GEE Convenes Industry Representatives; Foundation; Scientific Network

Jonathan Smith, Golf Environment Europe

Edinburgh, St. Andrews and Pisa were excellent host venues for the half-yearly congregation of GEE's Industry Forum, Foundation and Scientific Network this May.

Each event was well attended by representatives of European golf organisations, national projects, technical experts, and individuals in leadership positions. Each agenda centred on the evolution of the organisation and progress on the GEE Certification programme.

European Forum for Golf and Environment

Outcomes from the 7th meeting of the Forum for Golf and Environment in Edinburgh included:

• Proving feedback on the proposed web interface for participation in the scheme
• Agreeing the way forward in appointing a network of ‘Accredited Verifiers’
• Drafting a marketing plan
• Identifying gaps in information for golf facilities – e.g. how to participate; financial cost/benefits of environmental management

The Forum also heard about progress on the Ryder Cup 2010 Environmental Action Plan, and the Environmental Foot-printing project for the Open Championship.

During a broad discussion on the function and activities of the Forum, it was agreed that a review should be undertaken, to ensure that the Forum was as well structured and focussed as it should be going forward.

All agreed that the Forum was of great value in building consensus amongst golf industry stakeholders, and in providing different parts of the sector with the opportunity to contribute to strategy development, help define projects, review their implementation and reflect on their own organisational roles on environmental issues.

European Foundation for Golf and Environment

During the last week in April, the Trustees of the GEE Foundation also came together in St Andrews.

The Foundation has recently been joined by two new figures:

• Gordon Shepherd, Director of International Policy, WWF International in Switzerland
• Magnus Enell, Adjunct Professor at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE).

We are delighted to welcome such distinguished environmental leaders to the organization.

However, May also saw GEE lose one of its longest standing Trustees, with the sad passing of Tom Garvey, former depute Director General of Environment in the European Commission. See our appreciation of Tom.

In discussions the Foundation agreed the following strategic matters:

• That GEE should reflect on its structure and strategy as part of its evolution as an international environmental NGO
• That the organisation should re-evaluate its name and brand, to ensure it has the strong and clear identity needed to support the large scale, international projects currently under development

Innovation and Technology Network

The GEE I&T Network met during the European Turfgrass Society Conference in Pisa in May.

The meeting, also attended by a number of technical specialists and industry representatives, acted as a strategic planning session on how golf builds a credible scientific community to support the sector.

• It was identified that a strong and credible scientific network for golf was fundamentally important to the sector, by:
• Improving knowledge and understanding
• Promoting environmental innovation
• Outreaching with credibility to government agencies and environmental NGOs
  

It was agreed that:

• The Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environmental Research Foundation would Chair the network for the next three year period
• The Network’s focus would be ecosystems – looking at the services golf derives from ecosystems and also the role of golf in ecosystem protection and enhancement
• The Network should seek to recruit new members – especially government agencies and NGO’s, who can deliver shared objectives on certain key environmental themes.

GEE, STERF and the other core Network partners are now working on a new project agenda for the network, based on ecosystems, and exploring sub themes such as water, soils, habitats, energy, waste and landscape;