Ecosystems

The golf course ecosystem is the living community of plants and animals, together with the natural resources of soil, water, sunlight and air, which, collectively, make up the site. The healthy functioning of the ecosystem requires a balanced interaction between all these factors, together with the impact of human activity.

There are many steps you can take to contribute towards maintaining a healthy ecosystem on your golf course:

• understanding the interaction between the various living communities
• protecting natural resources
• limiting the area of closely mown turf to provide the maximum area available for wildlife
• managing habitats sensitively but positively, in order to promote biodiversity
• avoiding actions that disturb soil function, such as erosion or biological degradation
• avoiding actions that damage water quality or disrupt water flow through your property.

Making progress towards these objectives can be supported by:

• co-operating with local nature conservation groups or similar organisations to identify and monitor the wildlife on your course
• producing habitat management plans and implementing their recommendations
• monitoring and keeping records on the quality of water bodies on your course and on water flowing in and out of the property
• being aware of, and complying with, all environmental legislation.

Healthy ecosystems provide many valuable services, including soil stabilisation, water provision and recreation.  

• 1 of

NextPrev

Golf courses function as an ecosystem with a variety of habitats, such as wetlands,…

…water features that come into play,…

…heathland – a severe penalty for the wayward golfer,…

…links dune systems…

…and woodlands.

Golf courses can blend into the countryside wonderfully and provide corridors for the movement of wildlife.