February 2015

ADDING VALUE TO GOLF ACROSS EUROPE

2015 Conference, Lagos, Algarve

M AN AGI N G F O R WAT E R

C O N SE R VAT I O N

L I V I N G W AT E R S M A R T

A l e x a n d r a B e t â m i o d e A l m e i d a ,

P o r t u g u e s e G o l f F e d e r a t i o n

S u s t a i n a b i l i t y & P l a n n i n g D e p t .

The 7th Environmental Action Programme (EAP) (November, 2013)

We are not after growth, but after a sustainable growth – whether blue or green!

Strong Public Support

Europe 2020: Where next for Europe's environment?

The vision for 2050:

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Water and the EAP priority objectives

The European

water sector is a

major economic

player (1% of GDP)

with a turnover in

the EU of about 80

billion Euro.

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Every community and ecosystem on EU depends on water !

The EU Water Framework Directive (2000)

WFD - What is this Directive about?

• Setting up environmental objectives.

• The purpose of the Directive is to establish a framework

for the protection of inland surface waters (rivers and

lakes), transitional waters (estuaries), coastal waters

and groundwater.

• The Water Framework Directive sets the goal of

achieving a “good status” for all of Europe's surface

waters and groundwater by 2015.

• Requires Member States to establish river basin districts

and for each of these a river basin management plan.

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ABA

A Water Blueprint – a new strategy to reinforce water management in EU!

Water efficiency can help reduce water

scarcity and water stress problems!

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Will the objective of good status in 2015 be

reached? NO! Good ecological status will be

reached ONLY in 53% of EU water bodies by the

2015 target date…..

We are moving from the 3C’s - command, comply,

control - to the 3I’s: integrate, innovate, interaction.

Key messages:

Europe has been affected by

several major droughts in recent

decades, such as the catastrophic

drought associated with the 2003

summer heat wave in central parts

of the continent and the 2005

drought in the Iberian Peninsula.

>>> Severity and frequency of

droughts appear to have

increased in parts of Europe, in

particular in southern Europe.

Water scarcity and Droughts in Europe

Facts and figures

Direct costs of drought within the European Union are estimated to be €3 billion per

year. This compares annual losses in Europe from windstorms (€2 billion per year) and

flooding (€4 billion per year) (estimates from European Commission 2007).

Key messages

Regions most prone to an increase in drought hazard are southern and south-eastern

Europe, but minimum river flows will also decrease significantly in many other parts of the

continent, especially in summer.

Key policy question: What is the trend in minimum river flow across Europe?

Golf, Water scarcity and Droughts in Europe

The Water Blueprint and Golf - The “top-4” list of measures :

1. Reduction of groundwater abstraction

2. Training, education and capacity building in water saving,

3. Studies, research and pilot projects to solve water scarcity problems and improve

the response to droughts,

4. Modification of the water pricing system to foster a more efficient use of

disclaimed water.

Water scarcity and Drought - What are the main impacts?

• Degradation of surface water quality

• Degradation of groundwater quality and wetlands degradation

• Disruption of ecological flow regime

• Urban water supply shortages

• Groundwater over-abstraction

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Fostering Positive Legacies

ET EGAEIGCA FEGGA GEOR&A Local

Authorities

How can Golf best contribute to meeting the

EU’s sustainability, resource efficiency and growth

objectives?

Living Water Smart

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EGCOA

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Commission (EU)

• To develop standards for water re-use.

• To develop guidelines and tools to improve water efficiency.

Stakeholders

• Water services have to offer exemplary operational solutions.

• Stakeholders and authorities need to be involved from the beginning of the planning process.

• Process needs to be transparent.

Golf sector

• to extend cooperation into new areas of water management.

• To ensure that policy-makers are more informed on environmental issues, including the costs of non-

action and actions.

Implications for Policy & Decision Making

The Pyramid of Engagement

LOCAL

GLOBAL

Actors

Governing Bodies

Professional Golf Tours

International Golf Tourism

Professional Golf Assoc.

Media

Sponsors

Governance

Local Laws

&regulations

Local Authorities

Geographic Units

Coastal Zone

Ecosystem

Watershed

Administrative Units

Community

City, Town, State,

province

Actors

Business

NGOs

Local Leaders

Governance

Laws &regulations

Governmental Agencies

Actors

Business/Tourism

Organizations

Golf Associations/Federation

Educational Institutions

NGOs

NATIONAL

Local

National

Global R&A/EGA/ET

PGAs/EGCOA/EIGCA/FEGGA/GEO

Federations/

GreenkeepersAssociations

Golf CourseMaintenanceTeams

Effective collaboration between Governments & Federations

Environmental Best Practices for Golf

Development and course management in

Portugal , 2009.

Best practice guidelines in Portugal

.

Integrated water management and water logistics

• Soil and water protection

• Irrigation & drainage and lakes design.

• Water logistics and irrigation management.

• Environmental engineering

• BMPs for Routine Golf Course Management

• Turfgrass Maintenance Practices – C 3 and C4

• Water-Use Efficiency/Conservation Plan

• Water Conservation

• Water Quality Management

• Chemical Use Reduction and Safety

• Water Quality Buffers

• Monitoring

• Outreach and Education

Official download page http://www.apambiente.pt/_zdata/Divulgacao/Publicacoes/Guias%20e%20Manuais/mbpa_CGOLF_screen.pdf

The Italian Golf Federation Green Section integrate, innovate, interaction

The Federal Technical Center - National Golf

School (1980) - Three sections: .

• Golf professionals - 1980,

• Golf course managers - 1987,

• Green Section (golf course

superintendent) - 1989

• 18-hole golf course.

Collaborations:

CNR (National Research Centre), the

University of Bologna, the University of

Pisa Certes (Centre for Research on

Turfgrass).

• Annual golf course maintenance classes.

• Vocational training for maintenance

workers and technical supervision of the

Federal Golf Course.

• Technical assistance to new golf projects

and construction and to affiliated clubs.

• Field research studies at two turf

experimental centers, one in Turin and

another in Rome.

• Participation in seminars and conferences

involving dissemination of information on

the subject of golf course and turfgrass

management.

• Organizing and updating the most

comprehensive turfgrass library in Italy.

The Italian Golf Federation Green Section integrate, innovate, interaction

Owner /Developer

Leadership team

Financial Advisors

Project Team:

Technical SupportPricing + Financial Viability

architect

agronomist

greenkeeper

Irrigation / Drainage / Lakes

landscaping

Civil Engineering

Sustainability / Environment

Concept / Project/

Business Plan

Bank or financial institution

/ Permitting

Stakeholders

Opportunities / Constrains

Cooperation - From Planning to Operation

Golf development and flood control measures >

Amendoeira Golf Resort, in Algarve

The majority of the site (21 of the total 36 holes) is located

in a flood plain and all earth movement in this area was

subject to legal conditions.

The stream had been filled in by the previous land owners,

increasing the frequency and severity of flooding, to the

point that it usually affected the whole width of the valley.

3 holes were located over a protected “maximum

infiltration area” of aquifer recharge.

The main water source, an aquifer, was classified as the

strategic water reserve for western Algarve. Therefore,

extraction was severely restricted and could be totally

blocked during drought years.

Cooperation - From Planning to Operation

Golf development & sensitive aquifers > Vidago Palace

Golf Course, in the northern part of Portugal

The course sits right on top of one of the biggest Portuguese

aquifers for sparkling mineral water!

The operating boreholes are actually located inside the golf

course (Vidago Salus borehole) and the clubhouse is an old

bottling plant.

The preservation and protection of the aquifer was the main

requirement for the whole of the design, construction and

maintenance process.

How to use a proper water management system to prevent

impacts to aquifers? Water logistics, irrigation/drainage

system design, Construction Management and Golf

Maintenance procedures for water conservation.

Cooperation - From Planning to Operation

Managing for Water

Conservation

Reducing Site Water

Requirements

Selecting the Right Irrigation

System

MaintainingIrrigation System

Efficiency

Monitoring

Data recording

Use Smart

Controllers.

Recover and

re-use surface

runoff.

Minimize surface runoff and

increase infiltration.

Use warm-season grass and

drought-tolerant plant varieties.

Eliminate turf in

out of play areas

and

additional areas

while preserving

the

architecture and

playability of the

golf course.

Eliminate irrigation in

out of play areas.

Strategically design the

irrigation system to fit the plan.

Consistent and carefully

monitoring

and data recording.

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The Water Management Plan

The road aheadRaising the bar for Golf management

"Working together for

common solutions"

To significantly reduce pressures on water

bodies and improve management of the

nutrient cycle.

To move towards more efficient use of our

water resources.

To address open questions relating

to chemicals policy.

To ensure that policy-makers are more

informed on environmental issues,

including the costs of non-action.