Golf clubs as landscape players– Establishment of collaboration networks in the landscape for enhanced contribution to the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development

Summary

Multifunctional golf facilities can contribute a multitude of societal benefits, such as biodiversity and outdoor recreation. Today, the work to implement the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 global goals are gaining attention world-wide. The cross-sectoral and cross-scale nature of the goals, spanning issues such as health, food production and climate change, stresses the relevance and importance of viewing the landscape through a multifunctional lens.

This project studied three Nordic golf clubs (Asserbo GC, Denmark, Larvik GC, Norway, Linköping GC, Sweden). Initial research included visits to the golf clubs, mapping values, functions, activities. We also identified potential collaborating partners in the area, interviewed key persons and held future-oriented workshops with club representatives and key external actors.

All three clubs contribute significantly to social sustainability of local landscapes, particularly Linköpings GC, which has an urban setting. The golf courses are important green infrastructure contributing to ecological sustainability in the landscape, especially Asserbo GC, which has a very ambitious approach to conserving biodiversity. Larvik GC has some promising collaborations to enhance economic sustainability in the area. Overall, the economic dimension of sustainable development is not very pronounced at the clubs. The future-oriented workshops identified ways to raise the clubs’ profile in sustainability issues and  contribution to Agenda 2030:

• Asserbo GC: Birdlife could benefit from having wild plants in roughs, creating a strong food web, since diverse plant life supports diverse invertebrate presence. Possible collaboration with Dansk Ornitologisk Forening. SDG 15 (Life on land)
• Asserbo GC: Access by non-golfers to the golf course is already good, but a project started within Spor.dk could increase accessibility and help integrate the golf club in the social settings of the surrounding landscape. Possible collaboration with Spor i landskabet. SDG 3 (Good health and well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities)
• Larvik GC: The golf club has put carp in two ponds. Carp is not native, so the club should re-consider this practice. Possible collaboration with Naturvernförbundet. SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation)
• Larvik GC: An event for sponsors of the golf club and sponsors of the culture house. Possible cooperation with Bölgen Culture House. SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth)
• Linköping GC: Renewable fuel for working machines. Possible collaboration with recreation dept. at Linköping municipality. SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (Climate action)
• Linköping GC: Develop the golf course and surrounding landscape to act as an outdoor classroom. Possible collaboration with Linköping university, Friluftsmuseet Gamla Linköping, Linköping municipality. SDG 4 (Quality education)

Multifunktionella golfbanor kan bidra till en rad samhällsnyttor, till exempel biologisk mångfald och friluftsliv. Arbetet med att implementera Agenda 2030 och de 17 globala målen för hållbar utveckling får ökad uppmärksamhet runtom i världen. Målen, som spänner över alla samhällssektorer och berör frågor som hälsa, matproduktion och klimatförändringar, visar på vikten av att vi betraktar landskapet ur ett multifunktionellt perspektiv. Syftet med detta projekt är att undersöka hur golfklubbar kan bidra till ökad multifunktionalitet på en landskapsnivå genom att samarbeta med andra aktörer och på så vis även stärka sin position i arbetet med att implementera Agenda 2030 i Norden. Vi kommer att genomföra så kallade socio-ekologiska inventeringar på tre platser (med utgångspunkt i tre golfanläggningar) för att identifiera nyckelaktörer att samarbeta med. Vi kommer även att producera en handbok för att inspirera samarbetsprocesser mellan golfklubbar och andra aktörer i det omkringliggande landskapet.

Fundings (kSEK)