The Syngenta Operation Pollinator Award, which seeks to reward golf clubs and other sports facilities proactively creating areas for all pollinator insects and managing other ecology initiatives that enhance biodiversity, is inviting entries for its 2026 awards.
The Award, open for UK golf clubs and sport facilities, is being managed by the STRI and judged by an independent industry panel, including the Wildlife Trust, BIGGA and last year’s Operation Pollinator Award winner, Melissa Winkworth of Goring & Streatley Golf Club.
Entry is a simple online questionnaire detailing what you do, what has been seen and how it is communicated with players and the public, along with how ecology initiatives fit with the overall turf management.
Last year’s Operation Pollinator Award winner Melissa Winkworth of Goring & Streatley Golf Club
A short-list of finalists will be contacted for a discussion with leading STRI ecologist Stella Rixon, with the overall winner being announced at the BIGGA Awards Evening held at BTME, Harrogate in January.
Syngenta Turf Business Manager, Sarah Hughes, highlights with all the golf clubs actively signed-up and engaged in the initiative Operation Pollinator has been shown to have a place on every course.
“Together, the clubs involved with Operation Pollinator have created a vast network of habitats for pollinating insects and wider biodiversity in well managed habitats, alongside managing turf for golf and sport,” she says. “Using Operation Pollinator to learn from each other’s experiences and share best practices for both habitat management and communicating with clubs and players is a huge benefit, and a great way for the industry to demonstrate the value of golf as a positive ecological resource. We urge all clubs to get involved; sign-up now and enter for the Operation Pollinator Award.”
Operation Pollinator aims to support golf clubs and sports facilities to establish and manage areas that will provide essential food resources and nesting habitat for pollinators, including native bees, butterflies and other insects.
The initiative brings together a community of turf managers to help each other and share their successes and experience, along with demonstrating the immense ecological value of managed amenity turf areas.
The closing date for entries for Operation Pollinator Award 2026 is 21 November. To enter click here.
