The environmental impact of golf has led to growing calls to make the sport more sustainable (1). Golf course maintenance often involves carbon-intensive fertilizers, frequent mowing, and, in some cases, the clearing of forests or trees that naturally absorb carbon dioxide to make room for expansive fairways (1). However, the Tournament Players Club (TPC) Michigan is working to create courses that benefit both golfers and the environment (2). Fifteen years ago, the site was a neglected floodplain along the Rouge River, initially purchased by Henry Ford in 1915 and once littered with community waste and old motor parts from the Ford Motor Company (2-3). Today, it has been transformed into an 85.8-hectare course that supports a diverse range of wildlife, including birds, fish, foxes, and coyotes (2). Led by Jack Nicklaus, the restoration aimed to turn this former waste site into an eco-friendly course (2). With guidance from Audubon International, the course was converted into a wildlife sanctuary, becoming the world’s first golf course to receive the prestigious John James Audubon Environmental Steward Award for ecological restoration (2). TPC Michigan features native Michigan plants, such as viburnums, which produce berries for wildlife, along with various native grasses (2). To prioritize environmental stewardship, the course managers have created buffer zones to protect natural habitats and conserve water by using coring methods to monitor soil moisture (2). Pesticide use is minimized; instead, staff monitor for signs of disease or pests and test the soil to determine the specific nutrients needed for the turf (2). The course’s links-style layout includes rolling fairways, tiered greens, and natural wetlands, with tee options ranging from 5.5 to 6.4 meters (4). By establishing a wildlife sanctuary, TPC Michigan offers golfers a unique experience that fosters a connection with nature (3).
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Parks and urban forests
- Other
Key challenges
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Waste management
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
Key priorities
Focus
Project objectives
Implementation activities
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Project implemented in response to ...
Type of enablers
Financing
Total cost
Source(s) of funding
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Environmental quality
- Improved soil quality
- Achieved improved soil quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Other
Economic impacts
- Attraction of business and investment
- Achieved attraction of business and investment
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
References
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.