Protecting biodiversity at Golf Bastide de la Salette in Marseille
Caring for the environment is a core concern for Golf Bastide de la Salette. All Resonance Golf Collection golf clubs are mindful of the species living on their courses and constantly strive to protect and foster the flora and fauna, some of which are threatened with extinction.
Species protection
The history of the Golf Bastide de la Salette course is rich in biodiversity. The former farmland on which it stands has many embankments whose walls collapsed over time, forming natural nests for insects. We used to tidy them up but now we just preserve them and make sure that they don’t interfere with the game.
The same applies to the occasional ruins of old buildings found on the course. Simon Valmy aims to join forces with a school that specialises in old stone to turn some of them into nesting places for bats. The golf club also has a Natura 2000 preservation area for bats.
We are about to be awarded the silver label for biodiversity by FFGolf. The inventory carried out on the different species was very informative, especially in terms of the fauna, which is more hidden. We discovered that a couple of Bonelli’s eagles had settled on the course. They are magnificent, and we want to provide them with a protected habitat. You can spot them between the fourth and thirteenth holes. We already knew that a colony of grey herons had settled at the top of the course. It’s the only one in Europe according to representatives of the French Bird Protection League, who sometimes visit the golf club.
It is in our best interest to encourage a wide variety of birds to nest here, as they are natural insect regulators. A very good example is the common swift, which we are seeking to protect in the region. The golf club is expanding its role as a sanctuary of biodiversity in the broadest sense. Creating more natural spaces and setting up insect nests is an extremely worthwhile pursuit.
We also have to take into account the location of the golf club and the fact that it is an important transition point between two very built-up areas. This makes it a natural transit route for different species. This was highlighted when we carried out the inventory to earn our label and we remain committed to raising awareness of this.
The residents of Golf Bastide de la Salette
Since 2014, players have been greeted by Modestine and Tee Two between the first and second holes.
One of our valued members didn’t have enough room for his growing family of donkeys so, after discussing it with him, we offered him a parcel of land to use on the golf course.
With a few adjustments and the help and cooperation of our members to build a hut, followed by a whip-round to buy their food, mother and son moved onto the golf course and now frolic there to the delight of young and old alike. A walk to see the donkeys is one of the highlights for children when they come to Golf Bastide de la Salette.
In November 2021, the City of Cassis was faced with an overpopulation of ducks in its municipal ponds. After consultation, we created a special shelter in the pond at the third hole to encourage these abundant waterfowl to make it their home.
The golf club staff have been spoiling them ever since. We watched them grow from babies and now they are living their best life on the golf course.
In July 2022, Stéphane Michel, an amateur beekeeper from “La Provence des Abeilles” beekeeping association, installed a test beehive near the fairway of the third hole.
It was quite a gamble but it paid off because the bees successfully acclimatised and adapted to the natural Mediterranean environment found on the course’s 70 protected hectares.
The plan now is to install new hives to ensure that the colony continues to thrive and boost pollination, an essential role played by bees in our ecosystem.
No task is too small when it comes to preserving our natural heritage and the local flora and fauna we inherited and still enjoy today. This will ensure we continue to enjoy it to the full in the future.