Golf courses are often established in highly fragmented and at least partly degraded landscapes, resulting in positive effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, there are few studies on ecological effects within and beyond golf courses.
In this project, landscape ecological analysis is being performed on 40 courses along an urbanisation gradient, in Munich (Germany), Manchester (UK), Stockholm (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Oslo (Norway). Landscape analysisis based on mapped information to estimate landscape indicators for biodiversity, such as size and shape of landscape elements, edge effects, landscape diversity and landscape heterogeneity based on land cover types. We are using methods to automate this for larger landscapes. Patterns within the golf courses will be related to the surrounding landscape, and results will be verified by fieldwork on a subset of the courses. This will provide knowledge of how golf courses can be designed and managed to improve their contributions to biodiversity and ecological functions at the landscape scale, also given the context dependence of each course. The main findings of the project will be disseminated to the golf industry through guidelines, workshops, and webinars.
