Innovative sustainability at a pioneering Canadian golf course is the focus for the new episode of Syngenta’s YouTube docuseries, The Green Report.
Find out:
- How Mickelson National became the first facility in Canada to achieve GEO Certified status
- The purpose-built facilities allowing the course to recycle town wastewater and cut water consumption by nearly 50%
- Master Superintendent Robin Sadler's innovative conservation tactics, including solar-powered algae control and a transition to lithium equipment
Setting a new sustainability standard in Canada
Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alberta, made history as the first facility in Canada to achieve GEO Certified status for sustainable golf. The episode follows Master Superintendent Robin Sadler, who reveals how data-backed conservation and modern technology drive the course’s day-to-day operations.
Mickelson National opened five years ago alongside a new and growing residential community, Harmony. Purpose-built facilities were established to recycle the town’s wastewater, with the golf course now using treated sewage effluent for irrigation. In the first years of operation, the course has already reduced its overall water consumption by nearly 50%.
"We’ve got a state-of-the-art system with 3,600 sprinkler heads that are designed to target where we need the water when we need the water," Robin explains to host Gary Firkins. "It is a way of thinking. Golf courses can add and help the environment whether it’s recycling water, being responsible about what we’re doing and co-existing with nature."
Elsewhere, host Gary Firkins explores a range of sustainability milestones across the property. On the fifth hole, a self-sustaining floating solar unit shoots ultrasonic waves to kill algae cells, turning a previously stagnant pond into a clear, oxygenated, wildlife-friendly ecosystem. The team is also systematically replacing petrol-powered machinery with electric lithium units, reducing carbon emissions and cutting noise pollution along neighboring community trails.
In partnership with Syngenta’s Operation Pollinator program, the club maintains dedicated wildflower habitats alongside four active beehives, harvesting several hundred jars of local "Harmony Honey" each fall.
Lastly, Gary speaks with Director of Golf Lisa Rosengarten, who outlines how the facility serves as a social center for the local area, offering popular junior programs alongside public access to its year-round Launchpad golf entertainment venue.
Mark Birchmore, Global Head of Marketing, Turf & Landscape for Syngenta, said: "Robin and his team have demonstrated that by combining smart technology, community involvement, and resource recycling, golf courses can deliver exceptional playability while actively benefiting their local environment.
"Mickelson National highlights the importance of embracing innovation in all aspects of the golf course operation in the pursuit of being more sustainable. As Robin himself says, ‘sustainability is a mindset’.”
