Costa Navarino GEO Certified sustainable golf destination
The company’s long-standing commitment to nature conservation, resource conservation, added value for the community and climate protection was recently rewarded with another award. As recently as October 2023, we reported on the award for Europe’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility at theWorld Golf Awards in Abu Dhabi(click here for the article). Now Costa Navarino has become the first destination with several golf courses in the Eastern Mediterranean to receive GEO Certified® status.
The certification is monitored and managed by the international GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation. Certification Manager Carole Kerrey: “Sustainability is a clear priority for Costa Navarino, which is reflected in the planning and operation of the Bay and Dunes golf courses, which not only meet the certification criteria, but even go beyond them with some innovative projects. We look forward to more.”
David Ashington, General Manager of Costa Navarino Golf, also expressed his delight: “We are delighted to have achieved GEO Certified status for The Dunes Course and The Bay Course. This international certification confirms our long-standing commitment to sustainable golf development. Since the launch of Costa Navarino – and even earlier, during the construction phase – several ground-breaking initiatives have been introduced to ensure sustainable performance and development on the golf courses and throughout the destination. We are working hard to further improve these practices and ensure that all our golfers and guests can enjoy the best possible experience in this spectacular natural setting.”
The sustainability highlights of Costa Navarino’s Bay and Dunes golf courses include:
- Water management: Several years before the golf courses were opened, extensive studies were carried out on the availability of water resources in the region, which formed the basis for a sustainable water management system. Special water reservoirs have been designed and built that are fully integrated into the surrounding landscape and are filled with less than 1% of the excess runoff from the local rivers. This water, together with highly treated recycled water, is more than sufficient to cover the irrigation requirements. In addition, a series of water-saving measures based on best practice and focusing on monitoring consumption (e.g. leakage control, improved efficiency) are constantly being implemented.
- The total irrigated turf area on the Bay and Dunes golf courses was reduced by 5% and 10% respectively in 2023 by using native plants and recycled olive tree branches. In 2024, further extensive work will be carried out to further reduce the irrigated turf areas on both golf courses.
- Climate Action: Since 2009, Costa Navarino has collaborated with Stockholm University and the Academy of Athens to establish the Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO), which has played a pioneering role in research and education on climate change and the environment in the Eastern Mediterranean over the past 15 years.
- The largest olive tree planting program in Europe: more than 7,000 trees have been planted in all areas of Costa Navarino.
- The Bay Clubhouse is one of the first clubhouses to be covered with earth so that it blends harmoniously into the natural landscape. A total of 27,500 plants and trees were planted around the clubhouse and on its roof.
- An ongoing, comprehensive recycling program for paper, plastics, glass, used oil, batteries and organic waste.
- Positive impact on Messinia’s economy by contributing 11% to the region’s GDP between 2006 and 2022 and providing 80 additional services in the wider area.
Environmental protection continues to be a central concern in Costa Navarino, which has also been awarded the title of “Best Sustainable Destination” worldwide by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
The destination has further improved its sustainability by reducing emissions by 80% by 2022 (compared to 2019) as part of its carbon minimization strategy to achieve net-zero carbon operations by 2050.
In addition, as part of Costa Navarino’s participation in the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, various large-scale initiatives were implemented, such as the collaboration with WWF Greece to reduce single-use plastic, which amounted to more than 50 percent in 2023 (compared to 2019).
Further information at: www.costanavarino.com
https://golfsustainable.com/en/?s=Costa+Navarino
