What is a biodiversity strategy in golf?

What biodiversity strategy does your golf course have for the next few years? This is an important question because biodiversity is much more than just hanging up ten nesting boxes. A biodiversity strategy is a long-term plan or package of measures to conserve, promote and sustainably use biodiversity. It includes specific goals and measures to protect ecosystems, species and genetic diversity and to combat the causes of biodiversity loss, including, for example, the control of invasive species.

Any golf course wishing to define such a strategy should keep the following objectives in mind:

Habitat conservation: protecting and restoring ecosystems such as hedgerows, wetlands or woodland areas. Each golf course already has a variety of habitats that vary from region to region. These include, for example, heathland and orchards.

Species protection: Protection of endangered animal and plant species and measures against invasive species. Invasive species include, for example, plants on the one hand and animals on the other. These prevail over native species and displace them.

Sustainable use: Ensuring that natural resources (such as soil, water or species) are used sustainably.

Promotion of ecological processes: Preserving natural cycles, such as pollination or soil formation.

Raising awareness: Educating people about the individual measures taken as part of a biodiversity strategy. However, communication does not only concern the golfers themselves but also sponsors, community representatives or authorities who are otherwise in contact with the golf course.