Miljövision och strategi

Som utgångspunkt för miljövisionen och miljöarbetet har vi valt att använda en av de mest kända definitionerna på hållbar utveckling, nämligen den som togs fram av den så kallade Brundtland-kommissionen och som i en rapport till FN 1987 lanserades enligt följande:

”en utveckling som tillgodoser våra behov idag utan att äventyra kommande generationers möjlighet att tillgodose sina behov”.

Strategiska miljömål
Golfen i Sverige är en mångfacetterad verksamhet med stora regionala och lokala variationer vad gäller naturliga förutsättningar, ambitioner och ekonomiska möjligheter. När vi arbetar med golfen och miljön krävs därför något fast att relatera arbetet till. SGF har valt att relatera sitt miljöarbete till de 15 nationella miljökvalitetsmål som riksdagen antog 1999. De 15 miljökvalitetsmålen ska säkerställa att Sverige inom 25 år (en generation) ska vara ett samhälle med hållbar utveckling.

SGF har identifierat 11 av riksdagens 15 miljökvalitetsmål som berör golfen samt valt att samla miljökvalitetsmålen i fem grupper enligt nedan. 
 
• God bebyggd miljö och god hälsa
• Rika naturmiljöer och levande kulturlandskap
• Ingen övergödning samt giftfri miljö
• Grundvatten av god kvalitet
• Begränsad klimatpåverkan och frisk luft

Environmental Strategy
The Swedish Golf Federation (SGF) has ca. 600,000 members, playing golf on more than 450 courses that cover a total area of more than 35,000 ha.

A credible effort to protect the environment is one of the most valuable tools in the golf industry’s efforts to achieve greater legitimacy and to develop at the pace desired.

2004 the SGF decided on a new environmental vision and strategy and 2005 a new program for research and development (R&D) was launched.

Background
Any activity that is as widely practiced as golf will inevitably influence the environment, in both positive and negative ways. A credible effort to protect the environment is one of the most valuable tools in the golf industry’s efforts to achieve greater legitimacy and to develop at the pace desired.

Creating sustainable development requires knowledge, resulting from research and development work. It is also important to bring about a change in people’s attitudes and way of life. Education, information and advisory work are important tools in this respect.

Environmental vision and strategic objectives
2004 the SGF decided on a new environmental vision:
" To promote high-quality golf courses, ensure a sustainable use of natural resources and contribute to a healthy environment. "

The federation decided as well new on strategic environmental objectives. SGF has chosen to relate its environmental work to national ‘environmental quality objectives’ passed by the Swedish Parliament in 1999. The overriding goal of these quality objectives was to ensure the attainment of sustainable development in Sweden within one generation (25 years).

SGF has identified following environmental quality objectives related to golf:
• High-quality urban environments and good health
• Rich natural environments and living cultural landscapes
• No eutrophication and an environment free from man-made toxic substances
• Good-quality groundwater
• Reduced climate impact and clean air

There is also a commitment within the federation to give environmental issues very high priority. This commitment has resulted in a great and increasing enthusiasm within the whole Swedish golf sector concerning environmental issues. It has also inspired non-golf organisations to get involved in SGF´s environmental programme.

SGF´s ambition is that 2007, all 450 Swedish golf clubs are involved in the environmental programme and have received the SGF´s Environmental Diploma. At national level the SGF certifies its own environmental programme working through our “Green Section”. More than 100 golf clubs are involved in the programme. The Swedish environmental programme is an easy way for golf clubs to start their environmental work but it is not good for full accreditation.
 
Turfgrass and environmental research programme

It is not easy to fulfil the environmental vision and to do so, knowledge resulting from research and development work, is required. 2005 the SGF decided on a new programme and to increase funding for R&D.

The most important prerequisite for a successful Scandinavian research programme is co-operation between the Scandinavian golf bodies. To support research that could benefit the golf sector the Scandinavian Turfgrass Research Foundation was set up in 2001 by the golf federations in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

The foundation has decided on following important categories of research:
• Sustainable golf course management
• Winter stress management
• Biodiversity of the golf course environment
• Environmentally friendly course construction practice
• Efficient use of water and plant nutrients
• Evaluation of turfgrass species and varieties

The documents: Swedish Golf Federation´s “Environmental Vision and Strategy” and “Research and Development Program” can be found below.

Maria Strandberg, Director of R&D
Swedish Golf Federation