Tag Archive for: Director on the Amenity Forum Board

Meet Jim Croxton, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

Meet Jim Croxton, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

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Meet Jim Croxton, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

As part of the ongoing Meet the Board series, Jim Croxton, Director of the Amenity Forum and Chief Executive Officer of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), shares his passion for professional recognition, education and helping to raise the profile of the amenity sector.

Meet Jim Croxton, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

Meet Jim Croxton, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

For more than 15 years, Jim has worked to champion the greenkeeping profession, supporting the education, development and recognition of those responsible for maintaining the UK’s more than 2,600 golf courses. Through BIGGA, he has helped promote continuous professional development, innovation and the sharing of best practice across the industry.

As environmental expectations continue to evolve and the management of green spaces comes under increasing scrutiny, Jim brings a strong commitment to professionalism, collaboration and evidence-based decision making to the Amenity Forum Board.

We spoke to Jim about the importance of professional standards, the future of green space management and why collaboration across the amenity sector has never been more important.

Q&A: Jim Croxton

What attracted you to the Amenity Forum and the opportunity to join its Board?

The Amenity sector is extremely complex, with many distinct subsectors within it – golf, local authority landscapes, sports turf, highways, public spaces etc. Whilst a much smaller sector than agriculture it is critically important to business, travel, leisure and recreation so it is vital that it has a strong representative body that can present a coherent message to regulators and stakeholders.

The opportunity to help ensure we collaborate effectively and are well represented is important to my part of the industry and to me. Coming from a committee-based organisation I felt I had something to offer.

Why are professional standards and education so important to the amenity sector?

Professional standards underpin everything we do. The decisions made by practitioners managing our green spaces have long-term implications for the environment, public expectations and the quality of the landscapes we all enjoy.

Education gives professionals the confidence to make informed decisions based on evidence rather than habit. It encourages continual improvement, supports responsible management and helps ensure that our industry is recognized for the expertise it brings.

Investing in training and continuous professional development is one of the best ways we can strengthen the future of the amenity sector and demonstrate to regulators the professionalism inherent in our approach to landscape management.

What are the biggest challenges facing golf course management today?

Golf courses are expected to deliver exceptional playing surfaces whilst responding to increasing golfer and environmental expectations, climate change and evolving regulation.

Greenkeepers are continually balancing turf quality, resource management, biodiversity, water use and financial pressures. Meeting all of those expectations requires highly skilled professionals who understand both the science and the practical realities of managing living landscapes.

How is the profession responding to changing environmental expectations?

The profession has embraced innovation and continuous improvement. Golf course managers have always adopted Integrated Pest Management practices but the options for this are increasing all the time as technology and understanding improve.

In recent years I’m delighted that golf clubs are seeing the importance of investing in staff development to enable them to make more informed management decisions.

Climate change is also bringing new challenges, particularly around water availability. Longer periods of dry weather mean that making the best use of water resources is becoming increasingly important. The industry is responding by improving irrigation practices, selecting more resilient turf species and taking a more strategic approach to water management, helping courses adapt while maintaining high standards.

There is also a growing recognition that golf courses provide valuable habitats for wildlife, support biodiversity and make an important contribution to environmental sustainability when managed responsibly.

What role does Integrated Pest Management play in the future of golf course management?

Integrated Pest Management is fundamental to turf management. It encourages practitioners to understand the causes of problems before deciding on the most appropriate course of action.

By combining prevention, monitoring, cultural practices and targeted interventions, IPM supports healthier turf, more resilient landscapes and responsible use of plant protection products. It is about making informed decisions rather than relying on any single solution.

Why is continuous professional development so important?

Knowledge never stands still. New research, changing regulations, evolving technologies and different environmental pressures mean that professionals need opportunities to keep learning throughout their careers.

Continuous professional development helps individuals build confidence, improve competence and share experience with colleagues across the sector. Ultimately, it benefits everyone who uses and enjoys our managed green spaces.

What do you hope to achieve as a Director of the Amenity Forum?

I would like to see the Amenity Forum continue to strengthen its position as the collective voice of the amenity sector.

By bringing organisations together, promoting professional competence and encouraging constructive dialogue with policymakers and regulators, the Forum can help ensure that future decisions are informed by practical experience and sound science.

Most importantly, I hope we continue to champion the professionalism of those working across the sector. Our industry is full of highly skilled people who care deeply about the environments they manage, and that expertise deserves to be recognised.

The Board of Directors comprises representatives from a broad range of organisations and disciplines, reflecting the diversity of the amenity sector. Further profiles of Board members will be published over the coming months.

For further information about the Amenity Forum, visit: www.amenityforum.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Meet Tom Arnold, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

Meet Tom Arnold, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

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Meet Tom Arnold, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

As part of the ongoing Meet the Board series, Tom Arnold, Director of the Amenity Forum, Founder and CEO of TopGrass and Chair of the UK Lawn Care Association, speaks about his passion for the amenity industry and his commitment to helping move it forward.

Meet Tom Arnold, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

Meet Tom Arnold, Director on the Amenity Forum Board

Tom has spent more than 40 years working in the amenity sector and is widely recognised as a strong advocate for professional standards, training and the promotion of best practice. Over the course of his career, he has spent approximately half that time working with manufacturers of amenity fertiliser and plant protection products, and the other half building and leading his own lawn care business. Today, TopGrass is recognised as the largest independent lawn care company in the UK

As the industry responds to changing environmental expectations, increasing demand for sustainable landscape management and a growing focus on professional competence, Tom brings valuable practical experience and insight to the Amenity Forum Board.

We spoke to Tom about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, the importance of collaboration and the role of natural turf in creating healthy, sustainable and attractive green spaces.

Q&A: Tom Arnold

What attracted you to the Amenity Forum and the opportunity to join its Board?

I have always believed that the amenity sector is stronger when organisations work together. The Amenity Forum provides a unique platform for bringing together different parts of the industry, including contractors, suppliers, professional bodies, local authorities and regulators.

The Forum has an important role in promoting best practice, encouraging professional standards and ensuring the sector has a collective voice on issues that affect us all. Joining the Board provided an opportunity to contribute to that work and help support the future development of the sector.

Why is the work of the Amenity Forum important?

The amenity sector is incredibly diverse, but many of the challenges we face are shared. Whether you are managing lawns, sports turf, parks, public spaces or wider landscapes, there is a common need for professional competence, responsible management and effective communication.

The Forum provides an opportunity to share knowledge and experience across sectors, whilst helping to ensure that decision-makers understand the practical realities of managing amenity spaces.

It also plays an important role in promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM), supporting professional competence and helping organisations adopt practical, sustainable approaches to managing pests, weeds and diseases.

What are the biggest challenges facing the lawn care and turf management sector?

One of the biggest challenges is balancing increasing expectations with available resources. Customers want high-quality, healthy and attractive green spaces, but organisations are also being asked to deliver environmental benefits, improve biodiversity and reduce inputs.

At the same time, the range of management tools available continues to evolve, making professional knowledge and evidence-based decision making more important than ever.

How is the sector responding to changing environmental expectations?

The sector has made significant progress in recent years. There is growing interest in IPM, improved soil health, sustainable turf management and approaches that reduce environmental impact whilst maintaining high standards.

Many organisations are also looking at how they can support biodiversity and make their landscapes more resilient to changing weather patterns and environmental pressures.

What role does natural turf play in modern landscapes?

Natural turf delivers a wide range of benefits that are often overlooked. It contributes to cooling, carbon capture, water management, biodiversity and wellbeing, whilst providing attractive and functional spaces for communities, sport and recreation.

As discussions continue around sustainability and environmental performance, it is important that the benefits of well-managed natural turf are recognised and understood.

What do you hope to achieve as a Director of the Amenity Forum?

I would like to see the Forum continue to strengthen its role as a trusted and respected voice for the amenity sector. There is a real opportunity to bring people together, encourage collaboration and help ensure that policy, regulation and best practice are informed by practical experience.

I am particularly passionate about raising standards across the sector through high-quality training, professional development and the promotion of a common quality standard that gives confidence to customers, practitioners and policymakers alike.

I would also like to see greater recognition of the environmental value of natural green spaces. The increasing use of artificial grass in domestic properties is a worrying trend, as it can represent a permanent loss for nature, biodiversity and the many benefits that living landscapes provide.

The challenges facing the sector will continue to evolve, but by working together we can help ensure that those responsible for managing amenity spaces have access to the knowledge, support and professional networks they need to succeed.

The Board of Directors comprises representatives from a broad range of organisations and disciplines, reflecting the diversity of the amenity sector. Further profiles of Board members will be published over the coming months.

For further information about the Amenity Forum, visit: www.amenityforum.net

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

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You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters