5th course @ Bandon - "Conservation Course"

[Norbert P]

Respectfuly, what is the benefit of devloping an area to restore a "native" plant habitat? . . .
   
     . . . Is restoration cost effective without the revenue of the colf course?

To do the right thing. 

Cost effective native habitat restoration?   I don't think we can measure the results monetarily.






BTW . . . Here's an article about the late, great Howard McKee from a local (southwest Oregon) newspaper.

  http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2007/12/15/sports/doc47639af3392eb676792558.txt

[Jeff Taylor]

Nice article Slag. I enjoyed reading it.
Isn't the addition of the 12 hole course an attempt to make restoration more cost effective? If you really want to go natural then why put a golf course on that parcel at all?
Conservation efforts are noble and worthwhile. However, these efforts are always impacted by economics. I was hoping to find out more about this situation in particular. Our caddy @ Bandon suggested that the preservation effort was the means to get the other course. The article you linked to seems more plausible.

[Michael Dugger]

Jeff,

I think your caddy gave sage input there...

Ond hand washing the other. 

Do you really think the entire Bandon Dunes Resort was built solely so Keiser could eradicate the gorse for the sake of the community/city, as the permit implied?

[Jeff Taylor]

Jeff,

Do you really think the entire Bandon Dunes Resort was built solely so Keiser could eradicate the gorse for the sake of the community/city, as the permit implied?

I do not. The knowledge gap that I find myself in is defining original habitat. Once defined, why would one limit this effort to a 12 hole par 3 golf course? It should be OK to say that we want more golf and in exchange we will restore some section of land to our best definition of original habitat. Economics is an important part of this and I would rather not ignore it. After all, who else is offering up time and money to bring these plants back?

[Michael Dugger]

I think that is what they are saying...

"We want more golf and in exchange we will restore some section of land to our best definition of original habitat."

Except replace "our" with "most everyone"

Sounds like the PSU student's thesis is driving the boat, and kudos to them for that.

This Silver Phacelia issue has been ongoing out there. 

[Norbert P]

 I am not involved with this project and I do not know the motivations or agreements of interested parties involved, but I do see it as an intriguing project.  If I lived down there I'd probably be calling for employment on this project.  Golf construction and native habitat restoration!  Too cool.

" . . .The area of the proposal is a scant 23 acres, 7 or so of which is turf....islands of landing areas and greens/tee complexes, with the remaining acreage of open sand surrounding those turf islands, in which the restoration work will be conducted.     . . . "
Tom Jefferson

   Golf has had an uphill battle with its environmental image since the first tree was cut down and the first horse-drawn scraper took out a potato field.  This is quite an opportunity to make a statement that golf and the environment can help each other.  Golf gets many people outdoors that wouldn't generally give nature a second glance so a project that restores a native environment could be an important classroom that could inpire a few folks, as well. 

   I cannot speculate on the economics of this 12 holer and the restoration program but I'm sure Mr. Keiser has and if he's willing to invest money into it, then, with his track record, I assume his decision is fiducially sound.  I feel that the course won't make much money directly but the payoff is in the heightened recreational and, perhaps, educational enjoyment.  The PR can't hurt either.

[Jeff Taylor]

Interesting comments Slag.
I would rather fight the uphill battle for a golf course than for a wind farm. Hell, I would take the potato farm over a wind farm.
One would hope that there will be plenty of information about restoration for the golfer that plays this little course, just like there should be information for the Macdonald inspired holes that make up Old Macdonald. Otherwise, the unenlightened golfer will think they are playing an executive course that looks like the rest of the property.

[Norbert P]

. . .  One would hope that there will be plenty of information about restoration for the golfer that plays this little course, just like there should be information for the Macdonald inspired holes that make up Old Macdonald.     . . . 

     

   (bold emphasis mine)


  I expect it for both.

[David Schofield]

I walked the Beach Trail while at Bandon Dunes last week and it appeared to me that some work has commenced on the Conservation Course.  No earthwork had begun, but the tees and green site for Hole #2 (and perhaps others) had been staked and woody vegetation had been cut and removed.  Hole #2 plays into a small valley just west of the first tee of Bandon Trails.

[Tom Jefferson]

David;
 
The only 'work' that was done in relation to the Par Three Course was 1) some refinements to the routing, by Bill Coore and Mr. Keiser, in the early days of May 2010, and 2) removal of a small stand of shore pine so that the site line for hole #11 is more visable.

Permitting continues.

No work is planned until this winter.

Thanks for visiting, and for using the trails at the resort!!

Best,
Tom J

[David Schofield]

Tom,

My apologies for suggesting that "work" had started.  To be clear, I saw no disturbance of the earth.  The felled "trees" were not more than a few inches in diameter and their stumps were undisturbed.

My wife and I used every trail on the property except the walking paths to the Grove cottages.  The views from the Dunes and Ridge trails were fantastic!