GEO Certification
Forsgårdens Golfklubb
Kungsbacka, Sweden
Verification Report
Ole Riger-Kusk, GEO Accredited Verifier May 20, 2009Executive Summary
Forsgårdens Golf Club is surrounded by woods, meadows, farmland and city. Through the course runs Söderå. Around and on the track are a number of cultural heritages. The course has a development plan preserving it as an open course that falls naturally into the surrounding landscape. Water for irrigation is extracted from Söderå. Greens, tees and fairways are irrigated. Water samples from Söderå are analyzed once each year. Only a limited amount of fertilizer is used and greens are fertilized on the basis of annual analysis of soil samples. Pesticides are used almost exclusively to restrict clover in semirough. The club has implemented a comprehensive system for waste management. The club has installed a computerized system for control of the ventilation and heating system of the clubhouse which has reduced the energy consumption. A very large number of members are involved in environmental work that is firmly rooted in the club. There is a good contact to the surrounding community.
Local Translation
Forsgårdens Golfklubb är omgiven av skog, ängar, lantbruk och stadsbebyggelse. En å, Söderå rinner utmed och delvis genom banan. På och runt banan finns fornminnen och olika kulturarv. För att slå vakt om banans öppna karaktär och anpassning till det omgivande landskapet finns en utvecklingsplan för banan. Bevattning av greener, tees och fairway sker med vatten från Söderå. Vattenprover tas årligen i ån.
Gödsling sker endast i begränsad omfattning. Gödsling av greener skar på basis av analyserade jordprover. Bekämpningsmedel använde endast mot klöver i semiruffen.
Klubben har infört ett heltäckande system för avfallshantering. Ventilations och uppvärmningssystemet för klubbhuset har renoverats och ett nytt databaserat styrsystem installerats. Användning av elenergi har minskat. Många medlemmar är involverade i klubbens väl förankrade miljöplan. Kontakt med de lokala myndigheterna är god.
Scope of Application
Forsgårdens Golfklubb consists of:
Courses
- Forsgarden GK (27 holes)
Clubhouses
- Klubbhuset
Maintenance Facilities
- banservice
Other
- Pro Shop
- Practice Facilities
- Halfway House
- On Course Toilet Facilities
Observations
Nature
The golf course is located on former farm land. The course is open with minor woodlands. The terrain is slightly hilly. Through the track runs Söderå that is 5-10 m wide. The stream forms several minor lakes. On the track are 3 lakes. The stream is maintained on the south side of club members who also maintains the lakes on the track. The club has conducted a number of biological assessments including comprehensive recommendations for action. Selected recommendations are implemented including the installation of 35 nesting boxes. The club has a number of plans for development of the course including a plan for tending the course. The idea of these plans is that the course also in the future will appear as an open course in harmony with the surrounding landscape. An element of these plans is the care taking of trees on the track. This care taking includes thinning and removing monocultures and replaces them with varied vegetation.
Landscape & Heritage
The golf course is situated in a valley. Immediately south of the course is a residential area just as there are residential areas west and north of the course. Around the course are forests and agricultural areas. Söderå is running through the course and along the river are meadows. On the course are a number of cultural heritages in form of mounds, dykes and a number of burial places. These findings are recorded and maintenance of the course is taking care of these findings. In connection with construction works contact is taken to the relevant authorities to be sure not to destroy these cultural heritages. There is an ongoing work to produce digital maps from aerial photographs to better locate and illustrate the course including cultural heritages. This material is also used for a precise measurement of the course including greens, tees and fairways.
Water
Supply of drinking water is from a municipal water supply. Water for irrigation of the course is abstracted from Söderå. It is estimated that irrigation consumes 35,000 m3 per year. Water samples from Söderå are taken for analysis once a year. The analysis can not determine if the golf course affect the watercourse. Water is extracted primarily in the summer when the flow in Söderå flow is small. The river has never been dry and it is assessed that the extraction does not affect the flow in the watercourse. It is recommended to carry out flow measurements in the watercourse in order to quantify the influence of extraction. Watering is conducted using fixed sprinklers. In addition small areas are irrigated manually. A number of actions are carried out to reduce the water consumption on the course including assessment of irrigation of fairways. There are ongoing considerations of renovating the existing pumping system to a more energy efficient system.
Turf
The course is located on clay soils which inevitably affect the type of grass on the course. However the greenkeeper has succeeded to reduce the amount of Poa annua in all areas. The greenkeeper has managed to have a relatively deep rooting of the grass though watered relatively much. Every year soilsamples from all greens is analysed for quantity and type of fungi. The result is used when planning the use of fertilizer and pesticides. The course has bought a new sprayer with skirts. This sprayer is also used when spraying with pesticides which may therefore be positioned very accurately and without risk to the environment including Söderå. Greens are rarely treated with pesticides and the main use of pesticides is due to clover in semirough. The greenkeper use several biological agents successfully and is participating in tests conducted by the Swedish Golf Association for testing the efficiency of new biological agents.
Waste
The club has had carried out a study of the production of waste and the company that carried out the study has proposed a system for source separation of waste including hazardous waste maximizing reuse and recycling in accordance with municipal regulations. This system is implemented and seems to work fine. The contractor is supplying containers for storing all waste types besides removal of waste. When signing the contract 30 members and employees visited the company for introduction to the system, training in handling waste and to see how waste was managed. Hazardous waste is stored in approved containers. Pesticides are stored in a locked room with a volume at the floor equivalent to the largest container. Household sewage water is lead to the municipal sewer system. Water from the washing of machinery is drained to Söderå after mechanical cleaning. This may cause effects on the watercourse. It is recommended to explore the possibilities of another system not affecting Söderå.
Energy
A number of initiatives have been introduced to reduce energy consumption. This includes installation of an advanced computer controlled system for monitoring and regulating ventilation in the clubhouse. Those efforts have reduced energy consumption greatly. In the last year a number of meters have been mounted to find out where the largest consumption of electricity occurs. This information will be use when implementing further measures to reduce energy consumption. The results of these studies are now available and will form the basis for further action. One person is in charge of registration and optimization of energy consumption. The club participated in a project conducted by the Swedish Golf Association to examine how energy consumption can be reduced in golf clubs. The club is considering switching supplier to ensure a higher degree of green electricity. Most machinery used by greenkeepers is new and runs on diesel.
Education & awareness
The club carries out training for both employees and members. The staff implements training and education related to their work till example spraying with pesticides, use of chainsaws and so far. Members involved in environmental work participate in seminars where they get inspiration for further work. The club has some contacts outside the club including a Local Agenda 21 club in the municipality. It is the club's intention to participate actively in the work of the Agenda 21 club to raise awareness of conditions in the club and improve networking. There is also a contact to a local NGO for environment. Open house activities are conducted. In addition children (and their parents) are invited to try to play golf regularly. The club is using every opportunity to be mentioned in the press in connection with actions in the club. In addition newsletters are circulated internally and external.
Management planning
The environment committee has the overall responsibility for environmental initiatives. Other committees in the club however, have responsibility for their sub-area. There is therefore a clear division of responsibilities in the club. For each of the areas flora and fauna, landscape and culture, river and course, waste, energy, communication and suppliers and development one or more projects is conductied to reduce the environmental impact. For each project a responsible person is pointed out and a deadline for completion of the project is set. The projects and their progress are assessed every 2 months by the Environment Committee to assess progress and results. In addition the environment committee launches new projects. There is an ongoing development in the club resulting in a continuous reduction of environmental impacts as a result. The club conducts a very systematic, consistent and focused piece of work.
Documentation Reviewed
- Environmental policy
- Environmental management plan
- Action plans & project proposals
- Certification report
- Minutes of meetings
- Newsletters
- External surveys and reports
- Internal reports
- Emergency incident plan
- Environmental data
- Register of accidents
- Training log
- Awareness raising materials
Conclusions
Forsgårdens Golf Club has for years conducted a series of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact from the course. The club has focused on energy, waste and care of the course with good results. It has thus been possible to reduce energy consumption considerably. The club have developed a management system tailored to the club and has managed to involve quite a lot of members incl the board. The system has a division of responsibilities that ensure implementation of projects and follow up on progress and achievements. The system is firm and effectively anchored in the club. It is recommended to continue to focus on selected areas and that consideration be given to initiate projects for the clarification of uncertainties as discussed in previous sections. It is recommended to set up precise and measurable goals every 2-3 years. There is some communication and contacts outside the club but this work can be improved. The club has recognized this and will conduct new activities.
Recommendation
I Ole Riger-Kusk, Golf Environment Organization Accredited Verifier, recommend that Forsgårdens Golfklubb be awarded GEO Certified status for excellence in environmental management.
About this Report
This report represents the opinion of an independent environmental professional accredited by the Golf Environment Organization. The environmental performance of Forsgårdens Golfklubb was assessed against the GEO Certification criteria: http://www.golfenvironment.org/about-certification/
