A Vision of Ecology and Sustainability

Sustainability sits at the heart of La Grande Mare. From biodiversity-led course management to eco-conscious design, we’re creating an environment where sport and nature thrive together. Conservation will always drive our operations – now and into the future - here is just a snapshot of how we’re putting that commitment into practice.

Sustainability at the Golf Performance Centre

Sustainability has been at the forefront of La Grande Mare’s redevelopment right from the very beginning. Early on, we introduced an Environmental & Sustainability Policy for the Golf Performance Centre and the golf course, focusing on environmental stewardship, resource efficiency, and community engagement. We’ve always prioritised using local suppliers to both support the community, ensuring we minimise our carbon footprint wherever possible.

We understand that sustainability needs to be embedded into our operations at every level, so we’ve eliminated takeaway cups and repurpose our coffee grounds for composting. Minimising plastic packaging across our food operations ensures most products are recyclable or compostable, and our use of loose-leaf tea further reduces waste.

Our customers are also encouraged to bring their own or choose from our range of branded reusable cups, supporting a low-waste, sustainable culture. ‘We’ve even taken steps to eliminate single-use plastic tees, replacing them with eco-friendly alternatives made from recycled coffee granules - they also smell great!

Safeguarding our Site of Special Significance

La Grande Mare is home to a designated Site of Special Significance (SSS), carefully managed in line with UK ecological guidelines to ensure best practice and support thriving biodiversity. Each year, we carry out targeted conservation activities such as removing Hemlock Water-dropwort and conducting detailed orchid surveys, to guide future stewardship of the site. Among the species recorded are the Loose Flower Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Heath Spotted Orchid, and Southern Marsh Orchid.

Enhancing Pond Biodiversity

New drainage, as well as a sophisticated irrigation system, has also been laid across the 18-hole golf course, with four new ponds created and the three existing ponds enhanced, significantly boosting our biodiversity. To help prevent erosion along the douit banks, we’ve carried out wetland restoration measures, including installing Coir Rolls. These not only stabilise the banks but also create valuable habitat that supports nesting wildlife.

Planting and Golf Course Monitoring

All planting at La Grande Mare is 100% organic, using natural soil enhancers such as Blood, Fish & Bone, turkey manure, seaweed tea, and compost and mulch produced on-site—reinforcing our commitment to a closed-loop sustainability model. We’ve also propagated native species already present on the site, including Hawthorn and English Oak, helping to preserve and strengthen the local ecosystem.Meanwhile, evapotranspiration monitoring has helped us optimise irrigation and reduce water waste, enabling us to establish a self-sufficient water system and eliminate any reliance on the public water supply. This ensures that the golf course can be enjoyed all year round, while more wildlife will, hopefully, decide to set up home here at La Grande Mare.

We appreciate La Grande Mare’s environmental and ecological importance to Guernsey and are committed to ensuring its protection and enhancement, which we know is appreciated by our island community.

“We understand that sustainability needs to be embedded into our operations at every level”