ENVIRONMENT WORKING GROUP

20/08/2012

The Malta Golf Association and the Royal Malta Golf Club have agreed to set up a joint working group to establish an environmental policy for golf in Malta generally and for the Royal Malta Golf Club in particular.

Members attending the Royal Golf Club’s Annual General Meeting of June this year gave the green light towards the implementation of a well managed environmental plan that will bring real benefit to the environment for the enjoyment of the present members and future golfing generations.

The key environmental issues that the working group will be addressing are:-

Protection and Sustainable use of Soil:
Preservation of on course soil by protection against erosion from wind and rain
Refrain from dumping or burying of soil

Use of Pesticides & Fertilizers:
An immediate ban on pesticides that have defined as hazardous
Target to reduce the use of pesticides and eliminate or minimise exposure

Water Resources:
Develop a plan to optimize the use of the current resources
Explore the options for saving and capturing additional supplies

Biodiversity:
Develop a plan that will encourage the use of native turf grasses and native species of plants to support diversity of wildflowers, insects and birds

Waste Reduction & Separation:
Aim to make less and recycle what is generated

Landscape and Cultural Heritage:
Develop a plan for peripheral areas of the course as part of a wider landscaping plan

Pollution:
Carry out a risk assessment of any pollutants (fuels; chemicals; etc) that can find themselves spilled onto the golf course or its environs

Energy consumption:
Make more and use less
Consider alternative sources of energy

How are we going to do it?
Seek advice from R&A; MEPA; national NGO’s and other Golf Federations
Liaise with Course Superintendent and green keeping staff
Keep and maintain records of fuel; chemical; water; etc application and use
Track economic performances including income & expenditure; human resources; materials and machinery
Revise the RMGC’s Golf Course Development Policy
Education

The R&A are also taking steps to encourage golf clubs to set out environmental policies and have introduced a course health check plotter to encourage clubs to set up monitoring systems that can track the progress and success of their actions. We intend to join the health check scheme and to report results on an annual basis.