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Sustainability
Pesticide use for Plant Protection in golf – what will the future hold?
19 Feb 24
3 mins
The R&A’s vision is to ensure that golf is thriving 50 years from now and protecting the golf course environment is important so that future generations can enjoy the sport. Managing golf courses in the most sustainable manner is crucial in this regard so that they are more resilient, more robust and able to adapt to our changing environment. We have a responsibility to show leadership in this area by implementing best practice course management, which will reduce the use of pesticides and minimise the use of resources such as water and minerals. To achieve this, there must be a continuous focus on water security and plant protection strategies, both of which form an important part of Integrated Turf Management.
- Integrated Turf Management (ITM) aims to minimise the stresses, disease, pest and weed issues which can be damaging to playing surfaces. The principles for ITM focus on sustainable and best practice methods of greenkeeping. The aim is to consider and identify the pressures of a changing climate and regulation, as well as resource constraints on golf course management.
Maintaining standards
Golf needs to deliver acceptable and sustainable playing standards which facilitates the sport at all levels across a range of environments. For most, ITM will incorporate the responsible use of pesticides within a hierarchy of control measures aimed at reducing the reliance on herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. The environment golf operates in continues to face the challenge of maintaining standards in the face of climate change, as well as an evolving political and legislative agenda which is also influencing the way in which golf continues to operate. In light of this, it is encouraging to see the many positive changes currently being made by facilities and greenkeepers, which are allowing the delivery of quality surfaces with greatly reduced inputs of pesticides. ITM strategies continue to develop and play a critical role in plant protection, even in the face of significant environmental pressures. We do, however, see occasions when the abiotic or physical pressure is too great and turf damage is encountered, even with the use of pesticides within a well-executed ITM plan. Furthermore, some regions in Europe are subject to tighter legislation than others. Here, reports of more frequent and extended periods of turfgrass damage and loss of appropriate quality can be concerning, not only to those regions where the most restricting legislation exists, but beyond these boundaries. These impacts serve as a warning of what could happen if the regulation changes and severely restricts, or enforces a total ban on the use of pesticides.Sustainable Use Regulation
Golf, sports turf and the wider environment, including agriculture, were recently subject to a legislative debate which could have resulted in seismic change. The proposed legislation which governs the use of pesticides within the EU – The Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) – progressed somewhat unnoticed by end users, particularly by those outside of mainland Europe, right up until the point of voting by the European Parliament last November. As widely reported, on 6 February, the European Commission withdrew its SUR proposal in the face of widespread farmer demonstrations. The draft proposal called for a complete ban on the use of pesticides within sensitive areas, which would have included golf courses. Unlike the existing Sustainable Use Directive (2009), which provides objectives to member states but not how to achieve them (which is why different member states currently have different approaches in legislation), the new regulation aimed to unify pesticide practice at member state level, by not only identifying goals for pesticide use, but by directing member states how to enforce them. For the UK, now outside of the EU, the impact of new legislation would be uncertain over time as the cost and availability of products could be significantly affected. The adoption of new regulation across the UK’s closest neighbours and market is likely to influence the future of pesticide use within UK golf and the wider environment. The R&A and the EGA (European Golf Association) are part of a working group with other stakeholders which aims to protect golf and present practical amendments to the proposals through demonstrating the importance of committing to sustainability and a future which allows time to transition to further reduction in the use of pesticides. The collective work includes development of Impact Assessments and a proposed Roadmap which would support the tabled amendments and meet the aspirations for change. As mentioned, several regions in Europe are already subject to tightened legislation to a point where damage caused by disease, environmental stress, pest and weed invasion is affecting turf standards. Greenkeeping and course management strategies have evolved at pace in these regions, but not yet at to a point where the course can be maintained to appropriate standards without significant risk due to the lack of effective control offered from the responsible use of pesticides as part of ITM practices. Although new regulation didn’t pass this time, the prospect of new European wide legislation has not gone away. There was certainly a lack of awareness within greenkeeping and course management circles, with sections of the industry not realising the huge potential implications should the new legislation be voted through.
The R&A and the EGA (European Golf Association) are part of a working group with other stakeholders which aims to protect golf and present practical amendments to the proposals through demonstrating the importance of committing to sustainability and a future which allows time to transition to further reduction in the use of pesticides.