Beyond the Fairway: A Reimagined Public Golf and Habitat System
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This capstone project, Beyond the Fairway: A Reimagined Public Golf and Habitat System, investigates the redesign of the Blue Course at Rockleigh Golf Course into a resilient landscape that integrates ecological restoration, stormwater management, and accessible public recreation. Located within Bergen County’s only 27-hole public golf facility, the 68-acre site currently experiences chronic flooding, deteriorating turf conditions, and declining playability due to increased stormwater pressure from surrounding development.
The project asks how golf course redesign can transform underperforming recreational landscapes into multifunctional systems that support habitat creation, improve hydrologic performance, and expand community access. The proposal reimagines the existing course through a reduced executive-style golf layout, ecological corridor networks, public walking trails, wetland infrastructure, and an indoor training facility focused on youth programming and year-round accessibility. Design strategies prioritize sustainable management practices, reduced maintenance inputs, and native habitat restoration while maintaining affordability and recreational value. Ultimately, the project demonstrates how public golf landscapes can evolve beyond conventional recreation to function as environmentally restorative, socially inclusive, and economically sustainable community assets.
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Except where otherwised noted, this item's license is described as Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States