As environmental questions about the impact of golf courses on ecosystems have been raised, the environmental team at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea has undertaken a series of strategies to preserve habitat and protect the environment at the installation’s golf course as part of protecting the area environment.
Humphreys’ River Bend Golf Course is large -- an eighteen-hole golf course, short game area, 48-stall driving range, and a six-hole executive course. This 225-acre property is situated in the southwest corner of the installation, abutting the Anseong River.
“The land is a flat, rolling terrain that serves as one of the major water retention areas for base drainage,” said John Ghim, DPW Director at USAG Humphreys. “The golf course has extensive drainage because it is designed to flood and then drain back into the waterways. The golf course was capped in 8 inches of sand on the fairways, 6 inches in the rough and 12 inches on the greens and tees. The sand cap is to improve playability and drainage during the monsoon months.”
This drainage design requires special attention to water quality and to limit the impact golf course maintenance could have on the waterways in and around the installation.
“Water bodies on golf courses are a reflection of the management practices occurring on the property,” said Scott Weber, Environmental Division chief for USAG Humphreys. Testing the water quality of these water bodies and where the water exits can show the amount of fertilizers and pesticides being used on the turf. The Directorate of Public Works provides all the water testing which the Humphreys garrison tracks to make sure all waterways on the garrison are kept clean.”
The ponds and wetlands on the course not only provide challenging golf, but also critical habitat for several species.
“Several kinds of birds migrate to this pond every season, including the spot-billed duck, coot, cormorant and bean goose,” said Mr. Kim, Chin Song, USAG Humphreys’ Environmental Division’s Conservation chief. “You understand the importance of proper wildlife management practices, such as identifying and protecting core habitats, when you see these birds return, and realize the role the golf course can play in the conservation of the migrating birds.”
Part of maintaining the water on the course is conserving the precious resource.
“Water use is one of the greatest concerns facing golf courses, and we have implemented projects that conserve water,” Weber said. “The golf course washes golf carts and recycles a wash water recycling system. In addition, we control the release of water out of certain retention structures, such as the equipment maintenance building and pesticide mixing room, to protect the water supply and prevent contamination.”
Beyond water, the environmental team at Humphreys also follows a comprehensive plan to maintain the golf course as an asset in the local ecosystem.
“Having a comprehensive integrated pest management plan and implementing best management practices are the most important ways to ensure a healthy environment for both people and wildlife,” said Kim. “The golf course formulates an integrated pest management program and trains all key maintenance staff in the basic tenets of integrated pest management to ensure that chemicals, oils, solvents and gas do not contaminate soils, surface or groundwater.”
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