation
"Workforce Development - NYSTA Apprenticeship Program Phase II"
Tyler Bloom - Tyler Bloom Consulting
“Green Industry Educational Webinars”
NYS Turfgrass Association
“Promote Professionalism Through Research and Education – Phase VI”
NYS Turfgrass Association
"Regional Hydrogeological Assessment for Long Island Golf Courses and Best Management Practices Evaluation for Irrigation Conservation"
Long Island GCSA
"Environmental Stewardship Education for the Hudson Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association"
Hudson Valley GCSA
"Environmental Stewardship Education for the Northeastern Golf Course Superintendents Association"
Northeastern GCSA
"Environmental Stewardship Virtual Education for the Long Island Golf Course Superintendents Association"
Long Island GCSA
2021-2022
“Best Management Practices for NYS Golf Courses: Continued Implementation of Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Efforts”
Ken Benoit, Jr., CGCS – New York Golf Course Foundation
"Workforce Development - Apprenticeship Program"
Tyler Bloom - Tyler Bloom Consulting
“Green Industry Educational Webinars”
NYS Turfgrass Association
“Promote Professionalism Through Research and Education – Phase V”
NYS Turfgrass Association
"A New Highly Weevil-Virulent Species of Entomopathogenic Nematode for the Management of the Annual Bluegrass Weevil"
Albrecht M. Koppenhofer - Rutgers University
2020-2022
“Best Management Practices for NYS Golf Courses: Continued Implementation of Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Efforts”
Ken Benoit, Jr., CGCS – New York Golf Course Foundation
“Green Industry Educational Webinars”
NYS Turfgrass Association
“Promote Professionalism Through Research and Education – Covid-19 Hardship”
NYS Turfgrass Association
2019-2020
“Best Management Practices for NYS Golf Courses: Continued Implementation of Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Efforts”
Stacey Kingsbury – Kingsbury Environmental Consulting
Ken Benoit, Jr., CGCS – New York Golf Course Foundation
“Environmental Stewardship Education for the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Grounds Association”
Patricia Voges – Nassau Suffolk Landscape Grounds Association
“Promote Green Industry Careers Through Membership and Education”
Dominic Morales - NYS Turfgrass Association
2018-2019
“Green Industry Awareness, Outreach & Marketing”
NYS Turfgrass Association
“Best Management Practices for NYS Golf Courses: Continued Implementation of Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Efforts”
Stacey Kingsbury – Kingsbury Consulting
Ken Benoit, Jr., CGCS – Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association
Kyle Wickings, Ph.D. – Cornell University
Nicholas Menchyk, Ph.D. – Farmingdale State College
“Environmental Stewardship Education for the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Grounds Association”
Patricia Voges – Nassau Suffolk Landscape Grounds Association
“Improved and Expanded New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA) Web Site”
NYS Turfgrass Association
2017-2018
"Promote Professionalism Through Research and Education – Young Turfers – Phase III"
NYS Turfgrass Association
Final Report
"Best Management Practices for NYS Golf Courses:
Continued Implementation of Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Efforts"
Stacey Kingsbury – Kingsbury Consulting
Frank Rossi, Ph.D. – Cornell University
Final Report
"Environmental Stewardship Education for the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Grounds Association"
"Identifying the Mechanisms Behind Imidacloprid Failures in Controlling White Grubs in Turfgrass"
- Benjamin A. McGraw, Ph.D. – Pennsylvania State University
"Implementing Pollinator Habitats into Golf Course Native Areas"
Marvin D. Seaman
Benjamin Czyzewski – SUNY Delhi
2016-2017
"Biological Controls of Annual Bluegrass Weevil with Novel Formulation Types and Application Systems for Entomopathogenic Fungi: Microsclerotia-based Formulations and Hydrogels"
Albrecht Koppenhofer, Ph.D. - Rutgers University - Department of Entomology
"Best Management Practices (BMP) for New York State Golf Courses"
Stacey Kingsbury - Kingsbury Consulting
Ken Benoit, Jr., CGCS - Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association
"Environmental Stewardship Education for the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Grounds Association"
"Promote Professionalism Through Research and Education - Phase II"
New York State Turfgrass Association
2015-2016
“Promote Professionalism Through Research and Education”
NYS Turfgrass Association
“Improved and Expanded Turfgrass Information Delivery”
Jennifer Grant, Ph.D. – NYS IPM Program
“New York State Best Management Practices (BMPs): Project Awareness and Impact”
Stacey Kingsbury – Kingsbury Consulting
Ed Brockner – Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association
2014-2015
“Examining Soil Biota Associated with Drought Tolerance in Tall Fescue”
Jenny Kao-Kniffin, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Urban Weed Ecology, Cornell University
Kyle Wickings, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Cornell University
Frank Rossi, Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University
A. Martin Petrovic, Ph.D. - Department of Horticulture, Cornell University
Jennifer Grant, Ph.D. – New York State IPM
Joellen Lampman – New York State IPM
“Insecticide Resistant Annual Bluegrass Weevil: Understanding, Managing and Preventing a Superintendent’s Nightmare”
Albrecht Koppenhofer, Ph.D. – Professor & Extension Specialist, Turfgrass Entomology, Rutgers University
Olga Kostromytska, Ph.D. – PostDoc, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University
Benjamin McGraw, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Golf & Plant Sciences Department, SUNY Delhi
“New York State Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Golf Courses Self-Assessment Project”
Stacey Kingsbury – Kingsbury Consulting
Ed Brockner – Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association
2013-2014
“New York State Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Golf Courses”
Frank Rossi, Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University
Blake Halderman, CGCS – Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association
“Effects of Sublethal Sodium Chloride Exposure on Turfgrass, Turf Weeds and Turf Diseases”
Tamson Yeh, Ph.D. – Turf and Land Management Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
“Towards Sustainable Management of the Annual Bluegrass Weevil”
Albrecht Koppenhofer, Ph.D. – Professor & Extension Specialist, Turfgrass Entomology, Rutgers University
Olga Kostromytska, Ph.D. – PostDoc, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University
Benjamin McGraw, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Golf & Plant Sciences Department, SUNY Delhi
“Expanding Membership and Educational Opportunities for K-12 School Grounds Maintenance Personnel”
Dominic Morales – Dean/Professor Emeritus, Applied Sciences & Recreation Division, SUNY Delhi
2008-2009
"Diagnosis Turf: Expanding New York's Opportunities to Resolve Pest Issues and Reduce Pesticide Use"
Daniel Peck, Ph.D. - Department of Entomology, Cornell University
2007-2008
"Turfgrass and Landscape Weed Science Research"
Marvin Pritts, Ph.D. – Professor/Department of Horticulture Chairperson, Cornell University
2006-2007
“Prospecting for Resistance to the Annual Bluegrass Weevil in Improved Cultivars of Poa annua”
Daniel Peck, Ph.D - Department of Entomology, Cornell University
“Development of Molecular Techniques for Identification of Invasive Pest Crane Flies in Turfgrass”
Daniel Peck, Ph.D & Ping Wang, Ph.D. - Department of Entomology, Cornell University
“Benefits of Turf: Reasons Why Pesticides and Fertilizers Applied to Turf are Not Just for Cosmetic Reasons”
Martin Petrovic, Ph.D. - Department of Horticulture, Cornell University
“Integrated Cultural Practices to Reduce Dollar Spot on Golf Course Fairways”
Alex Ellram, Ph.D., Associate Professor - Department of Plant Science, SUNY Cobleskill