ecological transformation of the rutgers golf...

ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE RUTGERS GOLF COURSE Improving Our Landscapes Through Ecological Design 0 0.15 0.3 0.45 0.6 0.075 Miles Golf Course Water Bodies Streams Riparian Zone A HEALTHIER RARITAN Map Created by: Alexis Lo Image Created by: Jason Cincotta PLANTED STREAM BUFFERS REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINANTS BY PLANTS & MICROBES TURF ALTERNATIVES Sediment in our streams has the potential to • Smother aquatic life • Carry toxic particles • Clog the gills of fish • Cloud water • Reduce oxygen in the water Densely vegetated stream banks and beds • Stabilize the banks from erosion • Reduce stream velocity • Prevent incising • Slow flow of runoff into stream • Trap sediment • Reduce sediment entering Raritan Create a more functional network to support biodiversity, recreation and flood management Plants and microbes remove or break down contaminants in the soil and groundwater Maintained rough has little ecological value and requires many resources: • Fossil fuels • Labor • Chemicals • Water Low-mow fescues, herbaceous groundcovers, and native meadow swaths • Tolerate drought • Increase plant biodiversity • Enhance golf course aesthetic • Reduce mowing needs • Benefit wildlife • Increase infiltration and reduce runoff Reducing chemical use leads to less contaminated runoff entering streams and rivers WHAT IS AN ECOLOGICAL GOLF COURSE? A FACILITY THAT... • Reduces use of chemicals, water, and other resources • Provides wildlife habitat • Preserves natural areas within urban environments • Supports native plant species • Protects water resources and filters runoff through golf course planting • Implements best management practices • Educates golfers and community about ecology and the game of golf ECOLOGICAL GOLF COURSE CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS • Adubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf • River-Friendly Golf Course (Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association, Raritan Headwa- ters, and New Jersey Water Supply Authority) • Golf Enviornment Organization Foundation • Enviornmental Stewardship Award by NJDEP • Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Golf Certification Ecological design is a technique used to transform man-made landscapes back to a more natural state - one that will foster a healthier, more sustainable environment. The Rutgers Golf Course team has recently included ecological design as part of it’s vision, and is in collaboration with Rutgers Landscape Architecture department to begin establishment of this transformation. NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION RUNOFF FROM CAMPUS FERTILIZERS LEACH INTO THE STREAM STREAM OUTPUT INTO RARITAN IMPERVIOUS SURFACES PREVENT INFILTRATION AND ACCELERATE STORMWATER FLOW Board Composed By Alexis Lo ([email protected]) Jason Cincotta ([email protected]) Christina Kaunzinger ([email protected]) Faculty Internship Advisors Christina Kaunzinger Holly Nelson Rutgers Golf Course Manager Lisa Jensen, PGA 2017 Golf Course Interns Andrew Malkinski Erika Schellinck 2018 Golf Course Interns Alexis Lo Jason Cincotta Sebonack Golf Course Southhampton, NY Image Created by: Alexis Lo

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Page 1: ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE RUTGERS GOLF …raritan.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cin...ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE RUTGERS GOLF COURSE Improving Our Landscapes

ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE RUTGERS GOLF COURSEImproving Our Landscapes Through Ecological Design

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.80.1Miles

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

0 0.15 0.3 0.45 0.60.075Miles

Golf Course

Water Bodies

Streams

Riparian Zone

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

0 0.15 0.3 0.45 0.60.075Miles

Golf Course

Water Bodies

Streams

Riparian Zone

HEA

LTHI

ERR

ITA

Map Created by:Alexis Lo

Image Created by:Jason Cincotta

PLANTED STREAM BUFFERS

REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINANTS BY PLANTS & MICROBES

TURF ALTERNATIVESSediment in our streams has the potential to

•Smotheraquaticlife •Carrytoxicparticles •Clogthegillsoffish

• Cloud water • Reduce oxygen in the water

Densely vegetated stream banks and beds

• Stabilize the banks from erosion • Reduce stream velocity • Prevent incising

•Slowflowofrunoffintostream •Trapsediment •ReducesedimententeringRaritan

Createamorefunctionalnetworktosupportbiodiversity,recreationandfloodmanagement

Plants and microbes remove or break down contaminants in the soil and groundwater

Maintained rough has little ecological value and requires many resources:

• Fossil fuels • Labor

• Chemicals • Water

Low-mow fescues, herbaceous groundcovers, and native meadow swaths

•Toleratedrought •Increaseplantbiodiversity •Enhancegolfcourseaesthetic

•Reducemowingneeds •Benefitwildlife •Increaseinfiltrationandreducerunoff Reducingchemicaluseleadstolesscontaminatedrunoffenteringstreamsandrivers

WHAT IS AN ECOLOGICAL GOLF COURSE? A FACILITY THAT...

• Reduces use of chemicals, water, and other resources• Provides wildlife habitat• Preserves natural areas within urban environments• Supports native plant species• Protectswaterresourcesandfiltersrunoffthroughgolfcourseplanting• Implementsbestmanagementpractices• Educatesgolfersandcommunityaboutecologyandthegameofgolf

ECOLOGICAL GOLF COURSE CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS

• Adubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf• River-Friendly Golf Course (Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association, Raritan Headwa-

ters, and New Jersey Water Supply Authority)• GolfEnviornmentOrganizationFoundation• EnviornmentalStewardshipAwardbyNJDEP• LeadershipinEnergyandEnvironmentalDesign(LEED)GolfCertification

Ecological design is a technique used to transform man-made landscapes back to a more natural state - one that will foster a healthier, more sustainable environment. The Rutgers Golf Course team has recently included ecological design as part of it’s vision, and is in collaboration with Rutgers Landscape Architecture department to begin establishment of this transformation.

NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION RUNOFF FROM CAMPUS

FERTILIZERS LEACHINTO THE STREAM

STREAM OUTPUTINTO RARITAN

IMPERVIOUS SURFACESPREVENT INFILTRATION AND

ACCELERATE STORMWATER FLOW

Board Composed ByAlexis Lo ([email protected]) Jason Cincotta ([email protected])Christina Kaunzinger ([email protected])

Faculty Internship AdvisorsChristina Kaunzinger Holly Nelson Rutgers Golf Course ManagerLisa Jensen, PGA

2017 Golf Course Interns

Andrew Malkinski

Erika Schellinck

2018 Golf Course Interns

Alexis Lo