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A u d u b o n
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
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Sponsor Spotlights
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ver the last two decades, Audubon International has made great strides in our effort to help golf courses enhance their valuable natural resources and wildlife habitat areas, improve efficiency, and minimize the potentially harmful environmental impacts of operations. Critical to our success along the way has been support from our members, industry partners, and Initiative Sponsors. Our Golf and Environment Initiative Sponsors recognize the positive impact our programs have on the nature of the game of golf. Many of them offer products and services they feel can assist our members in achieving their environmental management goals on the golf course. All choose to support our efforts and the important work of our members by contributing annually to the Golf and Environment Initiative. Aquatrols: One of the charter contrib-
utors to the Golf and Environment Initiative, Aquatrols is a family owned, specialty chemical company that has been supporting our organization for years. Aquatrols has a strong record of environmental stewardship. In addition to their financial support of Audubon International programs, Aquatrols participates in conferences and seminars worldwide addressing water repellency and eco-friendly water management strategies and funds research that seeks to further more efficient natural resource use, particularly water, and promote environmentally sound management of golf course turf. Aquatrols has chosen to “walk the walk” when it comes to environmental stewardship by enrolling in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for businesses with the purpose of operating their business and managing their property in a manner that is consistent with their company goals, values, and objectives regarding more efficient use of natural resources. The Toro Company: One of the newest
additions to our growing group of Golf and Environment Initiative Sponsors,
The Toro Company has been providing professionals and homeowners with equipment to care for their properties since 1914. The Toro Company’s commitment to improving the environment and quality of life through financial contributions and support of biodiesel in its product lineup is clear. The Toro Giving Program administers scholarships and grants, donates products, and organizes employee volunteerism with the goal of enhancing the health and well being of the environment through outreach and involvement. Agrium Advanced Technologies:
A ‘Sustainer’ Level Golf and Environmental Initiative Sponsor, Agrium Advanced Technologies (ATT) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of slow- and controlled-release nutrients and pest control products for agricultural, and professional turf and lawn care markets. In addition to their earth-friendly products, AAT is committed to supporting environmentally responsible organizations such as Audubon International. AAT also supports the Environmental Institute for Golf’s e-Learning grant and is a proud sponsor of both Project EverGreen and Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment® (RISE). We are proud of all of our sponsors and hope that you take some time to learn more about them. For a complete listing of all Audubon International Initiative Sponsors, please visit www.AudubonInternational.org/ initiativesponsorship.html. To learn more about these, and our other Golf and Initiative Sponsors, please visit www.GolfandEnvironment.com. To become an Initiative Sponsor, please contact our Development Office at 518-767-9051, ext. 120, or email jdeslauriers@auduboninternational.org.
C o m m u n i t y
E n gag e m e n t ,
Sustainability Pla Williamston, Nor
Kevin A. Fletcher, Ph.D. and Suzann
B
ecoming a more sustainable community isn’t easy. It would seem that the benefits far outweigh the effort, for sure, but it takes determination and persistence to make real and lasting changes. A community faces an even greater challenge, however, when economic forces threaten to undermine its progress. An unstable or distressed local economy can turn the path to sustainability into a case of “one step backward for every two steps forward.” Consider, for instance, Williamston, North Carolina—a rural community in eastern North Carolina where the median salary is 22% below the national average; where the unemployment rate is 67% above the national average; and where one in five people live at or below the poverty level. Williamston, a town of about 6,000 residents, is a place where economic forces could theoretically prevent sustainability from ever getting off the ground. Yet, it has made great strides towards becoming a more sustainable community. What Williamston needed at the start was a strategy that would engage its residents and still meet three important criteria. The strategy had to be: 1) inexpensive, 2) easy to implement, and 3) responsive to residents’ needs and concerns. The town also wanted the chosen strategy to raise awareness about sustainability and local environmental issues and motivate residents to participate in helping to address those issues. Members of the Williamston Chamber of Commerce contacted Audubon International about its Sustainable Communities Program, and, over three years, with the help of a sustainability coordinator, the town has worked to include its residents in identifying sustainability indicators and developing a strategic plan that responds to the environmental, social, and economic issues of their town. “The program has made us realize that we, the citizens of Williamston, are responsible for our future,” says Dr. Tom Ward, Williamston’s sustainability coordinator.