Tag Archive for: GEO

BGL commits to sustainability with renewed GEO Certifications

in , /by

BGL commits to sustainability with renewed GEO Certifications: Burhill Group Limited (BGL) is proud to announce that its entire portfolio of golf clubs has been successfully reaccredited as GEO Certified®.

This news highlights the group’s continued commitment to environmental progression and solidifies its place as the only major multi-course operator to have GEO Certified status across all sites. Each club will hold the renewed certification for the next five years.

BGL commits to sustainability with renewed GEO Certifications

BGL commits to sustainability with renewed GEO Certifications

The GEO certification encompasses environmental success in the areas of golf facility operations, golf development and renovation, and golf tournaments. This status demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement around nature, resources, climate, and the community.

The announcement comes following the recent recertification of Wycombe Heights Golf Centre in Buckinghamshire, Aldwickbury Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire, and The Shropshire Golf Centre in Shropshire. Sustainability projects undertaken both on and off the course have contributed to the recognitions, including the planting of trees, water retention and recycling, tracking of carbon footprints, use of ultra-efficient LED lighting, and a reduction in the use of cling film and takeaway cups, among others.

Commenting on the achievement, BGL CEO Colin Mayes, said: “Sustainability is more important than ever, so we are continually striving to operate our clubs in the most environmentally sensitive ways possible. For our entire golf portfolio to have been reaccredited with GEO certified status is a testament to the fantastic work ethic and vision of team members at BGL.

“Each club has developed bespoke maintenance programmes designed to incorporate more sustainable and efficient practices, while simultaneously continuing to make improvements to the courses and club facilities that are enjoyed by our members and visitors every day.”

BGL Golf is one of the largest owners and operators of golf courses and facilities in the UK. The company currently operates 22 golf courses at 10 venues across the country, each providing a different style and character while offering a high-quality, friendly, and professional service.

Kelli Jerome, Executive Director, GEO Foundation For Sustainable Golf, added: “BGL’s commitment to sustainability is unwavering, and testament to their progressive nature as a group. They are the first multi-course operator to have all their facilities GEO Certified and all of them have continued to renew and track their progress year-on-year. They have also been setting new ambitious targets and engaging people across the organisation. This leadership shows they are taking the sustainable golf responsibility and opportunity seriously, and GEO Foundation has been very pleased to support, recognise, and share their commitment and results over nearly 10 years.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

in , /by

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME: The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has teamed up with GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf to host a place for sports turf managers to meet and exchange ideas during March’s BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME).

GEO Foundation is an international not-for-profit, dedicated to helping inspire, support and reward credible sustainability and climate action across golf.

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

BTME takes place at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 22 to 24 March 2022 and during the event the GEO Foundation will be joined by a number of other partners to host the ‘Sustainability Lounge’, which will provide a dedicated space for attendees to find out more, get involved and join discussions about key sustainability issues with experts in their field.

In addition to its strategic support through partnerships with associations including BIGGA, the GEO Foundation assures the OnCourse programmes for grassroots golf facilities, new developments and tournaments, each of which can lead to the widely endorsed and externally recognised GEO Certified label.

During BTME, the Sustainability Lounge will be a gathering and meeting place and in addition to the team from GEO Foundation, experts from around the UK will often be on hand, including BIGGA’s very own sustainability champion, James Hutchinson.

James, who is Membership Services Manager for Ecology and Sustainability for BIGGA, said: “Of all the key topics up for discussion at BTME, among the most important will be the need for golf courses all over the world to adopt increasingly sustainable practices. With the changing availability of resources and rising costs, alongside an increasing awareness of the important role we can all play to protect the natural environment, golf has a massive part to play and I am excited that our colleagues at the GEO Foundation, and partners from other golfing bodies, will be joining us at BTME for what stands to be a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas and discover new sustainable practices.”

The GEO Foundation will also be recognising Sustainable Golf Champions and will celebrate GEO Certified venues, with representatives invited to showcase what initiatives they have implemented at their golf facilities. There will also be prize draws for those who stop by to vote for a sustainability or climate action project shared by a fellow greenkeeper.

Kelli Jerome, Executive Director at GEO Foundation, added: “BTME is an important event in the golf industry calendar and the advocacy, education and engagement opportunities provided are important to golf’s sustainability progress. We are really excited about the space BIGGA has made available for the Sustainability Lounge and we’re looking forward to working closely with BIGGA and other UK golf associations to support and engage attendees – meeting, hearing views, answering questions and sharing inspiring stories from as many people as possible during the week.”

BTME is free to attend and registration and more information can be found on the BTME website, www.btme.org.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Le Golf National Remains GEO Certified

in , /by

Le Golf National Remains GEO Certified: Le Golf National is preparing to host the 2018 Ryder Cup and 2024 Summer Olympics, and has retained GEO certification, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable business management.

Having completed the new and improved OnCourse® programme, the venue was recently visited by independent verifier Pablo Munoz Vega, who confirmed demonstrable results and continual improvement actions over the previous three-year period.

Le Golf National Remains GEO Certified

Paul Armitage, General Manager – Le Golf National, said: “By proudly flying the GEO flag every day we are showing our customers, whether they be local residents, international visitors or corporate groups that we care about the same things that they do. We also want our staff to feel engaged and proud of the fact that Le Golf National provides great golf and much more for our community.

“Thanks to our Environmental Co-ordinator Artur Lecomte and the staff out on the course and in the clubhouse, the work we have done on waste separation, with increased reuse and recycling is particularly rewarding for all involved. All the team have found OnCourse® to be very easy to use and helpful in guiding and tracking the work and GEO Certified® is a tremendous reward.”

Le Golf National continues to show how an approach to fostering nature, conserving resources and supporting the community is part and parcel of running a profitable and highly respected golf facility.

The venues efforts are also contributing to The Ryder Cup Green Drive – the event’s sustainability programme – with partners Ryder Cup Europe and The Ryder Cup Organising Committee in France aiming to deliver the cleanest, greenest and most sustainable Ryder Cup yet.

Ryder Cup Europe Director, Richard Hills, said: “Le Golf National is a world-class golf course and we commend Paul and his team for their commitment to sustainable business management. It is vitally important that along with delivering one of the greatest sporting events in the world, that we also address these important issues and continue to work on maximising the social and environmental contribution of golf in the communities in which we play.”

Alejandro Reyes, Golf Course Superintendent added: “In the last three years sustainability has really become a facility-wide effort – moving from the golf course and maintenance facility into the clubhouse and now into marketing and communications. OnCourse® has helped a lot in that process and gives us a consistent way to make sure our practices are delivered and extended, our key data is in one place and our highlights are communicated and shared.”

Julie Duffus, Olympic Movement Sustainability Manager at the International Olympic Committee added: “Le Golf National is an excellent example of how a sustainable and successful Olympic Venue can be planned, designed, constructed and operated.  Our Congratulations to the team for their efforts and success on retaining GEO Certified Status.  We look forward to working together in the lead up to the Olympic Games in 2024”.

Richard Allison, Certification Manager at GEO Foundation, said: “We congratulate Le Golf National on this excellent and thoroughly deserved achievement. With the eyes of the sporting world on the course this autumn for The 2018 Ryder Cup, Le Golf National continues to strengthen its position as an ethical leader – fostering nature, conserving resources and supporting the community.”

Munoz Vega added: “It has been tremendous to witness the development of Le Golf National since their initial certification a short time ago. Commitment to sustainability and a desire to improve and keep innovating is deeply embedded in the management culture. With performance already very high I look forward to seeing the new projects and initiatives of the future.”

Key activities and results at Le Golf National include:

Resources

  • Commissioned 19 hybrid electric Jacobsen Eclipse walking mowers
  • Reduction in irrigation consumption by almost 40% as result of new Toro irrigation system
  • 16 hectares removed from irrigation (20% of irrigated area)
  • Sprinkler heads improved water distribution by 26%
  • New storage reservoir and drainage allows recycling of rainwater (44% of total consumption)
  • 340 tons of material recycled every year including glass, plastic, paper, cardboard and organics
  • Sand from ‘Paris beach’ recycled after every summer for fairway top-dressing
  • Trialling of non-chemical pest and disease control with UV lighting unit to reducing fungicide applications

Nature

  • Partnership with Natural History Museum and French Golf Federation to evaluate, conserve and promote biodiversity
  • Interconnected management of 10 EUNIS habitats including forest, wetland, open water, meadows and mineral landscape (three of which are classed as rare including tree species, riparian reeds and willows)
  • At least 350 flora and fauna species identified to date, including 70 birds
  • 13 species identified as rare including European, French and regional ‘red list’ species
  • Eight microhabitats created including hibernaculums for amphibians, rock walls, beehives, bird nests, dead branches and standing tree remnants
  • Increase in low-maintenance ecological rough areas
  • Significant reduction of maintained turf areas, new no-spray areas and habitat buffers

Community

  • New policies and pricing to increase public access to the golf courses
  • ‘GoforGolf’ campaign to introduce new players to the game
  • Spearhead the development of new affordable short courses around the country
  • Increase in social media presence to communicate the benefits of sustainability
  • Collaboration with local government to restore the ‘Porte du Merantais’, an historic gate to Versailles Palace

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

GEO Award For Royal Dornoch

in , /by

GEO Award For Royal Dornoch: An internationally-renowned golf course has earned a coveted global sustainability accolade through its commitment to the community and natural environment.

Royal Dornoch Golf Club has been awarded the GEO Certified® ecolabel, an international symbol of ‘great golf environments’. This recognises clubs that have met high standards for performance in nature conservation, water and energy efficiency, ethical and environmental supply chain, pollution control and community engagement.

GEO Award For Royal Dornoch

An independent assessment of the famous club concludes: “Royal Dornoch is not only set within a stunning coastal landscape, but its course ranking demonstrates the commitment and expertise given to management, which together place significant responsibility on the club to manage efficiently and sustainably in all areas of working.”

The award not only further elevates the standing of the historic club, but also enhances its ability to host major events. The R&A, the game’s governing body, is a supporter of GEO (Golf Environment Organization) and the Certified ecolabel is now a prerequisite for clubs staging large competitions. All ten host venues for The Open are now GEO Certified®.

Richard Allison, Project Manager, GEO Certified – Facilities, said: “Royal Dornoch is an outstanding example of a golf club with sustainability as a natural extension of its operation.

“From habitat creation and steps to future energy independence among its range of sustainability work, our congratulations go to everyone at the club and we look forward to seeing what the next few years brings.”

The assessment highlights the “exemplary” management of a Site of Special Scientific Interest which adjoins the golf course and states the club’s energy resource management is “particularly impressive”.

A new maintenance facility runs on renewable electricity with solar-PV cells providing 12 kilowatts of energy for daily use with surplus returned to the National Grid.

An air-source heat pump provides hot water and underfloor heating for the offices and communal areas, while in the clubhouse major energy initiatives include a phased changeover to LED lighting, installation of smart meters to track consumption accurately, and motion sensors and push-button timers throughout appropriate areas. Electric vehicles are also being introduced to the club’s maintenance fleet.

The club regularly monitors wildlife on the course, with species including otter, snipe, woodcock and pine marten all resident.

Royal Dornoch’s support for the community includes making donations to a number of organisations through a variety of funds. The GEO assessment highlights money raised to provide defibrillators in the town and a community fund that has distributed about £20,000 to worthy causes in three years.

Royal Dornoch’s general manager Neil Hampton said: “This is a very important award for us. We take enormous pride in our environment and are committed to doing everything we can to act responsibly and sustainably.

“The club also takes seriously its role in the community and be as good a neighbour as we can be.

“The GEO Certified award is a prestigious international honour and we are delighted to receive this recognition.”

For more information, visit: system2.eu

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.