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Green
Greens:
Golf Courses and the
Environment
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 Can
a golf course be green?
Golf
is one of the most popular recreation activities in
Ontario.
There
are over 600 well-used golf courses in Ontario, most of
them on the urban fringe -- within an hour's drive from
town or city.
Golf
is almost nature. It's outdoors and there is
wildlife to be found on the course. But most golf
courses are about as close to nature as a plastic
christmas tree. They use up precious farmland
and/or natural areas, and require regular watering and
pesticides to keep the greens green and weed-free.
Greening
golf is a challenge of land use planning, and of sound
environmental management:
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Locate
golf courses for minimal environmental impact
(regional planning);
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Design
golf courses for maximum ecological benefit
(ecological design);
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promote
sound environmental management practices
(stewardship).
This
factsheet looks at the environmental principles for golf courses, and
at how well they
are being applied in Ontario.
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The major golf associations in
Ontario are:
Of these,
only the RCGA has developed an environmental statement
of principles and environmental guidelines.
The best set
of principles for golf and the environment is a 1996 American initiative
involving golf and environmental associations. The
RCGA participated in the development of the principles,
but has not endorsed them.
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The environmental principles for
golf courses in the United States
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To enhance local communities ecologically and economically.
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To develop environmentally responsible golf courses that are economically viable.
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To offer and protect habitat for wildlife and plant species.
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To recognize that every golf course must be developed and
managed with consideration for the unique conditions of the ecosystem of which it is a part.
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To provide important greenspace benefits.
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To use natural resources efficiently.
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To
respect adjacent land use when planning, constructing, maintaining and
operating golf courses.
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To create desirable playing conditions through practices that preserve environmental quality.
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To support ongoing research to scientifically establish new and better ways to develop and manage golf courses in harmony with the environment.
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To document outstanding development and management practices to promote more widespread implementation of environmentally sound golf
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To educate golfers and potential developers about the principles of environmental responsibility and to promote the understanding that environmentally sound golf courses are quality golf courses.
Source: The
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
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Endorsing
Associations
(March 1996)
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American Society of Golf Course Architects
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Arizona Golf Association
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Audubon International
Center for Resource Management
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Club Managers Association of America
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Friends of the Earth
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Golf Course Builders Association of America
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Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
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Ladies Professional Golf Association
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National Club Association
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National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
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National Golf Foundation
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National Wildlife Federation
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North Carolina Coastal Federation
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Pamlico -- Tar River Foundation
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Save the Bay
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Southern Environmental Law Center
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
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United States Golf Association
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The RCGA has adopted a statement of principles that
emphasizes legal compliance and science-based
environmental standards:
"The
Royal Canadian Golf Association and its member clubs
subscribe to the following principles:
- Ensure that all
operations present the lowest possible risk to
employees, golfers, the public and the environment.
- Comply with all legal
requirements affecting operations and products.
- Develop and implement
self-initiated action plans to conserve and enhance
natural resources.
- Communicate with both
the golfing and non-golfing public on issues
concerning golf development or maintenance and the
environment.
- Be responsive and
sensitive to community concerns.
- Communicate with and
assist governments to encourage fair and attainable
standards based on scientifically supported data."
The RCGA's environmental
strategy is....
It is the goal of
the Royal Canadian Golf Association to develop
programs to communicate and promote practices to
ensure that an equilibrium is sustained between
maintaining quality playing conditions and a healthy
environment. The Association acknowledges the need to
blend a certain level of government regulation with
self-initiated action plans to achieve and maintain
this balance. We also recognize that all regulations
and plans should be based on scientifically supported
data and to this end will continue to support
turfgrass research.
Source: http://www.rcga.org/green/green-envguide.htm
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1. Regional Planning
Golf courses can often be a
transitional development from natural and agricultural land to urban
development. Applications are made for golf course developments on land
that is zoned rural, but once the development is approved, the primary use of
the land is changed and it becomes easier to redevelop surrounding lands as
urban.
Responsibility for land use planning
rests at the municipal level (see the factsheets on Sprawl
and Other Natural Areas for more
details on the planning process).
2. Course Design and Management
A) Industry-lead initiatives
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The Royal Canadian Golf
Association's environmental program offers
guidelines for environmental management. See the RCGA's
Green Section for details. The association's
approach is based on "sound science" and is not as
progressive as the U.S. principles. Sections
include:
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Note: some of the RCGA's
pages may not work in Netscape.
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The Ontario Golf Superintendents' Association
requires that, to qualify for a Class A membership, the person involved
must hold valid Ministry of the Environment Pesticide Applicator
Licenses Class 1 and 3.
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B) Other Initiatives
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The
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System of Canada encourages and
recognizes golf courses taking leadership roles in environmental
enhancement and conservation projects such as the establishment of
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs and the protection of
water resources. The program provides golf course managers
with a resource inventory handbook to assist in documenting the
wildlife habitat potential of the course. It also offers
seven "Achievement Categories", including:
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Wildlife
& Habitat Management |
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Water
Quality Management |
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Integrated
Pest Management |
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Water
Conservation |
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Outreach
and Education
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A Certification Process will recognize and support
golf courses that have worked to ensure a high degree of
environmental quality on the golf course.
In Canada, the RCGA is an active
partner with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System.
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Green
Links Eco-Efficiency Services
provides a rating service for golf courses along with consulting advice
on how they can improve their environmental performance.
GreenLinks is a the three-year pilot, launched in the Fall of 1999 as a
cooperative effort between GreenLinks Eco-Efficiency Services, Burnside
Golf Services and Environment Canada – Ontario Region. The project has
since expanded outside of Ontario. The national project – The Greening
of Canada's Golf Courses – currently has 47 golf courses participating
across the country
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3. Turfgrass Research A
significant amount of funding, both in Canada and the United States is
going into turfgrass research to produce grass for golf courses that
require less water and pesticides
In Canada, the RCGA
is funding research through the Guelph Turfgrass
Institute into:
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Stress
Management (including environmental stress and cultural stress)
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Plant
Improvement (through selection, breeding, and bioengineering)
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Pest
Management
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Environmental
Impact of Turfgrass Culture
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Soil
Culture and Physics as it Relates to Plant Needs
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Looking for the best
environmental golf courses Of the 600 golf courses
in Ontario, which ones have established good
environmental management practices?
There are currently two
environmental recognition programs that are being
developed in Ontario:
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Environmental initiatives
for golf courses are still in their infancy, and they
are far from being wholly integrated into golf course
design and management practices. Here's some
suggestions for improving on the current activities:
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| 1.
Adopt the
American environmental principles for golf. |
The American principles were
developed through a joint effort of golf and environmental
associations. While they don't address land use conflicts,
pesticides and water use directly, they are a clearer set of
environmental goals that have been endorsed by a wide range of
groups.
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| 2.
Involve all golf courses in basic environmental management programs. |
The OGSA's
requirement that all Class A
members
must hold valid Ministry of the Environment Pesticide Applicator
Licenses is a good initiative. OGSA and other associations could
take a lead role in providing comprehensive
training for habitat management, water conservation, waste
reduction, and pesticide reduction .
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3. Develop a
single rating system.
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Two rating systems for Ontario's golf
courses is confusing, both for the public and for course
superintendents. It would be helpful if the Audubon Sanctuary
and the Green Links programs joined forces to develop a single
environmental certification program for Ontario and Canada.
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| 4.
Strengthen regional planning to manage conflicts with proposed new
golf courses. |
Stronger regional planning can
determine the need and best sites for recreational facilities such
as golf courses, as well as require best design practices to
maximize the ecological benefits where new courses are developed.
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Golf, naturally.
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Golf Green
Golf Greens!
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Look
for the golf courses in your area that have provide good natural
habitat and that have good environmental management.
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Clean your club.
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Talk to the manager or superintendent at
your favourite course about their environmental management
program.
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Support good planning.
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Get
involved in local planning decisions. Make sure golf courses are
designed with nature and people in mind.
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The
Conservation Council of Ontario