Environmental Impacts of Golf Courses

View Aberdeen sand dunes where Trump has proposed a billion dollar golf course.
Source:http://media.worldgolf.com/wg_blog_media/sweet-spots/Trumpresort.jpg

Donald Trump, the billionaire developer from New York had proposed a 2 billion dollar golf resort in the town of Aberdeen in Scotland. The project includes two-18 hole golf courses, a 450-room luxury hotel, 950 vacation homes, 36 golf villas and 500 upscale homes costing anywhere between $800,000 to $2 million each. [1]

Aberdeen is an environmentally sensitive coastal area; seven species of endangered birds enlisted on the conservation “Red List” live here. This region is also listed on the site of special scientific interest list. [2] Environmentalists argue that the proposed golf resort would destroy this 125-mile sandy beach, which is among the top five sand dunes in the UK. [3]

Although the local council committee had initially approved the proposal, the Aberdeen Council’s Infrastructure Committee later rejected the proposal. But, Trump continues to pursue the local government; he has now proposed a 30-day reconsideration period for them to okay the project. [4]

Golf course tourism is a growing industry all over world and its effect on the environment continues to be debated. I did a little research to find out the impacts of golf courses on a local biodiversity and found that most of the studies I came across had contradictory conclusions on this issue.

A study done by the Royal Holloway, University of London suggests that golf courses “actively promote nature conservation and harbor some of the rarest plant and animal species.” However, the study also concludes that the real effect of golf courses at the landscape level needs further extensive research. [5]

One of the major concerns about golf courses is the excessive pesticides and fertilizers used to maintain them. An article in the Golf Course News reports that the study done by the Attorney General of New York State suggests that golf courses use 2.7 times more pesticides per acre per year than average farmlands do. [6] Such high levels of chemical usage will surely damage habitats living in the vicinity of golf courses.

Therefore, it is important that further studies be done to analyze the real effects of golf courses on valuable natural habitats. Environmentalists from the Sierra Club emphasize that golf courses need to use “environmentally sound tactics” to avoid damaging the local environment. [7] Local planning agencies must also carefully assess the environmental impacts of proposed golf developments.

Bibliography:

1.Now Public.Com. “Trump's shot at dream golf course catches environmental bunker in Scotland” <> (Accesses December 04, 2007)
2. Ibid.,1
3. Ibid.,1
4. News.Scotsman.com. “You've 30 days to do U-turn - Trump ultimatum to council”
< id="1891572007"> (Accesses December 04, 2007)
5. Gange, A, Lindsay, Della and Schofield, Mike “ The Ecology of Golf Courses”. Royal Holloway, University of London.2003. <>
(Accesses December 04, 2007)
6. Feldman, Jay "Point: Golf contaminates environment / Counterpoint: Pesticides key to IPM program". Golf Course News. Mar 2003. FindArticles.com. 06 Dec. 2007. <> (Accessed December 06, 2007)
7. Msnbc.com. “ Natural Golf Courses Redefine Green”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8418445/ (Accessed December 06, 2007)