The inaugural award for golf course sustainability in the Asia Pacific region will be launched at the 2012 Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Brunei Darussalam on 11 December.
The award, tagged as “The Custodian Of The Environment” citation will be presented by the Government of Brunei Darussalam and endorsed by the International Council for Sustainability and Audubon Lifestyles.
The recipient of the inaugural citation is a golf course that was selected by a selection panel comprising experts from different disciplines related to the golf industry.
“In selecting the award winner we were careful not to base our assessment on how a golf club and golf course just re-cycle, re-use and reduce resources at their disposal,” explained Ronald G. Dodson, Chairman of the International Sustainability Council.
“We set out to look for sustainable best practices that were being employed by golf courses and we were very open to new ideas,” he added.
Basically, the selection panel was on the look-out for self-sustaining best practices which included some of the following examples:
- The growing of fruits and vegetables on the course;
- The planting of indigenous perennial plants on the course;
- Rainwater that is stored, used and reused on the course as an irrigation source;
- Composting tree trimmings and turf clippings for use on the property.
Other factors that were considered in the selection of the award winner related to water consumption and water conservation. On the chemical front, special attention was paid to the average nitrogen application per month and the use of other chemicals. The inaugural “Custodian Of The Environment” citation will be presented during the Gala Awards Banquet to be held at the prestigious Empire Hotel 12 December.
Registration for delegates intending to participate in the 2012 Asia Pacific Golf Summit is open at http://www.golfconference.org