The difference in outcomes between wildlife depauperate and a wildlife friendly golf course is good planning, design and management and an understanding of natural flora and fauna and their particular needs.
Wildlife friendly courses work in a variety of ways to sustain their wildlife.
- Linkage within the course of the more rough natural features that provide habitat (an internal master plan of wildlife habitats and links - local view).
- Linkages to adjacent off-site natural system elements to enhance, maintain, re-establish wildlife habitats (an external plan of off-site links and needs - community and regional view).
- Provision of adequate natural vegetation zones within and around golf course water bodies inclusive of some upland buffer areas to assist the life cycle requirements of many water and wetland dependent species that use uplands for reproduction, food and or body temperature regulation needs.
- Set-aside areas for on-site species that need protection, conservation or assistance.
- Carefully management of golf course chemicals, fertilizers, fuel and oils (see: "Best Management Practices for Enhancement of Environmental Quality on Florida Golf Courses" 2007. ( 2.1 MB) and “Florida Green Industries: Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida” - (757kb) or, “INDUSTRIAS EN ÁREAS VERDES DE FLORIDA Las Prácticas Más Adecuadas Para la Conservación del Agua en Florida” - (840kb .pdf)
- Regular training and education of golf course staff and management entities of the wildlife friendly features and needs.
- Education of the golfers and community residents (if part of the course/community design) or the wildlife features and the management/sustaining efforts.
