HGCSA 2024 Annual Seminar Agenda

Ala Moana Hotel
2024 HGCSA Seminar
July 30, 2024 - 10:00 A.M. T0 5:00 P.M

9:30-10:00am
Registration
GCSAA Government Affairs Update:
Endangered Species Act compliance and other hot issues
GCSAA is the leader in advocacy in the golf industry. During this informative session, you will be provided an update on the work of the GCSAA Government Affairs team as they focus on water, pesticide, labor and power equipment issues at all levels of government. The presentation will have a special focus on the U.S. EPA’s attempt to come into compliance with its Endangered Species Act obligations. You will also learn about ways to stay on top of government issues impacting your golf facility as well as hear about case studies in successful advocacy engagement.
Endangered Species Act compliance
  • ESA 101 – what the law says and what are EPA’s obligations
  • EPA ESA Workplan
  • Vulnerable Species Pilot
  • Hawaii pilot
  • Other pilots
  • GCSAA engagement with the EPA and other federal agencies
  • EPA Bulletins Live 2
  • GCSAA BMPs list for ESA mitigation
  • Open discussion on how to prove use of BMPs at golf facilities
  • EPA – GCSAA collaboration – Smart Sector partnership – resources available to GCSAA members
Noon to 1:00PM
Lunch
Developing maxiumum efficiency pest management stragies
for golf courses with a focus on the environment:
Embracing science as your friend.
1:00-1:30PM
The biology and ecology of turfgrass insect and mites pests.
Using knowledge to your advantage. This section will focus on how an understanding of pest life cycles and behavior can provide a higher return on your investment on your pest management strategies.
1:30-2:00PM
Products and strategies for insect management in turfgrass.
This section will provide an overview of current insecticides available for use, the pros and cons of each, how to use them effectively, and other strategies such as cultural practices.
2:00-3:00PM
Below ground insect pests.
This portion of the seminar will focus on below ground insect pests such as white grubs, mole crickets, mealybugs and others. There will be a focus on the special challenges associated with insects below the soil surface including monitoring life cycles, identifying “hot spots”, and strategies to maximize control.
3:00-4:00PM
Above ground insect pests. This section will be similar to the previous section but focus on above ground pests such as webworms, armyworms, mites and other above ground pests.
4:00-4:30PM
How do we get answers to turf management problems? (How does science work).
In this section, we will focus on how the scientific process works to develop answers to our problems. The emphasis of this component will be to develop an understanding for the “dos and don’ts” of doing your own research to develop the most efficient methods to solve problems on your course.
4:30-5:00PM
Communicating science.
Over the past few years, the public has lost a lot of trust in science. We use pesticides on our golf courses and the public often denies what scientists and regulatory agencies say about these products (glyphosate!). How can we effectively communicate what science says to members, guests, tourists, etc?
Questions?