Eco-innovation in golf: a pilot approach to institutional integration

1
Eco-innovation in golf a pilot approach to
institutional integration

• Frédéric Morand and Marjolein Visser Eco
  Innovation, Galway (Eire) and Brussels
• 2nd International Conference on Eco-Efficiency
• Egmond aan Zee (NL) 30 June 2006

2
Introduction

• Result of IDARI project (Life, Key Action 5)
• Part of a series of papers devoted to
  institutional integration

3
Acknowledgments

• European Commission, 5th Framework, Quality of
  Life and Management of Living Resources, Key
  Action 5 (Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries and
  Forestry, and Integrated Development of Rural
  Areas Including Mountain Areas)
• Aurélie Bellier, Oisin Kenny, Stéphane Menguy,
  Quentin Simons, Sebastian Stumpf
• Support from the Sport Turf Research Institute
  (STRI, UK), Pitchcare Magazine, British and
  International Golfers and Greenkeepers
  Association (BIGGA)
• Alain Gange (Royal Holloway, University of
  London)

4
Working papers in progress

1. European sustainable development policy
   (1972-2005) fostering a two-dimensional
   integration for more effective institutions
   (POLICY)
2. Integrating concepts of institutions a
   comparative introduction to Thévenots
   conventions (CONCEPT)
3. Measuring institutional integration in the
   (greening) European golf sector (METHOD)
4. Eco-innovation in golf pest control or stress
   control? Institutional aspects of the control of
   Microdochium patch disease in Britain and Ireland
   (PILOT APPLICATION)
5. Integrating institutions political drivers and
   analytical obstacles. A topical synthesis from
   the IDARI project (Recap)

5
Outline

• Pb statement
• Method
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion

6
1. Problem statement
7
Problem statement outline

• The green turn in European golf less leeway for
  pest control strategies
• Microdochium patch disease 2 strategies
• Objectives

8
Golf is a thriving industry

• Europe (33 countries) gt 6,000 courses (out of
  32,000 worldwide), 3,7 M golfers in 2003. 50
  growth since 1993.
• Strongest future growth expected in Eastern
  Europe and Asia.
• UK Eire, 1991 to 2001 golf gained over 50,000
  ha (38) while permanent grassland lost almost
  5M ha (-35) (EGA, Eurostat).
• Golf tourism becomes a significant motor of rural
  development often rivalling other tourism
  activities (Costa del Golf).
• European golf directly employs 12 people in
  average. A 7 times multiplier effect is used for
  assessing golfs indirect revenues.
• Highly professionalized and knowledge-intensive
  industry federations, advisers (RIPTA), research
  (STRI), associations (BIGGA), etc, etc.
• Green turn since 1990.

9
TV-studio courses have become the norm
10

11
Cosmetic standards contribute to environmental
stress
Mowing heights UV, heat Pests Fertility
Pollution etc

• Stop oxygen reduction
• Production of free radicals (toxic)

12
Golf faces a systematic revision of its pest
control technology

• European Directive on substance authorization
  (91/414/EEC).
• REACH Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation
  of Chemicals (2007?)
• Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of
  Pesticides (2007?)
• More
• EU Regulations 2076/2000/EC and 1112/2002/EC (4th
  Review) and Commission Decisions 2002/478/EC,
  2002/479/EC and 2000/817/EC.
• Commissions 6th Environmental Action Plan
  (2001-2010),
• Commission Directives Dangerous Substances
  (76/464/EC), Groundwater (80/778/EC), Drinking
  Water Directive (80/778/EC).
• Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent
  (PIC, 2004).
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
  Pollutants (POPs, 2001).
• ()

13
The green turn initiated by the European golf
industry
14
The green turn focuses on above-ground
biodiversity
.
.
.
.
15
--gt limited response to the pest-control issue
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A pest model Microdochium patch disease
Pathogen Microdochium nivale
Source T. Hsiang et al, 1999
17
A pest model Microdochium nivale (Fusarium
patch, Snow mould)

• Economic importance responsible for 1st fungal
  disease in golf (M. patch disease).
• Biology saprophyte (lives on decaying organic
  matters) gt does not typically infect healthy
  plants.
• Control two possible strategies, compatible to a
  certain extent.

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Strategy I (S1) pest control

• Relies on the use of one input (or small group of
  inputs), often of synthetic origin
• General aim to kill the pathogen
• Traditional, mainstream strategy in agriculture
• Examples iprodione, azoxystrobin,
  thiophanate-methyl

19
Strategy II (S2) stress control

• Relies on the modification of an ecosystem
• Promotes biological relations that relieve plant
  stress biostimulation
• Backed by substantial corpus of scientific
  literature documented positive effect
• Biostimulant organic materials / small
  quantities / enhance plant growth development
• Examples of biostimulants seaweed extracts,
  humic acids

20
Biostimulants have direct and indirect action on
environmental stress
21
Mature arbuscular mycorrhiza with numerous fine
branch hyphae (total width c.100 um) - Photo
credit Mark Brundrett
22
Section of Poa annua root stained for
mycorrhizas. Photo credit Alan Gange
23
Objectives

• To compare the institutional status of two
  strategies against M. patch
• Hyp S1 is a fully institutionalised strategy
  whereas S2 is not institutionalised yet despite
  its proven potential

24
2. Method
25
Method outline

• Analytical framework
• Questionnaire overview
• Implementation

26
Institutional framework

• Integrating environmental concerns
• Integrating governance levels

Institutions can appear at distinct governance
levels
27
Questionnaire 13 areas

• Identification
• General characteristics
• GKs profile
• Grass species mix
• Soil microbiology
• Plant care regulation statements
• 91/414/EEC PPP Directive
• REACH system
• Thematic Strategy for the Sustainable Use of
  Pesticides

1. M. patch incidence on greens
2. Factors of M patch damage
3. 3 main fungicides used
4. Training in biostimulants (BS)
5. 3 main BS used
6. BS statements
7. Optional comments

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Statements on soil ecology-3 (couldnt disagree
more), 0 (dont know), 3 (couldnt agree
more)
Statement
A number of fungi are associated with disease, but others can be significantly beneficial to turfgrass True
Some fungi directly enhance plant resistance to stress True
Compost is a BS primarily because it is rich in plant hormones False
Some BS directly enhance plant resistance to stress True
Most BS are rich in free-radicals False
Most BS are rich in anti-oxydants True
Less mineral fertilizer is required when some BS are used True
Techniques for controlling turf stress offer a potential to complement fungicide use True
Environmental stress of turfgrass is negatively correlated with playing quality True
29
Statements on regulations-3 (this is false), 0
(dont know), 3 (this is true)
Statement
The 91/414/EEC Directive aims primarily to regulate pesticide use by professionals (-3)
The 91/414/EEC Directive aims primarily to regulate pesticide market authorization (3)
REACH aims to inform professionals on the existence of less harmful ingredients (-3)
REACH aims to complement the PPP Directive with regard to replacing harmful ingredients with safer ingredients (3)
The Thematic Strategy on the Sust. Use of Pesticides aims to regulate pesticide use by professionals (3)
The Thematic Strategy on the Sust. Use of Pesticides aims to replace the REACH systems by 2006 (-3)
How familiar with this policy are you? 0 (never heard of it) to 5 (very fam.)
30
Implementation of pilot survey

• Online questionnaire
• Email telephone prompt
• 44 responses analysed (UK30, IE14)

31
3. Preliminary results
32
Distribution of respondents by product use
Pesticide use 79 (S1)
BS use 27 (S2)
Exclusively 60
Both 20
Exclusively 0.07
Neither 0.14
gt No correlation with presence/absence of
environmental management plan
33
Incidence of M. patch

• Parklands are more affected
• No relation between incidence and
• Environmental plan
• N of rounds
• Fungicide use
• Biostimulant use
• Climate ranked first among factors

34
Scatter plot of the cover by P. annua and the
aver. N of rounds played/yr Markers are
according to the stated economic incidence of M.
Patch (scale 0-5).
35
Knowledge statements on pesticide regulations and
soil ecology

• Misunderstanding of soil microbial testing -
  confused with nutrient analysis or pH testing
• 20 state to perform microbial testing
• 82 state either no presence of mycorrhiza, or
  ignorance about it (No or I dont know)
• Again, no relation to having environmental
  management plan

36
PC Analysis of knowledge statements Scores of
the original variables (greenkeepers) on PC1 and
PC2. Stated fungicide use (S1) and biostimulant
use (S2) to fight M. patch is overlaid.
Loading plot of the PCA

• Nine statements scoring
• 3 important pesticide regulations
• Soil ecology
• Greenkeepers variables. Scores cases
• 2 PC PC1 (32 of variation extracted) and PC2
  (14)
• 3 groups of greenkeepers. But overlays of
  categorical variables (env plan, degree, S1/S2)
  on this loading plots did not yield any
  interpretable pattern

37
Scores of knowledge statements Labels refer to
the question codes. Q6 codes 9 statements on
European pesticide regulations (clustered toward
negative side of PC1) Q12 codes 9 statements on
soil ecology.
Scores of the cases (statements) on PC1 and PC2

• Inform the nature of statements and greenkeeper
  groups
• Regulation statements (Q6) and soil ecology
  (Q12Etrue Q12F false) 0 scores (non
  familiar or dont know)
• Q12C, Q12D, Q12G high frequency of 0 scores
  (dont know)
• Q12C (compost BS because rich in hormones)
  57 agree
• Q12A,B,H,I scored 3 by a majority of respondents

38
4. Preliminary discussion
39
Main results

• M. patch important disease worrying all
  categories of greenkeepers
• S1 more institutionalised than S2
• Compliance even with ignorance of formal rules
• S2 is not codified, is marginally used
• Poor awareness of
• soil ecology basics
• emergent pesticide regulations

40
Related issues

• Environmental management plan
• No relation with key variables
• A variety of justifications
• Significant misunderstanding of questions related
  to S2
• Microbial testing (bad positive answers)
• Use of BS (bad negative answers)
• No such misunderstanding for S1 questions
• Codification matters
• Contrasted RD and regulatory history between S1
  and S2

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5. Conclusion
42
Recap on the two main strategies

• S1 regulation ltgt strong RD codification
• S2 regulation ltgt little RD codification
• Policy relevance of stress control (S2)

43
Preliminary policy recommendations

• Positive conventions (rules) are lacking
• Implications for the green turn
• Environmental standards and environmental
  differentiation

44
Negative convention DONT use this stuff
(its not green)
Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH, e.g. Lindane)
45
Lack of positive convention(WHAT is green then?)
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT (ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY)
46
Promising avenue developing efficient
biostimulants
47
Raising awarenesssoil biodiversity matters!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
48
Develop standardisation

• gt Include soil functional ecology in
  environmental certification (EMAS)

49
Limits and perspectives

• Limits
• Pilot scale (representation issues)
• Institutional framework still fresh (peer-review
  in progress)
• No LCA!
• Energy / Fertilizers / Residues / ?
• Product attributes
• ()

• Perspectives
• Provides hypotheses for broader survey (in golf
  and others)
• Refine institutional statements for better
  framework
• gt toward social acceptance indicators (
  standards?)
• Articulation with LCA (EMBED FP6 proposal)
• Lessons for Lisbon strategy

50
Thank you
51
Implementing the integration principle is still a
major challenge

• The definition of policy rules tends to remain
  sectoral (making them potentially conflicting)
• and to lack cross-societal integration
• Pb culminates in recent political life (Lisbon)