Nature Reclaims Abandoned Golf Courses: A Resurgence of Greenery

Call to Earth, an editorial series by CNN, aims to address the environmental challenges our planet is facing and provide solutions. In collaboration with CNN, Rolexs Perpetual Planet initiative strives to raise awareness and educate people about important sustainability issues while fostering positive action.

Although golf courses occupy extensive green areas, they do not guarantee environmental benefits. Clearing land to create fairways and maintaining the immaculate turf demands a significant amount of water, frequent mowing, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides - all of which are detrimental to biodiversity.

In the United States, there has been a trend of more course closures than new openings each year since 2006. As a result, there is growing debate about how to utilize these large areas, with some suggesting that instead of golf, we should allow nature to take its course. In response, conservation nonprofits and local authorities are actively seeking to acquire abandoned golf courses due to factors such as expensive upkeep and dwindling player numbers. Their aim is to repurpose these spaces into landscapes that enhance biodiversity and serve as natural defenses against the impacts of climate change.

According to Guillermo Rodriguez, the California state director of The Trust for Public Land (TPL), the conversion of former golf courses into public properties creates significant conservation opportunities. Rodriguez explains that this approach not only increases public access but also restores water to rivers and streams, thereby improving the habitat for endangered species in California.

California's San Geronimo golf course was acquired by Trust for Public Land in 2018.

Trust for Public Land

San Geronimo, California

San Geronimo, an 18-hole golf course in Marin County, California, is situated in a region that is home to endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout. The construction of the course in 1965 resulted in the diversion of water from San Geronimo and Larsen Creek for irrigation purposes, negatively impacting the fish populations in the area. However, in 2018, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) acquired the 157-acre site with the objective of restoring it to its natural state. This restoration process involves discontinuing irrigation, removing culverts and dams, and replanting native species to enhance the habitat. While TPL estimates that it may take up to 10 years for the rewilding process to be complete, there are already indications that wildlife is making a comeback, with sightings of bobcats in the area.

TPL stopped irrigating the course and planted native species, returning the area to its natural state.

Initially, TPL's plan faced strong opposition from the public, particularly from golfers. However, by actively engaging the local community in the design and establishment of hiking and biking trails in the area, attitudes have started to shift. The site, now called San Geronimo Commons, has transformed into a vibrant hub for the local community, according to Rodriguez.

Ocean Meadows, California

Ocean Meadows, another acquisition by TPL, is located further down the Santa Barbara coast. Originally a wetland, this nine-hole course was constructed in the 1960s by developers who filled the plain with approximately 500,000 cubic yards of soil.

TPL acquired the 64-acre plot in 2013 and commenced the process of wetland restoration. This involved the removal of soil that had been previously used in construction and the subsequent planting of indigenous flora. As a result of these efforts, the arrival of migratory birds has displaced the previous inhabitants, and the mudflats have become a successful breeding ground for at least two pairs of the endangered western snowy plovers.

Santa Barbara's Ocean Meadows golf course has been returned to its wetland state, which doubles as a flood defense for the city.

Trust for Public Land

With the notable shifts in weather patterns in recent years, particularly in California, Rodriguez highlights the evident advantages of having a wetland in place of a golf course. "Floodplains possess the ability to effectively retain this water, safeguard vital infrastructure, protect vulnerable communities situated in low-lying areas, and truly embrace nature as a significant solution," he emphasizes.

Rancho Cañada, California

TPL recently acquired Rancho Cañada, a private golf course spanning 190 acres in Monterey. The main objective is to enhance and expand the riverbed and banks of the Carmel River that flows through the course, ultimately safeguarding adjacent neighborhoods from potential flood damage.

Significantly, this site will serve as a crucial addition to a broader expanse of protected land, establishing a wildlife corridor connecting Ventana to Fort Ord. According to Rodriguez, by eliminating fencing and promoting greater unity between the former golf course and the surrounding public lands, this acquisition will effectively restore connectivity in the area.

Rivers and streams are often diverted or altered to make way for a golf course, but conservationists want them to flow freely.

Trust for Public Land

Cascade Valley, Ohio

In addition to TPL, another organization is dedicated to rewilding golf courses. Summit Metro Parks in Akron, Ohio, took over the 195-acre Valley View Golf Course in 2016 and restored it to its original natural state. This transformation connected three local parks and resulted in a total of 1,900 acres of uninterrupted green space.

According to Mike Johnson, the chief of conservation at the nonprofit, the site has undergone a remarkable change. Previously, only 10% of the vegetation was native, while 90% was non-native or invasive during its time as a golf course.

An urban farm in Boston is cultivating 6,000 pounds of produce annually, situated atop Fenway Park. In contrast, golf courses, known to be challenging habitats, typically incorporate non-indigenous vegetation that lacks significance to the local fish and wildlife, as mentioned by the interviewee to CNN.

Wildlife has bounced back since Ohios Valley View Golf Course was rewilded.

To restore the landscape, the golf course had to be dismantled. The levees were removed to enable the natural flow of rivers and streams, while the turf and non-native trees were cleared to make way for native vegetation.

"The response from wildlife has been remarkable," he remarks. "Before our intervention, we recorded approximately 200 plant and animal species residing on the golf course at the time of its acquisition. Today, we have documented a staggering population of over 900 fish and wildlife species that have reestablished in this vicinity."

Frodsham, UK

In the UK, a comparable movement is occurring. Frodsham golf course in Cheshire, where renowned Liverpool footballers such as Michael Owen used to play, was purchased last year by the UK's Woodland Trust. Their intention is to plant 40,000 native trees on the premises.

Neil Oxley, the Woodland Trust's site manager, explains that it is too early to observe any significant effects. However, this summer, more wildflowers have flourished throughout the area due to the cessation of regular mowing on the fairways, greens, and tees, which would typically occur when it was still a golf course.

The website will support The Northern Forest scheme, aiming to plant 50 million trees across a 10,000-square-mile area from Liverpool to Hull, spanning coast to coast. Presently, the region has a woodland cover of just 7.6%, but the initiative intends to raise it to 20%.

For the first time in 400 years, wild beavers make their way back to west London.

In an effort to repurpose unprofitable municipal golf courses and create more natural spaces, local councils in different regions of the country have taken action. For instance, Erewash Borough Council has partnered with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to transform the Pewit golf course into a nature reserve. This decision was made due to the low usage of the golf course by the public and the significant strain it placed on the council's resources. Similarly, Brighton and Hove City Council is currently engaged in rewilding the 220-acre Waterhall course, with the goal of restoring the area's chalk grasslands.

Yalukit Willam, Australia

In Elwood, a suburb of Melbourne, the once Elsternwick Park golf course has undergone a remarkable transformation into a serene natural sanctuary. This peaceful haven now serves as a refuge for not only the local community but also for the diverse wildlife that inhabits its grounds.

A golf course turned nature reserve, Yalukit Willam can now be enjoyed by the Melbourne residents.

Bayside City Council

Bayside City Council, after deciding to repurpose the course when their lease expires, devised a comprehensive strategy to establish diverse habitats that cater to a variety of species. This plan encompasses various ecosystems, including open water, swamp scrub, wetlands, and woodland. Although initiated in 2018, the council expects it to take a minimum of 10 years to complete. Already, over 100 different indigenous plant species have been documented growing at the site.

Additionally, the project incorporates a network of pathways to enable visitors to explore and gain knowledge about the urban ecology. In 2022, the location was renamed Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve to honor the traditional owners of the land, the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung people.

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