4.5 Deliver targeted education and resources to landscape professionals and golf course managers

Key Message: Sarasota County has almost 6,000 acres of golf courses and athletic fields and a large number of professionally managed residential and commercial lawns and landscapes. Although training in Best Management Practices is required for golf course managers, athletic field managers, and lawn care professionals, compliance is not monitored. Improved outreach is needed to encourage fertilizer BMP adoption and assess nutrient reduction.

Importance

Improved adoption of fertilizer BMPs within the landscape and golf course management industries can reduce nutrient pollution and support water conservation and habitat enhancement. Targeting the commercial landscape industry is an efficient approach to educational outreach, as one landscape manager can implement BMPs on behalf of many clients. This is significant given that there are almost 6,000 acres of golf courses and athletic fields in Sarasota County (SWFWMD 2017 data) and a large number of professionally managed residential and commercial lawns.

About 13% of nitrogen-based fertilizer distributed in Sarasota County is used on golf courses and athletic fields, which cover only about 4% of the county’s developed land area (FDACS 2020, SWFWMD 2017). Golf courses apply nitrogen at more than twice the rate of residential lands (111 lbs/yr/acre vs. 49 lbs/yr/acre) (SFWMD), with 18 tons of inorganic nitrogen-containing fertilizer distributed annually for golf courses (FDACS, unpublished data FY2013–2020).

Overview

The Sarasota County Urban Fertilizer Ordinance requires all commercial fertilizer applicators to complete Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) training through the UF/IFAS Extension Program to receive a commercial fertilizer applicator certificate. As of 2025, 3,247 landscaping professionals are GI-BMP certified in Sarasota County, an increase of 27% over five years. Workers are required to attend a two-hour continuing education unit (CEU) every four years to maintain certification. Funding from FDEP and FDACS supports 400 trainers and three regional coordinators statewide, with success tracked by pre- and post-test scores. Companies must display a GI-BMP decal on their commercial vehicles, but consumer brand recognition of the decal is low, and enforcement is minimal. In addition to mandatory classes, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, the Sarasota County Government Neighborhood Environmental Stewardship Team (NEST), and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program provide outreach about Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ practices.

Although golf course and athletic field managers must undergo GI-BMP training, they are exempt from local fertilizer use restrictions (see Chapter 4.3). Instead, they must follow detailed BMP manuals for golf course management and limit fertilizer applications according to UF/IFAS recommendations. The Golf Course Best Management Practices Certification developed by UF/IFAS was adopted into law in 2022. The rate of voluntary compliance is unknown, and unlike FDACS agricultural BMP programs, there is no monitoring of BMP implementation on golf courses.

Conversion of athletic fields to artificial turf eliminates the need for fertilizer, irrigation, and mowing, while improving athlete safety and field reliability. Cardinal Mooney High School converted its multi-sport athletic field to artificial turf in 2019, followed by Riverview High School in 2020. Remaining public schools in Sarasota County are expected to complete conversions by 2025. Proper under-field drainage and stormwater treatment should be incorporated into turf field design.

Approach

The mandatory BMP certification program, including required CEUs every four years, is an effective foundation for educating the landscaping industry. Building capacity for periodic audits or monitoring between recertification periods could help determine if the education translates into long-term nutrient reduction behaviors. Promoting certified landscapers could help compliant companies distinguish themselves and create additional incentives for certification maintenance.

Improved, coordinated outreach to golf course managers is needed to encourage and assess BMP implementation. Consultations should provide information on nitrogen concentrations in reclaimed water used for irrigation (see Chapter 1.2). For example, UF/IFAS Sarasota County offers a map and calculator tool to help golf course managers adjust fertilizer application rates when irrigating with reclaimed water.

Education about enhanced environmental certifications, such as Audubon’s Signature Sanctuary Program, could also be promoted. Since golf course BMP compliance is effectively voluntary, incentive programs—such as recognition, cost-sharing, or no-cost consultations—could encourage broader adoption, particularly if paired with periodic independent audits.

Resources

• FDEP GI-BMP Manual – Florida Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries
• UF/IFAS GI-BMP training program 
• FDEP Golf Course BMP Manual – Best Management Practices for the Enhancement of Environmental Quality on Golf Courses and UF/IFAS Recommendations for Fertilization
• Sarasota County Reclaimed Water Service Area Map with fertilizer application calculator for golf courses

Status

Implementation ongoing by UF/IFAS, FDEP, FDACS

Performance Measure

• Mandatory nutrient BMP certification and CEUs for golf courses and ornamental and turfgrass license holders
• Funding and results for increased monitoring, audits, and other post-education evaluation
• Expanded education curriculum to include topics like levels of N in different sources of reclaimed water and BMPs for lawn equipment emissions

Experts or Leads

Forest Hecker, UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program; Brian Niemann, Regional GI-BMP Program Coordinator; Ashley Ellis, UF/IFAS Commercial Horticulture Agent; golf course manager TBD

Cost Estimate

$50,000-$100,000

Related Activities:

Chapter 1.2, Chapter 4.3