Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse are major future threats to humanity. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 proposes a more holistic approach to biodiversity policy. Protecting and restoring nature cannot achieved by regulation and must include all actors in the peri-urban and rural landscape. Golf courses could help protect biological diversity, conserve natural and cultural environments and retain and enhance ecosystem services in peri-urban areas and the cultivated landscape.
The project is testing measures to promote biodiversity that are adapted to each golf club’s conditions, e.g. it aims to benefit insects by creating flower-rich soils with exposed sand. The various measures and maintenance efforts can be adapted to golf course anywhere in the area, region or country. The goal is to show improved flora and insect diversity on the golf courses by final inventories in 2023.
Individual action plans have been drawn up for five golf courses; Falkenbergs GC, Ullared Flädje GC, Harabäckens GC, Hofgårds GC and Vinbergs GC. Basic inventory, field visits and maintenance planning were carried out on all in 2022 and individual plans have been implemented in practice. In autumn 2022, each facility was revisited to review the season, and individual care plans were updated for 2023. The Swedish Golf Federation and golf club staff were consulted to ensure that the action plan proposals can be coordinated with the game itself.
The action plans describe what, where and when measures for biological diversity can be applied on a course, estimated time required and costs. Examples are:
Peter Edman, Swedish Golf Federation, Box 11016, 10061 Stockholm. Tel +46 70 266 5686. Email: peter.edman@golf.se
|
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Total |
STERF |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Other sources |
790 |
390 |
197 |
200 |
1577 |
Total |
790 |
390 |
197 |
200 |
1577* |
* 50% in SEK and 50% in in-kind funding
STERF is a research foundation that supports existing and future R&D efforts and delivers ‘ready-to-use research results’ that benefit the Nordic golf sector. STERF was set up in 2006 by the golf federations in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Nordic Greenkeepers’ Associations.