Monina Gilbey from Glenelg Golf Club has won a national award from Parks Leisure Australia for her environmental impact at the Adelaide club and beyond.

It is the first time golf has been recognised by PLA Awards of Excellence at the national level, with Gilbey winning the prize for Environmental Stewardship at the function in Brisbane.

Gilbey said she was honoured to be "an honorary turfie" in an industry that comprised just 1.4 percent women. She had a challenge for the audience in Brisbane: “Each one of us can contribute to a better environment and future and I encourage all of you to start a project that will positively impact our future.”

Gilbey is the Biodiversity Manager at Glenelg, in Adelaide’s sandbelt, and has previously won awards within the sport for efforts to introduce native flora and fauna in recent years. Initiatives at Glenelg have included:

• Reintroduction of freshwater fish on water courses.

• Working with a local men’s shed group to build boxes for broken tees, preventing plastic from finding its way into water courses. -Introduction of indigenous food in the clubhouse.

• Introduction of a Green Adelaide Grassroots project with other clubs, with indigenous plants including vulnerable natives fostered.

• Habitat planting to bring back butterflies and rewild a near-extinct butterfly, the Yellowish Sedge Skipper, on golf courses.

• Surveys including microbats, birds and invertebrates

• Rescue of caterpillars

• Establishment of a kitchen garden to reduce the use of plastic wraps

• Recycling plastic and glass bottles through the State’s container deposit scheme that then provides cash back for other initiatives at the club.

Watch a video of some of the work done by Monina Gilbey at Glenelg courtesy of Syngenta.

Taking the story globally, Monina communicates sustainability efforts and fosters biodiversity awareness through speaking engagements, online and social media. Her consultancy business, Torgerson-Gilbey, is driven to help golf thrive in its environmental contribution to Australia. Golf Australia is a year into a national partnership with PLA aimed at improving the perception of the sport at local government level.

“We want everyone to see golf as an important community asset – a hub, a social connector, a protector of environment, an economic contributor,” said Golf Australia’s Head of Government Relations and Corporate Affairs, Carly Goodrich.

“We want councils to maximise the community benefits of golf, whether they be economic, social or environmental.”

Golf Australia staff have presented at PLA conferences around the country this year in support of the sport and emphasising its benefits to the community.