Cedar Rapids Golf Recognized for Environmental Stewardship

The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department’s Golf Division was awarded the 2018 Environmental Stewardship Award from the Iowa Golf Course Superintendents Association. This award recognizes superintendents who achieve quality playing conditions while emphasizing sound environmental management practices. The award was presented to Jeff Schmidt, Gardner Superintendent, on Wednesday, January 16 at the Iowa Turfgrass Conference in Des Moines.

The Parks and Recreation Department has made naturalizing out-of-play areas on public land, like golf courses, a priority in recent years. The areas naturalized at Gardner were part of the 1,000 Acre Pollinator Project, an initiative to convert 1,000 acres of public land in Cedar Rapids and Linn County to pollinator habitat. Staff from Golf, Parks and Public Works divisions worked to convert 30 acres of the Gardner Golf Course to prairie. Over 260 acres of Cedar Rapids public property has been converted to pollinator habitat since 2017.

“We strive to be at the forefront of environmental initiatives at golf courses and parks. We are excited to be recognized for our dedication to stewardship and sustainability of the public land in Cedar Rapids,” said Scott Hock, Parks and Recreation Department Director.