By Cathy Hamilton-Wissmer

JBLM Directorate of Public Works

Eagles Pride Golf Course on Joint Base Lewis-McChord showcased the use of home-grown compost during the sixth annual Sustainability Summit and Green Golf Classic July 24. The focus in 2018 was on 'Soils in Action.'

"The main use of compost at Eagles Pride is on the fairways, driving range and tee boxes -- anywhere you are replacing divets," said Dave Wienecke, agronomist and JBLM Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Sustainability and environmental management system (EMS) manager.

Eagles Pride was the site for a long term, five-year study on the use of biosolid compost on golf courses undertaken by Nathan Stacey, Washington State University soil scientist, as his dissertation for his Ph.D. Golf turf grasses are highly manicured, and frequent fertilization and supplemental irrigation are often used to promote turf grass health and create an acceptable playing field.

The use of composted biosolids in a blend with sand in a soil biota study was partly funded by the installation and by the Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association. The study concluded that the soil microbial activity increases, and water retention is greatly magnified, with the addition of compost.

JBLM looks to close the loop on recycling through use of compost on the installation in a wide variety of areas. The Directorate of Public Works (DPW) makes its own compost at Earthworks using an aerated static pile system to convert the food waste, woody waste, stable waste and leaves from the installation grounds.

The addition of biosolids to the composted mixture was used for the study and is no longer in the regular compost. Compost is available to Units for projects on JBLM at no cost but is not available to the public.

Wienecke has been impressed with the biosolid compost.

"It has dramatically increased water retention by five times, and improved the soil microbiology," he said. "Using a sand/compost mix enhances wear tolerance on golf course, like where the end of the golf cart path is- when you use this mix the grass grows back and stays there. This could have broader implications, such as for use in front of soccer goals"

"Compost is phenomenal for regrowth and to 'green up,'" said Jim Smith, Eagles Pride golf course superintendent.

Eagles Pride became the logical choice to host the annual Sustainability Summit July 23 and the Green Golf Classic golf tournament July 24. This event is a collaboration between Family and MWR and DPW.

The Summit provided a great opportunity for both on-base, off-base personnel and community to come together and hear about all the great things happening in the Environmental Division on JBLM. Stacey presented his findings to an interested audience composed of attendees from JBLM, school districts, municipal public works agencies, port authorities, nonprofits, as well as other golf course superintendents.