Silver Lakes Golf Estate

Golf Courses

Silver Lakes (18 holes, 6700 metres, year opened 1993)

1 Pro Shop

1 Practice Facility/Facilities

1 Halfway House(s)

1 Other

Silver Lakes golf estate was the first of its kind in South Africa. It is situated in the east of Pretoria in South Africa's Gauteng province, in a highveldt climate and vegetation environment. South Africa is not only a semi arid country, the region where Pretoria is situated gets only summer rain falls of about 300 mm/year. Pretoria is one of the largest cities in South Africa therefor the golf course is with in the city, limits, but has its own small game reserve and the estate and golf course endeavor to plant indigenous trees and hardy plants, still with a 'Colonial' flavour since this is the theme the original developer based and designed the buildings and gardens on.

The golf course and residential development was partly developed in a the river bed of a side stream of the Pienaars river and therefore has numerous larger and smaller dams built in this stream. One large dam is in the game reserve and the rest forms the lakes around which the course was built, with the most beautiful 'silver' sunsets over the water.

Hence the name 'Silver Lakes'.

Consultation & Surveys

This golf facility consults the following organizations regarding landscape heritage conservation:

• professor Meyer of the University of Pretoria

The following landscape assessments and surveys have been undertaken at this golf facility:

Title	Author	Date	View document
Silver Lakes Rhengu environmental game reserve report 2010	Ralf Kalwa	2010/02/01
Silver Lakes Rhengu environmental game reserve report 2011	Ralf Kalwa	2011/04/01
Silver Lakes Rhengu environmental game reserve report 2012	Ralf Kalwa	2012/03/01
Silver Lakes Rhengu environmental game reserve report 2014	Ralf Kalwa	2014/04/01
Silver Lakes Rhengu environmental game reserve report 2015	Ralf Kalwa	2015/04/01

This golf facility consults the following organizations regarding ecosystem protection and enhancement:

• The Garden Group horticultural team
• The SIlver Lakes Environmental Work Group and Committee

The following ecological surveys have been undertaken at this golf facility:

Title	Author	Date	View document
Silver Lakes Golf Estate Water Quality Monitoring Report July 2015	Theo Meyer of Aquatico	2015/07/01
Monthly and Yearly Game Warden reports at meetings	Dr Douw Grobler, veterinarian
Bird List		2013/04/01	Download

Rare, protected and notable species occurring at this golf facility:

Local name	Scientific name
Springbok	Antidorcas marsupialis
Blesbuck	Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi
Nyala	Tragelaphus angasii
Impala	Aepyceros melampus
Grey duiker	Sylvicapra grimmia
Kudu	Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Zebra	Equus grevyi
Steenbok	Raphicerus campestris
Reedbuck	Redunca
Bushbuck	Tragelaphus scriptus
Cape Clawless otter	Aonyx capensis
Water mongoos	Atilax paludinosus
Porcupine	Erethizon Dorsaum
Leguaan	Varanus niloticus
Various species of water fowl
Various fish species

This golf facility regularly monitors the following species as indicators of environmental quality:

Local name	Scientific name
Yellow Fish in the dams monitored by the fishing club	Labeobarbus capensis

Habitats & Designations

This golf facility features the following landscape designations:

Description	Designating Authority
Areas of Scenic Beauty	Home Owners Asscoiation
Historic Landscapes / Parklands	Department of Nature Conservation

Area of habitats / vegetation types, and associated designations at this golf facility:

Title	Estimated Area (Hectares)	Designation
Wetlands	20	Self Appointed
Rough 'ecological' grassland	50 ha (game reserve) + 1 ha (Golf Course)	Local Government

Turfgrass

Size and estimated species composition of amenity turfgrass maintained at this golf facility.

	Estimated Area (Hectares)	Turfgrass Species	Sward Composition (%)
Greens	1.1 Hectares	Agrostis stolonifera / palustris	80%
		Poa annua	20%
Tees	0.9 Hectares	Pennisetum clandestinum	90%
		Poa annua	10%
Fairways	15.0 Hectares	Pennisetum clandestinum	90%

These turfgrasses are optimal for the circumstances at this club because:
Kikuyu is a native African grass. Is is well suited to growing in high temperatures and is drought tolerant for the dry and cold winters.

Mowing patterns are not assessed at this golf facility.

This golf facility consults the following individuals / organizations regarding its grassing plan:

• Peter Matkovich Golf Course Architect

This golf facility is making the following efforts to manage the playing quality expectations of customers:

Activity	Description
Establishing clear internal policies for irrigation, fertilization, colour, cutting heights, overseeding etc	Non spraying of rough and out of play areas to increase bio diversity. Flowers which may be deemed weeds on a golf course are allowed to grow in these areas. Members appreciate the effort to promote bio diversity and reduce inputs
Promoting the playing quality values of more naturalized turf, particularly fairways and semi-rough	Kikuyu is allowed to go dormant in winter, fairways are now irrigated in winter, semi rough is not irrigated
Promoting the financial benefits of presenting sustainable surfaces	We intend to schedule a presentation to our members and promote the financial benefits of a sustainable golf course.
Improving customer understanding around greens maintenance	We have begun a programme of lectures for our members on maintenance practice's and have white boards at clubhouse detailing daily work.

Conservation & Enhancement

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to conserve landscape character:

Activity	Description
Allowing seasonal variation of course coloration and texture	During the South African Highveld winter Kikuyu grass experiences a period of little or no growth and turns brown. We allow this to occur on fairways and roughs to help preserve water supplies.
Appropriately matching mowing lines to contours	Green and tee surrounds and complexes are mown so as to follow mounding and contours for the best natural presentaion
Protection and restoration of historic features	Although there are no historic features near or on the golf course the historical sites in the game reserve are of great importance to all and are kept as separate open areas.
Discreet on-course signage and furniture	Signage and furniture are embedded into the turf of area such as tees. Use of natural granite stone as well as signage which forms part of the estate corporate design are used. a process of replacing all golf course furnishings with recycled material furnishings has already been started and will be implemented fully in the next few years as old furnishings needs replacing.
Conservation of specimen trees	The naturally threesome of Acacia caffra( Thorn Trees), Rhus lancea and Celtis africana (white stinkwood) are not only well represented in the new trees planted on the golf course, but the conserved pockets of natural vegetation throughout the golf course are well representative of these species.
Screening and softening unsightly man-made features	Trees are planted in aesthetically pleasing areas, close to houses to screen the golf course from too much visual interference by houses. also protecting the homes agains stray golf balls.
Simplification and development of planting materials and the natural environment	on the estate as well as on the golf course a program of de-cluttering the past 2 years has brought us to a cleaner canvas to develop the special features of the estate and golf course. New focal point and use of new planting can now be implemented. This includes features with natural indigenous grasses and developing the natural vegetation pockets through-out the estate and golf course. Not only providing an aesthetically integrated and pleasing landscape, but also habitat for the fauna occurring on the estate.

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to improve the landscape ecology of the golf course:

Activity	Description
Increasing the size of habitat patches	The naturally occurring features of rocky outcrops, together with clumps of trees and veldt provides habitat for many animals on the estate. Not only do we have these animals in the game reserve, but some occur on the golf course as well. Especially the bird life on the estate is alive and well. A bird list of the birds occurring on the estate and spotted by the bird watchers of the estate is on the web site.
Connection of internal habitat patches	Although the golf course 'flows' through a large estate of more than 1660 homes the inclusion of naturally occurring vegetation together with the planting of focal areas of decorative indigenous grasses helps combining the otherwise dislodged elements into a whole where not only the visual experience are one of a pleasing landscape, but the naturally occurring fauna has places to hide and roam during times of safety.
Connection of patches with external habitats	Habitat patches on the Silver Lakes golf course are usually where natural veldt, with indigenous trees and sometimes even rocky outcrops were left in their natural state. These patches of habitat are more often than not being claimed by buck who escaped from the game reserve and are now staying in these patches permanently. taking shelter during the day and roaming the golf course and the home-owner gardens at night! the golf course itself and the stream around which it is built actually acts as the connection of these patches. The weirs and bridges crossing the stream acts as links sometimes
Creation of habitat corridors	Habitat corridors are naturally created on the golf course by the stream with its lakes flowing through the estate and the golf course. even the rough of the golf course serves as feeding areas for some of the fauna on the estate. the next phase of development is to include more of these natural veldt and focal decorative grassed areas around the golf course. this will not only enhance the free-flow of fauna via these corridors, but will create an interesting and more pleasurable golfing experience.corridors
Avoidance of habitat fragmentation	Although the nature of a golf course are one of segmentation. 18 pieces of segmentation to be exact care are taken to interlink these segments of the above habitat areas through larger vegetation patches such as the feature decorative grasses and the naturally occurring veldt grass and trees.these 'patches' of vegetation flows form the one segment to the other to interlink them all in the end. providing the above corridors of possible movement for the natural fauna.
Improving and diversifying habitat edges	The creation of new and improving the existing habitat areas for the fauna around the golf course are being explored and implemented as one reads this document. Creating a natural transgression of flow from the edge of these habitats to the golf course. This is an important part of e.g. creating a habitat for the Cape Clawless Otter that was rescued in one of the lakes to be put back into nature on the course. The plan is to work together with the NGO, FreeMe, to not only rehabilitate the Silver Lakes otter, but possibly re-establish other animals in our Silver Lakes environment as well.

This golf facility does not undertake activities to improve the quality of habitats on the golf course.

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to conserve and enhance biodiversity on the golf course:

Activity	Description
Provision of nesting and nectar for pollinators	Owl Houses are being installed in the game reserve as well as the in special areas along the golf course. The home-owners on the estate not only feeds the guinea fowl and Egyptian geese on the estate and golf course, but also create numerous feeding stations such as for humming birds and our very special 'Go-Away' bird (kwe voel). The planting of indigenous trees and plants also provide fruit for these birds.
Installation of nest boxes	Owl houses and tree trunks for wood peckers area being installed by home-owners through-out the estate.
Provision of feeding tables	The same as above. the more than 1660 home-owners provide ample feeding stations for the birds
Control / management of alien species	Egyptian Geese is a problem and sometimes up to 200 geese are present at once on the estate in single spots. This leads to infighting, therefore the golf course has a program of removing and re-establishing elsewhere for the Egyptian geese.
Provision of hibernation areas	The hibernation areas for the few animals which hibernate occurs naturally.
Creation of micro-habitats (eg log and stone piles)	The packing of rocks for the rehabilitation of erosion of the dam sides also create breeding space for fishes, as well as birds. Originally when the two large dams were built island were created in the dams to act as safe breeding space for birds. At the moment the installation of artificial floating islands for the purpose of creating more breeding space for birds and fish are being explored. Silver Lakes were part of the original experimental phases of these floating islands.

As mentioned in of the other sections, Silver Lakes Golf Estate has been developed around a side stream of the Pienaars river. We are therefore in the position to have rainwater stored int he dams/lakes of the estate for irrigation. Several boreholes serves as back-up in times of little water. several attempts to save water, such as watering at night are being implemented, but is unpractical since the existing system is a hand managed system. The budget for a new and upgraded irrigation facility and system is part of the suggestions for the 2015-2016 budget. Then the aim is to do watering with NO losses other than natural losses such as evaporation. And even this we would like to curb, by irrigating at night.

We are currently exploring ways to reduce water consumption

Sources & Consumption

The following water audits have been undertaken at this golf facility:

Title	Author	Date	View document
Silver Lakes Water Quality report	Theo Meyer of Aquatico	2015/07/01	Download

The water used at this golf facility is drawn from the following sources:

2014	Source(s)	% of supply	Total Consumption
Golf Course	Groundwater	70%	200,000,000 Litres
	Surface	30%
Maintenance Facility/Facilities	Public / Potable	70%	150,000 Litres

2013	Source(s)	% of supply	Total Consumption
Golf Course	Groundwater	70%	200,000,000 Litres
	Surface	30%
Maintenance Facility/Facilities	Public / Potable	70%	150,000 Litres

Irrigation & Efficiency

The following areas receive irrigation at this golf facility:

Greens	Daily in season
Tees	2-3 days per week
Fairways	Weekly

The irrigation system at this golf facility is:
Manual

The irrigation system at this golf facility is:

Serviced every 1 months

Upgraded every 20 years

Re-calibrated and checked for efficient application every 0 months

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to maximize irrigation efficiency:

Activity	Description
Selection of grass species	Native Kikuyu grass is used on tees and fairways. Fairways and not irrigated in winter. There is no irrigation in rough
Soil decompaction and thatch management	Hollow coring aeration is carried out on all surfaces yearly to help water filtration and manage thatch levels
Timing and dose of water application	Most irrigation applications are done in evening and night time when ET rates at lowest. Syringing is done during high stress periods
Analysis of soil moisture	This is done twice a year to assist in fertiliser programme management
Incorporation of evapotranspiration rates and weather data	Yes we use an evaporation rate and weather data to assist in our irrigation schedules
Use of wetting agents	Wetting agents are used on greens
Overall reduction in irrigated area	roughs are not irrigated at anytime
Targeting of sprinkler heads	Spinkler's effectiveness is monitored by a dedicated irrigation technition team
Optimizing system pressure	The new system will include VSD drives to optimize system pressure at all times.
Adoption of cutting edge nozzle technology	Silver Lakes Golf Estate is currently looking at upgrading sprinkler technology

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to conserve / reduce / minimize water consumption:

Activity	Description
Repairing leaks	Any leaks on the system are repaired as soon as they are detected. We have 2 x staff members dedicated to all irrigation matters.

Silver Lakes Golf Estate has Electricity and generators as stand-by. Diesel and petrol for maintenance vehicles and generators.

Sources & Consumption

No energy surveys have been undertaken at this golf facility.

Consumption of renewable energy and resources at this golf facility:

	2015	2014	2013
Biogas (Litres)		0	0
Biomass		0	0
First Generation Bio-Fuels (Litres)		0	0
Hydrogen (Litres)		0	0
On-site Hydro (kWh)		0	0
On-site Solar (kWh)		0	0
On-site Wind (kWh)		0	0
Renewable Grid Electricity (kWh)		0	0
Second Generation Bio-Fuels (Litres)		0	0
Wood from sustainable sources		0	0

Consumption of non-renewable energy and resources at this golf facility:

	2015	2014	2013
Coal		0	0
Diesel (Litres)		1500	1500
Heating Oil (Litres)		0	0

Energy Efficiency

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to diversify energy and fuel supply:

Activity	Description
Adoption of green tariff grid supply	N/A
Installation of small scale wind turbine	Not viable. No wind in Pretoria
Installation of photovoltaic and / or solar panels	In discussions early stages
Use of geothermal and / or ground sources	N/a
Use of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG)	Not on the course
Use of biodiesel and /or ethanol	No. none of our vehicles are able to operate on this fuel.
Use of electric hybrid vehicles	Currently use Electric golf carts. We will soon be trialing some hybrid and electric golf maintenance equipment
Use of recycled oils	Oils used in machinery is stored in an approved container and then collected by a oil recycling company.

This golf facility is undertaking the following activities to reduce energy consumption:

Activity	Description
Investment in low-energy heating and air conditioning systems	There are no heating or air con system at the turf maintenance facility, therefore no energy used to power these systems.
Optimizing thermostat levels for heating and refrigeration	As above
Enhancement of natural ventilation opportunities	Open, shed type structure at the workshop maximises airflow, negating the need for aircon.
Upgrading of building insulation	Not necessary, see above.
Use of natural light (e.g. sunlight pipes)	Sides of the building have see through panels allowing in ntural light.
Installation of low-energy lighting	Fluorescent bulbs used.
Use of motion sensor lighting	N/A
Use of timers with appliances, heating and lighting	See above regarding heating and cooling.

Vehicles & Transport

The maintenance fleet at this golf facility uses the following fuel sources:

	Ride-on Mowers	Walking Mowers	Utility Vehicles
Petrol	9%	100%	100%
Diesel	73%	0%	0%
LPG	0%	0%	0%
Grid Electric	18%	0%	0%
Micro Renewable	0%	0%	0%
Hybrid	0%	0%	0%
Hydrogen	0%	0%	0%

Additional vehicles operated by this golf facility use the following fuel sources:

	Golf Carts	Cars	Buses
Grid Electric	100%	0%	0%
Micro Renewable	0%	0%	0%
Hybrid	0%	0%	0%
Hydrogen	0%	0%	0%

This golf facility has established the following schemes to encourage reductions in staff and customer transport emissions:

Activity	Description
Car sharing incentives	Some maintenance staff carpool
Group transportation (e.g. buses)	Staff transport to gate with LDV.
Secure cycle parking	Parking is secured within the entire estate

Silver Lakes Golf Estate provides quality food and beverage facilities to members homeowners and visitors and has a fully stocked pro shop for golfers

Purchasing Policies

This golf facility undertakes the following ethical / environmental purchasing activities:

Activity	Description
Measures to avoid waste at source	Measuring of all chemicals are done as accurately as possible with calibrated equipment. This extends to the use of fertilizers. Chemicals and fertilizers are only applied at published label rates. This reduces usage as well as reducing the chance of resistance which leads to increased usage of chemicals. We also vary chemicals to also reduce the chance of diseases, and pests building up resistance.
Use of local suppliers	We only source from local companies with the correct BEE credentials ensuring that the benefits are filtered down as far as possible.
Use of local products	Local products are used where possible. Hand tools such as spades, rakes etc. are exclusively local products. We go to great lengths to find alternatives for any imported products where possible. This brings our overall maintenance costs down as well as supporting local industry.
Selection of certified products	Only registered chemicals and fertilizers are used. As far as possible no generics as in some instances these generics are not as effective as the registered products leading to wastage.
Use of recycled and recyclable products	A lot of the hand tools and hardware on the course, rakes, dustbins, hazard stakes are manufactured from recycled plastic.
Selection of products that feature minimal packaging	We do a bulk buy on our chemicals in the beginning of the season to take advantage of pricing and with this the chemicals are packaged in bulk containers, reducing the number of plastic containers and bags.

Supply Chain

An overview of the supplier network at this golf facility:

	Total number of suppliers	Total number of suppliers within 10 Kilometres	Total number of suppliers within 100 Kilometres
Maintenance Equipment	3		3
Course Supplies	8	3	5

Turfgrass Inputs

This golf facility undertakes the following IPM activities:

Activity	Description
Encouraging drought and disease tolerant grasses	Native African Kikuyu grass is used on tees and fairways, this grass is drought and wear resistant
Managing stress and wear	There is a full cart path surrounding the course for golfers to use, this minimises wear on the golf course.
Enhancement of soil structure	This is done through hollow coring and topdressing of surfaces
Optimization of the growing environment	Kikuyu grass is well suited to the local climate. It is encouraged by vigorous scarification during the growing season and is managed though winter dormancy so as to ensure maximum growth when temperatures rise in spring
Managing thatch levels	Scarifying and regular grooming managers thatch and keeps it to a minimal level.
Managing surface moisture	Surfaces are kept as dry as possible to lessen the frequency of disease and to reduce mechanical wear on soft surfaces. This is done by regulating irrigation inputs and timing applications.
Establishing thresholds for pests and disease	Balanced fertilizer program coupled with minimal water inputs creates hardy turf that is resistant to all turf pests including fungi and insects
Scouting for pests and diseases	Golf Course Managers and supervisors check for pests and diseases on a daily basis as part of morning course set up.
Monitoring / improvement of plant health	Rootzone moisture levels are periodically measured throughout the year using a moisture probe

Fertilizer use at this golf facility in the last three years (kg):

	2015	2014	2013
Fairways - K - Inorganic		250	350
Fairways - K - Organic		50	0
Fairways - N - Inorganic		250	350
Fairways - N - Organic		50	0
Fairways - P - Inorganic		50	70
Fairways - P - Organic		10	0
Greens - K - Inorganic		220	220
Greens - K - Organic		80	80
Greens - N - Inorganic		200	200
Greens - N - Organic		50	50
Greens - P - Inorganic		40	40
Greens - P - Organic		10	10
Rough - K - Inorganic		0	0
Rough - K - Organic		0	0
Rough - N - Inorganic		0	0
Rough - N - Organic		0	0
Rough - P - Inorganic		0	0
Rough - P - Organic		0	0
Semi-Rough - K - Inorganic		250	350
Semi-Rough - K - Organic		50	0
Semi-Rough - N - Inorganic		250	350
Semi-Rough - N - Organic		50	0
Semi-Rough - P - Inorganic		50	70
Semi-Rough - P - Organic		10	0
Tees - K - Inorganic		250	300
Tees - K - Organic		100	50
Tees - N - Inorganic		250	300
Tees - N - Organic		100	50
Tees - P - Inorganic		50	60
Tees - P - Organic		20	10

Pesticide use at this golf facility in the last three years (kg):

	2015	2014	2013
Fairways - Fungicide - Active Ingredient		0	0
Fairways - Fungicide - Total Weight		0	0
Fairways - Fungicide - Number of applications per year		0	0
Fairways - Herbicide - Active Ingredient		.35	.35
Fairways - Herbicide - Total Weight		3.2	3.2
Fairways - Herbicide - Number of applications per year		2	2
Fairways - Insecticide - Active Ingredient		.2	.2
Fairways - Insecticide - Total Weight		.4	.4
Fairways - Insecticide - Number of applications per year		2	2
Greens - Fungicide - Active Ingredient		.7	.7
Greens - Fungicide - Total Weight		57.6	57.6
Greens - Fungicide - Number of applications per year		16	16
Greens - Herbicide - Active Ingredient		0	0
Greens - Herbicide - Total Weight		0	0
Greens - Herbicide - Number of applications per year		0	0
Greens - Insecticide - Active Ingredient		.35	.35
Greens - Insecticide - Total Weight		1.2	1.2
Greens - Insecticide - Number of applications per year		12	12
Rough - Fungicide - Active Ingredient		0	0
Rough - Fungicide - Total Weight		0	0
Rough - Fungicide - Number of applications per year		0	0
Rough - Herbicide - Active Ingredient		.35	.35
Rough - Herbicide - Total Weight		6	6
Rough - Herbicide - Number of applications per year		4	4
Rough - Insecticide - Active Ingredient		.2	.2
Rough - Insecticide - Total Weight		0.6	0.6
Rough - Insecticide - Number of applications per year		3	3
Semi-Rough - Fungicide - Active Ingredient		0	0
Semi-Rough - Fungicide - Total Weight		0	0
Semi-Rough - Fungicide - Number of applications per year		0	0
Semi-Rough - Herbicide - Active Ingredient		.35	.35
Semi-Rough - Herbicide - Total Weight		6	6
Semi-Rough - Herbicide - Number of applications per year		4	4
Semi-Rough - Insecticide - Active Ingredient		.2	.2
Semi-Rough - Insecticide - Total Weight		.4	.4
Semi-Rough - Insecticide - Number of applications per year		2	2
Tees - Fungicide - Active Ingredient		0	0
Tees - Fungicide - Total Weight		0	0
Tees - Fungicide - Number of applications per year		0	0
Tees - Herbicide - Number of applications per year		0	0
Tees - Insecticide - Active Ingredient		.2	.2
Tees - Insecticide - Total Weight		.6	.6
Tees - Insecticide - Number of applications per year		3	3

This golf facility undertakes the following actions to optimize pesticide use:

Activity	Description
Selection on the least toxic and lest persistent products	Only registered products at exact label rates are used when absolutely necessary to combat any pests.
Selection of appropriate products for specific pests and diseases	Only products that are registered for the control of the pests posing the problem are used.
Spot-treatment with handheld sprayers and wipers	Any localised outbreaks of Fungi on the greens are spot treated if the outbreak doesn't pose a risk to the playability. Weeds in rough and cart paths are controlled by the application of the necessary chemicals with backpack sprayers.
Calibration and testing of sprayers	Calibration on the ride on sprayers is performed once a month. Nozzles are replced once a season to eliminate wear and ineffective spray patterns
Use of shrouded sprayer and anti-drip nozzles	Industry approved, market leader nozzles are used. The wind is not normally a factor for spraying, however no applications are made when there is any wind movement at all.
Non-chemical weed control	Manual removal of Kikuyu, goose grass of areas where it has encroached onto playing surfaces where it is not desired.
Use of organic and biological products to improve plant health and resistance.	The health of the growing medium is paramount. Applications of organic rich materials are applied to areas where growth is not optimal to improve these areas. Natural, slow release N products are used as much as possible. Applications of Gypsum/Bonemeal to heavy clay soils to improve soil characteristics. Decompaction of playing surfaces twice a year to improve air flow and water, nutrient infiltration.

Waste Management

No waste audits have been undertaken at this golf facility.

This golf facility manages key waste streams as follows:

	Re-use	Recycle	Landfill	Incinerate
Glass	false	true	false	false
Plastic	false	true	false	false
Aluminium	false	true	false	false
Metal	false	true	false	false
Paper & Cardboard	false	true	false	false
Grass Clippings	true	false	false	false
Cores & Turf	true	false	false	false
Sand	true	false	false	false
Wood / Timber	true	false	false	false

This golf facility undertakes the following activities to continue the lifecycle of materials and resources:

Activity	Description
Separation of recyclable materials	Materials such as plastic , oil and metal are separated and stored for recycling
Establishment of recycling centers	There are recycling bins available at the clubhouse.
Returning clipping to fairways and walkways	Fairway clippings are not boxed during normal mowing operations. Excess material that is also removed during scarification operations are returned to areas that have excessive wear as a mulch and to encourage the establishment of grass in these areas.
Education of staff and customer education	Signs on the course to disperse cart traffic to minimize wear and tear. These are moved on a daily basis.

Silver Lakes Golf Estate endevours to use the least possible inputs for course maintenace so as to safeguard the wildlife reserve that encompases its boundaries

Water Analysis

This golf facility monitors water quality with the following frequency:

	Chemical	Biological	Visual
Inflow	Monthly	Monthly	Weekly
On-Site	Monthly	Monthly	Weekly
Outflow	Monthly	Monthly	Weekly

Waste Water

Waste water from this golf facility is managed as follows:

	Discharges to	Formal Discharge Agreement
Golf Course	Stream	N/A
Clubhouse	Mains Sewer	N/A
Maintenance Facility	Septic Tank	N/A
Wash Pad	Detention Pond	N/A

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials at this golf facility are handled and disposed of as follows:

	Secure Storage	Registered Uplift
Detergents	true	false
Cooking Oils	true	false
Lubricants	false	true
Pesticide Containers	false	true
Fertiliser Bags	true	false
Oil Filters	false	true
Batteries	false	true

Pollution Prevention

This golf facility undertakes the following activities to prevent pollution from its maintenance facility and clubhouse:

Activity	Description
Storage of equipment and hazardous products on covered, sealed impervious areas	Chemicals are stored in a concrete locked building separate to the main maintenance facility
Maintenance of equipment on covered, sealed impervious areas	All maintenance equipment is stored on hard standings
Mixing of pesticides and fertilizers in covered areas	Pesticides and fertilisers are mixed and loaded on hardstanding areas. Any spills are contained using sand or chemical absorbing materials. Fertiliser is swept and reused.
Mixing of pesticides and fertilizers over impervious surfaces	A specific mixing area on hard standing is provided
Installation of sufficient secondary containment for fuel	Secondary fuel is stored in tanks in a locked room

This golf facility undertakes the following activities to prevent pollution on its golf course:

Activity	Description
Eliminating leachate and run-off through careful timing of turf inputs	Inputs are timed so as to take advantage of the best weather conditions for maximum course benefit and minimum leaching. Use of low phosphorous fertilisers.
Establishment of vegetative buffer strips around water bodies	Reed beds border many of the lake edges on the golf course
Establishment of emergency spillage response plan	Erosion of fairway and green edges is controlled by natural rock walls
Establishment of pesticide-free zones	The Wildlife reserve is free from herbicides and pesticides

Silver Lakes Golf Estate reaches out to local groups and promotes social well being through golf. This is done through organising golf days and social interaction with local charity events and groups.

Employment & Education

Typical staffing levels at this golf facility are:

	Full Time	Part Time	Seasonal
Club Management	6
Course Management	25
Food & Beverage	15
Golf Coaching	6
Retail & Leisure	6
Caddies	25

The sustainability working group at this golf facility is comprised of:

• Owner
• General Manager
• Course Manager
• Committee Members

Employees at this golf facility receive the following formal and informal environmental education:

Activity	Description
Storage, application and disposal of pesticides	Containers are triple washed after being emptied and stored separately . They are then collected periodically throughout the year. Hazardous chemical containers are also punctured so that they cannot be used for water storage.
Efficient water management	Rain water is stored in summer rainy season and used year round
Management of accidents and emergencies	There is a special safety officer as part of the Silver Lakes HOA , which include the whole estate and the golf course who looks after the correct implementation and execution of the safety regulations on the estate.
Management of habitats and vegetation	The natural vegetation is protected as much as possible within the golf course and is promoted on the wider estate. Indigenous African Kikuyu grass forms a large percentage of the playing surfaces as well as lawns on the estate. This grass is particularly suited to the local hot and dry climate.
Waste minimization, separation and recycling	Scrap Metal is collected and sold to a dealer. Oil is collected and recycled
Health & Safety	All Staff are trained in Health & Safety procedures and wear appropriate PPE specific work which is being undertaken.
Energy Saving	Electric golf carts and some electric course maintenance equipment are used
Understanding of landscape and cultural heritage	The golf course has a specific game park area where wild bok and birds are free to roam.
Environmental management planning	An environmental plan is being structured not only to include the golf course , but the estate gardens, the game reserve as well as w all t he people of Silver Lakes. including the staff. Each service provider has it's own set of plans. But these will be incorporated in to the Silver Lakes Environmental Plan which has been in practice and under scrutiny for the past two years and will provisionally be launched by the end of November 2015.

Community Relations

This golf facility engages with local community groups in the following manner:

Activity	Description
Neighbours	Silver Lakes is a enclosed golf estate the esate is bordered by neighbouring estates and a highway
Local Government	SAPS Boskop the estate have close relationships with he local police as well as local welfare organisations. This include weekly communication between the estate management and the local municipality.
Local Environmental Groups	The manager of the estate, the CEO has regular interaction with the other members of ARC. An inter estate group. This group focus on the management of estates in a holistic way, which include environmental management such as the management of the water and the gardens of the estates.
Local Community Groups	The manager of the estate, the CEO has regular interaction with the other estates int he surrounding area.
Media	Silver Lakes has an extensive media profile withing Gauteng and was recently awarded the best golf course in Pretoria for the second time.
Local Businesses	The directors and staff of the estate has regular interaction with the businesses in the immediate surrounding are. not only for the sake of sponsorship, but for the sharing of social responsibility in the local communities as well. One of the events that runs form one of the shopping complexes, through the estate and golf course has become a yearly institution. All the funds raised in this event goes towards charity. The race is called The race of Faith.
Schools & Colleges	Silver Lakes is very active in reaching out to schools and runs many golf coaching sessions for school children. Silver Lakes also hosts many golf days in aid of local schools.

Land Use & Cultural Heritage

This golf facility provides access and diversified land use for others through:

Activity	Description
Maintenance of existing public paths	There is an extensive system of paths throughout the estate utilised for golf and also recreation for residents
Creation of new paths and nature trails	The Wildlife reserve serves all residents and has many trails and also viewing decks for people to enjoy the animals and birdlife
Installation of effective and welcoming signage	Both Estate entrances are clearly signposted and have reception areas where visitors sign in
Providing opportunities for other recreation (e.g. fishing)	The Wildlife reserve has a dam which residents use for fishing, also the golf course lakes are sometimes used by fisherme
Partnership conservation and access projects (e.g. community woodland)	The wildlife reserve is a conservation area within the estate. No chemicals are used and grasses are allowed to grow freely as in a natural veld environment.
Continuation of traditional agricultural activities	Previous to the development of the estate this area was open veld. No agriculture was carried out on the site previous to development. part of the estate was used for cattle farming and vastly overgrazed areas are still being reclaimed as apart of the environmental management plan.

No archaeological or heritage surveys have been undertaken at this golf facility.

This golf facility does not consult any organizations regarding the conservation of cultural heritage.

This golf facility undertakes the following activities to conserve cultural heritage features:

Activity	Description
Buildings (Listed Buildings / Ancient Monuments etc)	Before development the site was open Veld grassland not containing buildings or monuments. in the game reserve some heritage sites were discovered and kept as heritage sites on the estate.
Archaeology (Settlements / Agricultural System etc)	Veld grasses are promoted in the wildlife reserve. This area provides an area for these grasses to thrive undisturbed and also helps to help preserve the indigenous wildlife of the region. the heritage sites are left undisturbed.
Historic Features (Hedgerows / Dykes / Moats / Cairns etc)	The Pienaars river which flows through the estate is preserved and forms and integral part of the character of the estate. water testing is done on a seasonal basis.

Communications

This golf facility undertakes the following internal environmental communications:

Activity	Description
Provision of newsletters, notice boards & poster display	There is an online newsletter each month, members are kept up to date with clubhouse and pro shop notices
Members evenings and course walks	There are monthly homeowner and member meetings in all area of the estate as well as the golf course.
Course guides / brochures	All course information and contact people details are available from the course website
Interpretation panels & course signage	the course signage are under reconstruction and will be in front of a panel for approval soon. Implementation of new signs will be done before end of march 2016
Establishment of a nature trail	There are many marked trails on the nature reserve. walking, jogging as well as cycling. these are developed in between the game roaming the game reserve part of the estate. guinea fowl, water fowl and other ground- and water bound birds and other small game roam the whole estate and will travel the golf course and dams to get from one area to the next.

This golf facility undertakes the following social and environmental advocacy activities:

Activity	Description
Website, press releases & brochures	The Silver Lakes web site include information regarding the residents, the golf course, events and other important issues. Brochures, inlcuding the MOI, Rules and Regulations, are available from the HOA offices.
Supporting campaigns	careful consideration is given to all campaigns that are presented to the HOA and/or golf course, and then scrutinized by the different committees and then the Board of Directors. A special Social Responsibility Levy is raised every month from the home owners for the use in special cases that may be presented.
Course walks / open days	We have a yearly Garden Competition with a resulting open day in some years when it is viable. As well as many pathways and walk ways on the grounds of the estate. The golf course itself has a pathway system which is not only meant for golf carts, but for pedestrians as well. This include the careful 'allowing' of pedestrians during casual golf days. With explicit rules of how to behave during golfing hours. the other walkways include a hike and cycle course that extends from the golf course to the game reserve.
Attending community meetings	Our CEO and Security Manager regularly attend community forums for the Estate, as does the Golf Director. interaction between golf courses in the environment is of utmost importance.
Joint practical projects with community	Mostyly charity projects, such as the race of Faiths and partaking in the welfare drives of the Kungiwini welfare organisation close to the estate.