A pond fit for a Royal

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A pond fit for a Royal: Robert Patterson, Course Manager at the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, has explained how a Kasco decorative fountain has improved the health of the water and brought a certain elegance to a picturesque pond on the course.

Founded in 1780, Royal Aberdeen is the sixth oldest golf club in the world. For the first thirty-five years of its existence the club was known as The Society of Golfers at Aberdeen, and it was these very golfers that first introduced the five-minute limit rule on searching for golf balls.

A pond fit for a Royal

A pond fit for a Royal

Fast forward to 2021 and Royal Aberdeen is now regarded as not just one of the best golf courses in Scotland but also the world. It has hosted many professional tournaments including the Scottish Open & the Walker Cup and it boasts two links courses (Balgownie & Silverburn) which run alongside the North Sea offering spectacular views. Furthermore, it is renowned for having the ‘finest front 9 in golf.’

Robert admits that he sometimes has to pinch himself: “Being able to work outside and to look after one of the best courses in the world is incredible. I feel extremely fortunate,” he said.

A greenkeeper for his whole career, Robert joined from Royal Dornoch Golf Club and has been the Course Manager at Royal Aberdeen for 24 years. He now oversees a team of 11 who work hard to maintain the stunning 36 holes.

Always striving for perfection, no stone is ever left unturned, and this was certainly the case when he decided to explore the possibility of aerating a pond in a prominent position on the course.

“The pond is mainly used for irrigation water, but we also draw water out for human consumption,” he said. “There was nothing wrong with the water but in summer, with the sun beating down, there is always a risk of it going stagnant. I also felt that the water could, in the hotter weather, look a little bit discoloured at times.”

To avoid any such problems, Robert identified the Kasco J Series Decorative Fountains as the solution. Ranging from ¾ HP to 7.5 HP, there is a Kasco J Series Fountain perfect for any size pond or lake. The corrosion and clog resistant technology offer reliability that is unparalleled by any other outdoor fountain brand. All J Series Fountains come with multiple nozzles that deliver classy, elegant spray patterns.

In addition to enhancing the class and elegance of your pond or lake these fountains will improve the health of your water with increased oxygen transfer. Kasco’s outdoor fountains are designed and built to deliver reliable and efficient performance, meaning lower long-term operating costs.

The Kasco Fountain was supplied and installed by Turf Irrigation Services, and Robert hasn’t looked back since.

“We also have a lot of fish in the pond and probably about a dozen carp,” he said. “The idea behind the Kasco Fountain was to push more oxygen into the water – just to make it a bit healthier. It is good for the turf as well because we are putting on water which is of a better quality.

“It is in a prominent position, so it is nice to see the fountain when you are playing golf – the members have also commented on it being a nice feature.

“I’ve never had any problems whatsoever with the Kasco Fountain,” continued Robert. “It is doing exactly what we wanted it to do, and I simply cannot ask for more than that.”

Kasco products are distributed in the UK by KAR UK.

For more information, please visit www.karuk.com.

You can also follow KAR UK on Twitter @KARUK_LTD for much more news, reviews and insightful views

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BASIS appoints Teresa Meadows

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BASIS appoints Teresa Meadows: Teresa Meadows has been announced as the head of environment and public affairs at BASIS in a new role for the organisation.

The timely appointment comes after BASIS detailed its plans to deliver training for advisers following the announcement of the proposed Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.

BASIS appoints Teresa Meadows

BASIS appoints Teresa Meadows

Teresa is BASIS and FACTS qualified and hails from a career background in water catchment management and environmental stewardship schemes. As well as working as a knowledge exchange manager for the AHDB for almost five years, she was awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 2020.

“In my role I will be responsible for the development of environment-related training and professional development and I will be working in partnership with key industry individuals and organisations,” she says.

Stephen Jacob, BASIS’ chief executive officer, explains that the new role is a result of BASIS’ expansion and continuation to thrive in the industry.

“There’s big changes happening in agriculture and it’s important that we have a team of experts on hand to deliver training to ensure that those who are providing advice are delivering the best possible information.”

Teresa is well-suited to the newly created position with it combining both her area of expertise and her passion for people and professional development. She is looking forward to furthering the suite of BASIS qualifications in this area.

“With the environment, climate and sustainability becoming more important as we experience change in this sector, I am keen to develop new training opportunities for advisors, farmers and land managers and showcase the level of knowledge and expertise that BASIS qualified advisers hold,” adds Teresa.

For more information, or to get in touch with Teresa, please visit https://www.basis-reg.co.uk/team.

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Agrovista UK electrifying delivery fleet

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Agrovista UK electrifying delivery fleet: Agrovista UK has started its journey towards replacing its delivery fleet with electric powered vehicles.

Agrovista UK is committed to reducing its carbon emissions and recently revealed that it has already set out a new range of measures and commitments designed to improve the health of the planet.

Agrovista UK electrifying delivery fleet

Agrovista UK electrifying delivery fleet

Chris Sprigg, Strategy and Planning Manager, offered a greater insight: “The use of diesel is our biggest CO2 emission so if we can move to a sustainable electricity supply as an alternative then that will put us on the right track towards our net carbon zero objectives. We have already moved onto electric vehicles for our car fleet, and I’m pleased to say that we currently have 44 vehicles in this respect.

“Furthermore, we have already started to install electric vehicle charging points at the depots and the objective is to have every depot installed with charging points by the end of 2022.

“This gives us a good starting point but the biggest impact we can make is if we are able to fully electrify our delivery fleet. We have already started this process and it is extremely exciting.”

Over recent years there have been phenomenal developments in electric and battery-powered technology and manufacturers have been quick to embrace it. In many sectors there are now a wide range of alternatives to diesel and petrol – whether it be in the form of machinery, tools, or vehicles. There is however still an element of range anxiety (a fear that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination) and Chris admits that he is no exception.

“The thing that we really are nervous about is range anxiety – which is a real issue,” he said. “It has to be a change of mind and attitude and we must make sure that this not only fits our green credentials, but it must also fit commercially too. It needs to be absolutely the right solution for us and our customer.”

Agrovista UK has already begun testing a range of potential electric vans and Chris revealed that the trials are being carried out by the company’s delivery drivers.

“We have had some really good feedback from the drivers to say that they like driving them, that they like the experience, and that they think it is the way to go. They have said that they are proud to be part of this very forward-thinking initiative.

“Now we need to find the right vehicle that will help us to achieve the support we need to give our customers through a fleet of electric vehicles. Let us not forget that our customers also have emission targets, and this is all part of the process.

“We need to develop what we have learnt from the trials and continue to try different vehicles,” he continued. “It will be a gradual transition rather than in one big hit and maybe in five years’ time I’d hope to see electric delivery vans fully integrated into the fleet.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/

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