Centro Nacional de Golf Achieves GEO Ecolabel
Madrid, Spain – The Centro Nacional de Golf has become the first GEO Certified™ golf facility in Spain. The award recognises the ongoing efforts that are going into transforming the former degraded landfill area into an ecologically rich space that provides healthy recreation and employment to local people.
The Real Federación Española de Golf continues the process of transforming a Madrid landfill into the Centro Nacional de Golf – a social, economic and environmental resource for local people.
Following a thorough on site evaluation by Luis Cornejo, the accredited GEOSA verifier, the facility has been recognised as meeting high standards of environmental and social best practice, with a strong forward plan for continual improvement across all operations.
Click here to read the GEO Certified™ Report for Centro Nacional de Golf
In particular the facility has undertaken numerous landscape and ecosystem enhancement projects in conjunction with the Madrid Biogolf initiative including the creation and restoration of ecologically rich grasslands, walls and boundary features and wetlands. Reclaimed water is starting to be used to irrigate the site and overall water use is on a downward trend thanks to best practices and technology being applied across the course and clubhouse. The facilities ISO 14001 accreditation has also helped to ensure that overall environmental management and resource consumption is well planned and recorded – equipping staff at the facility to continually focus on finding new ways to be efficient with resources.
Expressing his delight at the announcement, Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation said: “It is extremely important for golf in Spain, as in other countries, to minimise its consumption of non renewable resources, while continuing to provide jobs, recreation, investment and ecological protection. This is a challenge and opportunity that we openly accept – being part of the future health and success of the sector. GEO have presented a tailor-made programme that enables all golf facilities to easily get involved, to take comprehensive action and to play their part in demonstrating that golf facilities in Spain are taking their social and environmental responsibilities seriously.”
David Gomez, Director of RFEG’s Green Section added: “For many years RFEG have strongly promoted the principles of sustainable golf facility management. In partnership with government departments, universities, regional federations and individual courses we have carried out research, education and awareness raising. We have been looking for an internationally connected, credible and yet customised eco-label for golf facilities, and on the evidence of the Centro Nacional de Golf, we have found it in GEO Certified™.”
Jonathan Smith, GEO Chief Executive added: “Sustainability is a continuum, but one that quite urgently requires commitment and action given the obvious pressures that exist on land, water, energy, biodiversity and climate. GEO hopes this first certification in Spain will stimulate wider participation in our OnCourse™ programme, helping to ignite an era of resource efficiency, ecological enrichment and broad community engagement by the sport - accompanied by transparent reporting, third party evaluation and clear target setting.
