In addition to serving as important recreation areas for golfers and outdoor leisure activities, many golf courses possess high natural and cultural values. Kristianstads Golf Club has been working together with the Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Office towards achieving environmental certification for the golf club’s courses and its operations in general. This project forms part of the work of promoting the multifunctional utilisation of the golf courses and helping to preserve and develop the natural and cultural values by means of a number of demonstrations and pilot schemes on and adjacent to the golf course. The purpose of the project includes the creation of a multifunctional golf course where a greater awareness of the use of pesticides and watering, etc. will lead to their more economical use.
During 2009 measures have been taken on the course to increase biodiversity, e.g. mowing of roughs after flowering and removal of grass. These are measures that will benefit the flora and endangered insects, as well as making the roughs better for golf players. In demonstration plots, on roughs and in the surroundings, different measures have been taken to create bare sand in order to promote biodiversity. These plots will be examined within the project and during the following years.
Work has started to make the golf course more accessible to other forms of outdoor leisure activities through the use of paths. A botanical day was arranged to inform golf club members and the public about the high botanical values on the course and its surroundings.
Information about biodiversity and measures to enhance it will be spread to golf players and users of the paths. Information boards concerning nature and demonstration plots are being placed on the course.
Cultural values, botanical values, insects, birds and frogs have been documented during the year. Parts of the material have been published, or will be, published within the project. The project is scheduled for completion in December 2010.
