Investing in the Future

2001 – 2004 Over the last three years STRI’s investment in its future has paid off with handsome rewards. 2001 – 2004 were busy productive years of rapid growth recording 15% growth in 2002.

Additional staff, recruited to cope with the growing workload, has lead to STRI outgrowing its existing facilities in Bingley. Proposals are being considered to improve our existing accommodation and to extend the main building to house both research and advisory under one roof.

In December 2002 STRI achieved “Investors in People”. Instigated by Mike Canaway, the new Chief Executive Dr Gordon McKillop made this a priority. Keen to focus on staff training and development he succeeded in completing the process within his first two years. In 2003 the developments put in place in achieving IIP were recognised with an award from Business Link West Yorkshire, who assisted STRI in the planning and preparations for IIP.

In 2001 the new computer network was extended to all regionally based staff and in 2002 a new database was installed.

In 2003 a more comprehensive website was launched. The new site included searchable databases and subscribers were provided with access to exclusive information via the Sub Club. Within 3 days of the Club going live, over 500 clients had registered and within a month of the new site being launched an average hit rate of 10,000 visits was achieved, a 50% increase. The new website received high commendations in the SALTEX marketing awards.

The trials grounds were extended and Toro installed a new irrigation system. A biological waste water treatment and recycling wash-off system from Waste2Water was also installed.

In 2001 Roger Robinson retired as Chairman to be replaced by David Marsh. Roger was made a Life Vice President in 2002.

2001 also saw foot and mouth hit the UK, affecting many golf courses. In the same year increased amounts of funding were made available for grass roots sports through Sport England and the Football Foundation.

STRI worked in partnership with the Green Spaces programme carrying out feasibility studies for new and improved sports ground facilities.

In September that year the Rt Hon Richard Carbon, Minister for Sport, visited STRI.

As 2004 comes to a close STRI celebrates its 75th anniversary. The changes implemented in 1995 are now showing clear improvement in both efficiency and effectiveness.

A celebration programme, complete with a specially designed corporate logo, was launched at BTME 2004, and culminated with an official ‘Open Day’ and dinner on 12th October.

The theme ‘Shaping the Future’ will carry STRI through its next 75 years and beyond.

Advisory

2001 – 2004 Additional staff were required to cope with the ever increasing workload. An additional adviser, Conor Nolan, was employed in Ireland and Emma Beggs rejoined the northern team. Stella Rixon was appointed in the south.

RIPTA, the first Register of Independent Professional Turfgrass Agronomists, was launched at BTME. Jeff Perris, one of the original founding members, was the first Keeper of the Register. In 2002 Jeff clocked up 35 years and received a Long Service Award from STRI.

In 2001 the construction department recorded a record number of projects followed by another record year in 2002. An additional construction specialist Andrew Gains joined the team. Work commenced on the first mobile turf crossing, a moveable turf tray, to replace Kennel Gate crossing at Ascot racecourse and on the 2004 Commonwealth Games stadium in Manchester, later to be converted to Manchester City’s home ground.

Other projects including Fulham and Crewe Alexandra FC’s, Twickenham stadium and the largest schools project in the UK. 73 hectares of sports grounds at St Albans and Old Albanion’s RC.

STRI’s new Irrigation Services with Robin Hume Associates installed one of the most extensive and advanced irrigation systems in the world, making history at St Andrews Links.

Strengthening relations with The R&A lead to additional visits covering R&A events and venues in the UK and overseas.

Golf course architecture work flourished including Wellingborough GC and Farnham Park, where Jonathan Tucker worked closely with our ecologist, Bob Taylor, on a new course layout.

Ecology received a boost in 2002 with the launch of the English Golf Union and English Nature free environmental service. Bob, with Lee Penrose, recruited to assist with the new scheme, visited over 80 clubs in the first year of the project.

Following a visit from Keith McAuliffe, of the New Zealand Sports Turf Institute, an annual staff exchange programme was established along the same lines as the successful USGA link.

2003 – 2004 Steve Isaac, Area Manager for Scotland and Ireland, left in May 2003 to join the newly formed R&A Golf Course Committee. His new position as Assistant Director enabled him to maintain contact with STRI and provide quarterly articles for the Turfgrass Bulletin.

Ian McClements was promoted to Area Manager and Simon Watson was appointed to taker over Steve’s work in Scotland.

Richard Windows was commissioned to carry out a Climate Change project for the Scottish Golf Environment Group, SGU and Scottish Executive.

In January 2003 John Escritt died. Gordon McKillop, alongside two former STRI Directors, Dr Mike Canaway and Dr Peter Hayes, attended the funeral. Turf from STRI was laid on the coffin at John’s request.

All advisory areas continue to flourish and construction is taking on broad projects of all types and sizes. Work for Sports Governing Bodies and funding organisations is on the increase. Increasing amounts of foreign work now demands advisers need both cool and warm season grass experience.

The latest project is a new 36 hole golf course for Dun Laoghaire Golf Club.

In the last 2 years recognition of STRI’s work and awards has been abundant:-

2002 John Mallinson contractors received the BALI award for the state of the art pitch at the Manchester City Stadium, designed by STRI.

2003 STRI received Sports Turf Designer of the Year from BALI for the Lord’s Outfield project, for completing the work to exceptional standards in a very short time scale.

2004 STRI received the Sports Turf Project of the Year award, for the Lord’s project from Turf Professional.

2004 The Duke of York opens two new par 5 holes at Alwoodley GC, designed and project managed by Jonathan Tucker, STRI Golf Course Architect.

Research

2001 STRI were appointed as the official testing house for BRTMA (British Rootzone and Top Dressing Manufacturer’s Association).

2002 Pathology successfully establish a culture collection for pathogen screening.

The FA instigate a major study of playing characteristics for natural and artificial turf.

The soil laboratory records 30% increase in samples.

2003 STRI held a successful 2-day conference in May for Turfgrass Breeders. This coincided with the 50th meeting of “The Turfgrass Breeders Committee”. This was one of the last meetings of the committee, which was later replaced by the British Society of Plant Breeders who also took over the publishing of the annual seed bible – Turfgrass Seed. STRI continue to carry out the trials work and supply data for the publication.

STRI was appointed to the working party for The Pesticide Safety Directorate Minor Users Network to assist in developing strategies addressing major changes in pesticide availability in Europe.

WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme) enlist STRI’s help using recycled glass as a component of sands and rootzones for golf greens, fairways and bunkers.

The flood of microbial products and turf tonics lead to STRI researching their effects on fine turf quality.

‘Designs in Grass’ was introduced, making its debut at Urban Gardens in London 2004. Different grass cultivars are used to illustrate how permanent logos and signs can be grown into areas of turf. STRI’s corporate logo was created on the lawns outside Head Office.

Steve Baker was invited to sit on the Final Review Committee for the Revision of USGA Putting Green Guidelines.

2004 Guidelines for Putting Green Construction in the UK are published following trial work funded by The R&A, USGA and STRI.

STRI receives laboratory accredited status for testing USGA greens, from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

STRI is the first laboratory in England to gain a place on the USGA’s approved list of physical soil test laboratories for testing golf greens constructed to USGA Recommendations.

John Bauer, member of the scientific Advisory Committee since its inception in 1994, and former STRI pathologist Drew Smith both passed away in 2004.

Publications

2001 Confessions of a Chairman of Green is published in September with record sales.

STRI’s Green Pages Trade Directory and Turfgrass Titles of the World mail order book service go on-line.

2002 Book sales reach an all time high. The Bookshop now supplies over 300 specialist turf titles.

To reflect the growing significant developments innovative turf systems are having on today’s sport surfaces the Journal of Turfgrass Science changes its title to The Journal of Turfgrass and Sports Surface Science with Vol 78 2002.

Collaboration with the Turfgrass Information Centre, at Michigan State University Libraries, enables electronic access to all back issues of the Journals from 1929.

Ecology produced three new book titles covering the management of Gorse, Bracken and Rhododendron. Initially written for golf courses, professional gardeners and parks managers showed great interest in the books, and following requests a one-day training course was created in October 2004, specifically for this new market.