On June 1, 2018, the decree came into force. It affects many areas including the world of sport (golf, football, etc.), cemeteries, railways, etc. It does not affect the agricultural world. “For more than six years, we have met with the offices of the various environment ministers. Minister Di Antonio had passed the draft amendments to first and then second reading, but the fall of the government blocked the process. Then, Minister Tellier (Ecolo) did not respond to our requests”explains the general secretary of AFGolf, Emilie Geury. With the arrival in July 2024 of Minister Coppieters, dialogue has been reestablished. Thursday, at 5 p.m., the leaders of AFGolf went to Yves Coppieters’ office to begin a constructive dialogue.
The French-speaking federation did not wait for this meeting to find alternatives by launching research groups, but the Walloon decree closes the door to any plan B because the phytosanitary product encompasses everything. Concretely, the products authorized on the organic strawberries that we eat cannot be used on the greens.
Those responsible for maintenance at the 39 clubs in Wallonia and Brussels must manage 2,235 hectares of land, of which only 1% represents greens. “Without maintenance, we see the appearance of holes that prevent the ball from rolling properly and fungus, namely the most common diseases: fusarium wilt and dollar spot.”
-Club leaders have taken the lead in preserving French-speaking golf courses. Everyone has their own “good idea”, but the equation remains complex. Assuming that grass moisture is the source of the problem, infrastructure managers have taken more radical measures by felling some trees to improve sunlight. Others remove morning dew mechanically. “The impact on the environment must also be taken into account in these measures. We are therefore asking to establish a derogatory framework with a very strict protocol: use as a last resort, closure of the treated plot for 12, 24 or 48 hours… Our priority remains the protection of the environment and human health.”
Time is running out because clubs are seeing the greens deteriorate at high speed. All alternatives are harmful, ineffective and costly. If Flanders was able to provide for exemptions from 2018, there is no reason why Wallonia cannot comply. The ball is in the politician’s court.
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