The Value of Ecosystems
It’s a simple truth: biologically diverse ecosystems enable our quality of life. From air, to water, to soil they clean, protect and provide the basic elements that we depend upon. They’re a natural barrier to disaster, combating flooding, removing carbon from the atmosphere and playing a vital role in regulating climate. The value of all this? Priceless.
Perhaps uniquely in sport, golf's very essence is interaction with the natural world, involving the subtle modification of landscape and vegetation. A symbiosis of sporting venue and environment.
Today
Humanity’s activities now threaten ecosystems - locally to globally. In response, both government and business have come to realise the urgent need for action to combat this trend. We’re all a part of that. We have to be.
Golf has a unique role to play. It can become a sport defined by harmony with nature, working responsibly with landscape and environment to create courses that are exciting to play and sustainable in the long-term. The alternatives are no longer viable. Overlaying natural ecosystems with heavily modified environments that dominate natural processes and create artificial landscapes is simply counterproductive. It harms the industry’s reputation and challenges its future.
It all starts with a fresh perspective and it’s not simply about the courses. All golf-related businesses that rely heavily on water, energy, landscapes, biodiversity and other natural resources can very beneficially evaluate their dependency on ecosystems. A business ecosystem assessment can have real value in protecting long-term business interests that are fundamentally connected to ecosystems.
Tomorrow
Golf has unrivalled potential to lead the way forward as an environmentally responsible industry. It can create dynamic ecosystems from degraded landscapes and protect valuable habitats where they already exist. Almost every single course can enrich its local ecosystem. This makes sense environmentally, commercially and in terms of public relations.
The world is changing. We must change with it.
Learn how GEO Certified™ golf clubs are boosting, and benefitting, from the value of ecosystems:
Golfpark Nuolen
A former gravel pit, Golfpark Nuolen has become a popular resource for the people of the Zurich Canton, sustaining local jobs and healthy ecosystems. The site has large areas of wildflower fields, man-made lakes and biotopes which provide extensive habitat for birds, amphibians, mammals and insects.
Riviera Cancún
Mangrove restoration and resource-efficient landscaping lie at the heart of Riviera Cancún's ecological value. Aquatic planting, biological turf nutrition and maintenance buffers are all contributing to a notable increase in biodiversity, including many species of reptiles and migratory birds.
