STEWARDSHIP NEWS
APES HILL
Eco-Excellence In The Caribbean
ALSO:
Sebonack The Sanctuary
Going Platinum In Puerto Rico
Taiwan’s Sustainable Golf Leaders
A Big Boost For Monarchs In The Rough
OVER $816 ,000 GRANTED ACROSS 59 PROJECTS
THE FAIRWAYS FOUNDATION COULD HELP FUND YOUR PROJECT
Aquatrols established The Fairways Foundation with the purpose of funding local and global projects that advance the conservation of our natural resources. These projects will help to preserve the environment we live and work in while encouraging education and stewardship not only within our own industry but also within wider communities. GRANT
you are considering environmentally conscious projects visit TheFairWaysFoundation.co m for more details.
AsCEO CORNER
Going Even More ‘International’
Audubon International moves ever closer to its 40th year of leading the way in sustainable best practices–only two years to go–I invite you to pay extra attention to the second word in our title.
Enhancing environmental stewardship for golf courses, hotels, resorts, communities, and municipalities is a large-scale, around-the-world movement, as in truly international. Every year we bring new foreign locales into the certification fold. From our Canadian friends to the north and the Caribbean and Central America to the south, to far-flung destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and Asia, the Audubon International goal to “create sustainable areas where we all live, work, and play” is growing in big, impactful, lasting ways.
Take as a prime example this issue’s cover subject, Apes Hill in Barbados. Located at the northern tip of an island that epitomizes the region’s incredible diversity in terrain, climate, wildlife, and culture, Apes Hill was reborn not long ago as a community fully committed to conservation across the board. After its original golf course proved less than friendly to players and difficult to maintain in a sustainable way, Apes Hill’s owners brought in a design team to reinvent it in every way, giving it new life as a living example of how to marry a great game to its natural environment. With his careful and science-driven approach to turf maintenance, water use, fertilizer application, wildlife habitat and more, New Zealand-born Golf Course Superintendent Ed Paskins continues to set a high standard for all destinations in the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, halfway around the world on the much larger and vastly more populated island of Taiwan, ACSP Certification Manager Scott Turner took in the different geographic and climate issues faced by member courses such as Horng-Shee Tai-Ping and National Golf Club. All three courses are situated on mountainous sites next to huge cities, which makes irrigation a true challenge, especially when the rainy season sets in, but truly dedicated crews make the best of it even in the face of budgetary headwinds–a much different operating landscape than what Scott discovered during a previous visit to China. You’ll read more about his impressions of Taiwan elsewhere in this issue.
The inspiring stories of sustainability continue across the map, and they’re found both among and beyond our more traditional golf-based partners. While ACSP for Golf is still far and away our core certification program, we’re seeing great growth in Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Certifications too. Long a valued partner across the United States, Marriott Vacations Worldwide continues to invest in certifying resorts outside our borders, too, especially in Caribbean destinations like Aruba, British Virgin Islands, and St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Regis is also coming on board, most recently with its Bahia Beach property in Puerto Rico. And, of course, there’s plenty of overlap between golf and lodging, as illustrated last year when the Cabot Collection, one of the world’s leading golf destination companies, enrolled every property in its expanding portfolio in our Signature Sanctuary Platinum program. Cabot’s leadership and staff are working hard to assure that every course, lodging and residential element, and restaurant will earn this elite distinction over the next few years. Cabot is a Canada-based company, and just the latest on a rapidly growing list of north-of-the-border partners that stretch from Vancouver in the west to Cape Breton in the east. We truly appreciate their belief in and commitment to our mission, and we look forward to seeing more Canadian courses and resorts come into the fold.
Next over the horizon? We see the potential for adding public and private communities and developments to our certified Sustainable Communities rolls as the world works as one to explore and implement proven and powerful best practices in environmental stewardship, while doing our part to fight the effects of global climate change. We are truly all in this together, and we appreciate the confidence every current and future member has in our certification programs, at all points across the globe.
www.auduboninternational.org
518.767.9051 | Toll-free 1.844.767.9051
Audubon International Headquarters 120 Defreest Drive, Troy, NY 12180
STAFF
Christine Kane , Chief Executive Officer christine@auduboninternational.org
Fred Realbuto, Chief Operating Officer fred@auduboninternational.org
Frank LaVardera, Director, Environmental Programs for Golf frank@auduboninternational.org
Mark O'Mell, Director, Signature Sanctuary Certification mark@auduboninternational.org
Greg Poirier, Director, Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Certifications greg@auduboninternational.org
Scott Turner, ACSP Certification Manager scott@auduboninternational.org
Jill Moore, Sustainable Communities Program Manager jill@auduboninternational.org
Sarah Honan, Environmental Program Manager sarah@auduboninternational.org
Kelsey King, Environmental Program Manager kelsey@auduboninternational.org
Alexandra Kellam, Environmental Program Manager alexandra@auduboninternational.org
Lauren Wengender, Environmental Program Manager lauren@auduboninternational.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Henry DeLozier, Chairman
Rich Katz, Vice Chairman
Marvin Moriarty, Secretary
Henry Wallmeyer, Treasurer
JC Chi
Ruth Engle
Jennifer Grant, Ph.D.
Rick Lohman
Jim Pavonetti, CGCS
Jake Riekstins
David Robinson, CGCS
James Singerling, CCM
Bryan Stromme
2
Green
Lodge
Cabot Collection Opens Citrus Farms
Winnetka Golf Course: Another
Florida’s
It’sCHAIRMAN’S CORNER
Our Mission Keeps Growing Around the World
been nearly four decades since Audubon International was formed and our first eco-certification partnerships were formed. As the challenges of global climate change come into focus, our non-profit organization’s vetted and effective science-based efforts to help golf courses, and clubs, hospitality venues, communities, and business incorporate environmental sustainability best practices into every corner of operations have only grown in importance.
Our goal continues to be “to create environmentally sustainable environments where people live, work, and play,” across the United States and around the globe. We are more devoted to our mission than ever and enthusiastically invite others to join us.
Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic threw the planet into a deep recession, Audubon International remains on solid financial footing thanks to the considerable efforts of Christine Kane, our CEO, and her terrific team working from our Troy, New York, headquarters. Christine, her dedicated AI leadership, and a stable of truly talented Environmental Program Managers continue to work together, via field visits and ever-evolving certification standards and practices, to keep Audubon International financially fit and prepared to fulfill its mission.
Behind this on-the-ground team is a Board that I’m proud to lead–a group made up of true servant leaders. It includes Vice Chair Rich Katz, marketing and business strategist now serving as CEO at Katz Strategy in the Washington, DC area; Secretary Marvin Moriarty, an avid birder who spent nearly 40 years with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); Treasurer Henry Wallmeyer, President and COO of ClubWorks and former CEO of the National Club Association; and at-large members JC Chi, Principal and Co-Founder of Kuo Diedrich Chi Planners & Architects; Ruth Engle, Chief Financial Officer at Troon Golf; Jennifer Grant, an entomologist and IPM expert retired from Cornell University; Rick Lohman, Senior Director of Corporate Accounts for The Toro Company; Jim Pavonetti, Certified Golf Course Superintendent and Director of Golf Course and Grounds at Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Conn.; Jake Riekstins, Chief Development Officer at Landscapes Unlimited; David Robinson, Lead Agronomist and Golf National Accounts Manager for Target Specialty Products; Jim Singerling, former CEO of the Club Management Association of America; and Bryan Stromme, Vice President of Agronomy for Century Golf Partners and Arnold Palmer Golf Management. This is truly an active and involved Board of Directors, keeping the organization’s strategic plan moving forward and providing strong counsel and support to the AI mission.
Our mission continues to expand both domestically and abroad. Audubon International’s more than 2,000 members participate in certification programs which focus on reducing water and chemical usage, increasing wildlife habitat areas, saving energy, and more. Six dedicated certification programs include the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP), ACSP for Golf, Green Hospitality/Green Lodging, Signature Sanctuary, and the Sustainable Communities Program. We are proud that so many have joined the cause and always encourage more to join us.
Two conservation initiatives actively support our mission: BioBlitz, which is held every spring at courses in the United States, Canada, and further abroad, and Monarchs in the Rough, which recently received a $25,000 grant from The FairWays Foundation to help Audubon International distribute milkweed habitat seed to participating courses along the butterfly’s migration corridors. We also work hand-in-hand with several stewardship-centered companies to make sure our partners are equipped and supplied with the latest sustainable products, services and techniques.
Launching into its next generation with purpose and determination to be of good service, Audubon International is ever-prepared to make the Earth–and our use of it–better for all.
Henry Delozier, Chairman of the Board
Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Leads New Certification Growth Spurt in 2024
More than 300 recertifications across all categories also marked a big year for Audubon International
Audubon International reports that 2024 continued to see impressive growth in new certifications across all of its programs.
Most new certifications were awarded in the golf and lodging categories, while nearly 300 recertifications were also awarded to existing partners, some of whom have maintained their certifications dating back to the 1990s. Programs include Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary (ACSP), ACSP for Golf, Green Lodging, Green Hospitality, Signature Sanctuary, and Sustainable Communities. Each program provides third-party on-site verification of vetted, science-supported sustainable practices and benchmarks across all required categories. In the case of golf, that includes Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management, and Outreach and Education.
“Once again, 2024 was a strong year for new certification growth across our suite of programs,” says Christine Kane, CEO. “We are particularly heartened and proud to see deeper interest in and pursuit of certification in our Green Lodging/Green Hospitality programs, which reflects the industry’s acknowledgement of sustainable best practices as a business and market response necessity. Audubon International continues to lead the way helping golf courses, resorts, communities, and businesses of all kinds invest in a brighter future for the planet, and for all who coexist on it.”
While the ACSP for Golf continues as the organization’s flagship certification path with nearly 2,000 courses worldwide, Audubon International continues to build on its enhanced Signature Sanctuary Platinum level option for new projects–a compre-
hensive, overarching path that includes golf, lodging, other buildings and infrastructure. Introduced in 2023, it added several high-profile travel industry leaders to its enrollment numbers in 2024, including the Cabot Collection. Meanwhile, newly certified Green Lodging Partners ran the gamut from urban hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton Denver to destination resorts such as St. Regis Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico, Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Michigan, and Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, whose golf courses are also well-established Signature Sanctuary members.
Each year, Audubon International’s team of Environmental Specialists perform initial site visits at prospective certified properties as well as recertification visits across the country and internationally. They then provide point-by-point feedback based on each venue’s location, resources, budgets, and needs, help keep them on track through the process, and sign off on new certifications and recertifications once all criteria are met. Timelines vary but can take up to a year or more. Once certified, each partner has powerful proof of their sustainability efforts to report to members, customers, managers, owners, and other stakeholders.
Keweenaw Resort on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula earned its first Green Hospitality Certification in 2024.
Lodge at Spruce Peak Achieves Green Hospitality Certification
AudubonInternational announced in late 2024 that The Lodge at Spruce Peak, the centerpiece of a sustainability-driven, all-seasons resort community in Stowe, Vermont, has achieved Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Platinum-level Certification.
A Hyatt Destination property, the 250-room-andsuite Lodge at Spruce Peak was originally certified at the Gold Green Lodging/Green Hospitality level in January 2009. Spruce Peak was also certified as an Audubon International Sustainable Community in 2010, while its Mountain Course gained Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf certification in 2007.
“In a state long recognized for its commitment to its environment, The Lodge at Spruce Peak has set an even higher bar for the lodging industry throughout New England and indeed the entire nation,” says Christine Kane, CEO of Audubon International. “Now that the Lodge is Green Lodging certified alongside the golf course and community as a whole, Spruce Peak is that rare destination that indeed takes sustainable best practices to heart. We congratulate owner-developer Sam Gaines and his entire team on seeing their vision through and putting it into impressive action.”
Available to any lodging facility from inns and lodges to full-scale resorts such as Spruce Peak, the Green Lodging Program provides third-party verification that certified lodging facilities have met environmental best practice standards and have demonstrated a strong commitment to making improvements. Through a comprehensive method for assessing the extent of the environmental measures undertaken, participating facilities can reduce environment-related costs and gain a marketing advantage. Areas of focus include Communication, Community, Waste & Materials, Water Conservation, Energy, and Chemicals & Air Quality. Properties must recertify every three years.
“As Vermont’s winter recreation season kicks into high gear, The Lodge at Spruce Peak, its staff, and its customers indeed have much to celebrate,” says Greg Poirier, Director of Green Hospitality Certification
Programs for Audubon International. “Reaching the Platinum level shows their deep respect for the environment and clearly illustrates their plan to operate in balance with nature.”
Adds David Lockard, Managing Director at the Lodge at Spruce Peak, “Achieving platinum tier recognition from Audubon International is a remarkable honor and a testament to the passion and dedication of our team at Spruce Peak. This accomplishment underscores our commitment to environmental sustainability and preserving the natural beauty that makes Stowe so unique. We are proud to be part of a global movement toward protecting our planet and will continue to prioritize responsible stewardship in all that we do.”
The Lodge at Spruce Peak is part of a full-fledged Audubon International Sustainable Community in northern Vermont.
SIGNATURE SANCTUARY PLATINUM MEMBER CABOT COLLECTION OPENS CITRUS FARMS
TheCabot Collection is opening Cabot Citrus Farms, a 1,200-acre sanctuary nestled among the rolling hills, ancient moss-covered oaks and sand pines of Florida’s picturesque Nature Coast. Marking the brand’s U.S. debut, the property features two revitalized 18hole golf courses and two unique shorter courses, among other amenities.
With sustainability at its core, Cabot is the first multi-property brand to enroll every golf course and surrounding built environment into Audubon International’s comprehensive Platinum Signature Sanctuary certification program. The entire Cabot Citrus Farms property is under one certification umbrella, including golf courses, clubhouse facilities, lodging, real estate, restaurants, and retail.
“The former World Woods Golf Club always stood out to me for its enchanting setting and dramatic elevation changes unlike anything I’d ever seen across the state of Florida,” Cabot CEO and co-founder Ben Cowan-Dewar said. “It has been an honor to reimagine this iconic site alongside our amazing team. We drew inspiration from the property’s rich history and natural beauty to create a destination that will bring people together through incredible golf experiences, outdoor adventures and a strong sense of community.” — Golf Course Industry
Another Illinois Course Joins Certification Family
Winnetka Golf Club, a Kemper Sports-operated public facility near Chicago, has been designated a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, joining an elite group of golf courses worldwide recognized for their environmental stewardship. The certification highlights the club’s efforts for wildlife conservation, sustainable maintenance practices and education.
“We are thrilled to achieve this milestone,” director of agronomy Andrew Garner said. “Our team has worked tirelessly to enhance natural habitats, support pollinators, and implement eco-friendly practices across the course. This certification reflects our dedication to preserving the environment while delivering an exceptional golfing experience.”
During the certification process, the club made significant strides in habitat enhancement, including the addition of butterfly gardens, songbird nest boxes and brush piles to support local wildlife. More than 30 supplemental structures for avian species and bats were
installed, and extensive efforts were made to naturalize shorelines and promote biodiversity.
“This recognition showcases the park district’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” executive director Shannon Nazzal said. “Winnetka Golf Club is a shining example of how public facilities can balance recreation and conservation. We’re incredibly proud of Andrew and the entire KemperSports team for their dedication.”
The Audubon International certification comes on the heels of a significant golf course renovation project that included environmental protection benefits, including underground storage tanks to assist with flooding in the Village of Winnetka and reservoir and water conveyance throughout the property.
Audubon International commended the golf club for its efforts to protect wildlife habitats, minimize chemical use and conserve water through innovative irrigation practices and vegetation management.
Citrus Farms offers four courses: Karoo, Roost, The Squeeze, and The Wedge. All are part of the company’s commitment to Signature Sanctuary Platinum Certification.
Photo by Matt Majka | Cabot Collection
Florida’s Windsor Gains ACSP for Golf Certification
Windsor, a 472-acre private sporting and residential community on the barrier island of Vero Beach along Florida’s Treasure Coast, announced its 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. has been certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. The designation follows a comprehensive evaluation of Windsor’s environmental standards for the golf course. The course is now one of only 900 courses in the world to hold this certification.
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, developed by Audubon International, guides golf courses in protecting the environment and preserving golf’s natural heritage. The path to certification includes a review of environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction, water conservation, and water quality management. The club’s accomplishments include expanding native vegetation, removing invasive plant species, providing quality water habitat, and conducting water quality testing.
courses including St. Andrews Links, the Honors Course and Chevy Chase Club.
“We are honored to receive recognition as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary,” said Betsy Hanley, CEO and president of Torwest, Inc., and president of Windsor Real Estate, Inc. “This certification directly aligns with Windsor’s mission to incorporate innovative sustainable practices into our residential community, and we look forward to launching new programming initiatives in line with Audubon International.”
“Windsor Florida has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Audubon International CEO Christine Kane.
Leading sustainability efforts at the golf course is Windsor’s newly appointed director of agronomy, Jared Nemitz. Previously working at The Ford Field & River Club, Nemitz brings experience and a passion for golf course management. He holds a bachelor’s and masters degree in agronomy from Purdue University, and has 25 years of experience at premier
Nemitz has led certification efforts with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf designation at several courses, was recognized by the USGA Green Section for putting green management and served as an annual presenter at industry education conferences including the American Society of Agronomy, Georgia Environmental Conference, USGA Regional meetings, GCSAA Conference and Trade Show and other state association meetings.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jared Nemitz to our team at Windsor,” Windsor director of golf Ryan Skipton said. “With his extensive background and dedication to maintaining top-tier playing conditions, we are confident that he will make significant contributions to the already outstanding golf program at Windsor.”
Windsor’s 18-hole golf course initially opened in 1991. In 2019, Jones Jr. returned with his team to carry out an extensive renovation of the 120-acre course that recaptured the original design intent and updated golf holes in concert with today’s game. To reduce the golf club’s carbon footprint, the renovation introduced various environmentally conscious features including a more drought-tolerant variety of Bermuda grass, a reduction in the areas needing mowing and the installation of a new irrigation system.
More information: www.windsorflorida.com
Windsor Golf Club originally opened in 1991 but a 2019 redesign made it much more sustainable. Photo courtesy of Windsor
MONARCHS IN THE ROUGH
Audubon International Awarded $25k FairWays Foundation Grant for Monarchs In The Rough
Audubon International is proud to announce that it has received a $25,000 grant from The FairWays Foundation to help sustain and grow its popular Monarchs In The Rough program, in which golf courses establish milkweed habitat where the endangered butterflies can lay eggs during their seasonal migration periods. Grant funds will be used to provide regionally appropriate milkweed seeds and program signs to participating courses.
“We are delighted and honored to receive a grant from FairWays Foundation,” said Audubon International CEO Christine Kane. “Monarchs In The Rough is one of our most popular and vital ongoing conservation initiatives, with participants within and outside the United States. This grant will go a long way in helping golf courses do their part to bolster Monarch populations along their Western Hemisphere migration corridors.”
A stand-alone 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by The Aquatrols Company in 2019, The FairWays Foundation is dedicated to advancing conservation and environmental stewardship
“This grant will go a long way in helping golf courses do their part to bolster Monarch populations along their Western Hemisphere migration corridors.”
— Christine Kane
worldwide. By providing grants to both small and large-scale projects, the foundation addresses critical environmental challenges and supports educational initiatives in the golf industry and the wider world. For the 2024 grant cycle, Audubon International’s Monarchs In The Rough grant was one of 11 awards totaling $119,040.
“The FairWays Foundation is extremely proud of this year’s grant recipients. They represent three continents with an increased focus on public outreach and education,” said Greg Lovell, President of The FairWays Foundation and Central East Territory Manager for The Aquatrols Company. “Our total give is now over $800,000 since 2019. We can’t wait to see the finished projects and observe the positive impacts they are having within their communities.”
Workers install milkweed habitat for Monarchs at University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Georgia. Photo courtesy of University of Georgia
Apes Hill’s Deep Sustainability Roots
Barbados’ High-End Resort Takes Certified Status to Heart
By Vic Williams
The Caribbean island of Barbados might be small–only 22 miles long and 12 miles wide–but in terms of environmental stewardship, it’s a powerhouse.
Apes Hill, a 475-acre, 600-member luxury resort and residential club woven through lush hills and valleys on the island’s west coast, is the source of that power. In the year and a half since it achieved Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf certification for its 18-hole course, which reopened in 2022 after a complete redesign by Ron Kirby, it has gathered a slew of travel industry and media honors for its stem-to-stern commitment to sustainable best practices. The chorus continued when Scott Turner, Audubon International Manager of ACSP for Golf programs, visited in 2024. “Overall, I was very pleased by Apes Hill environmental stewardship,” he said.
“When Scott visited, I actually had some anx-
iety,” said Apes Hill Superintendent Ed Paskins, a New Zealand native who arrived on Barbados 23 years ago after building a strong stewardship resume at golf courses in the Philippines–two of which also earned ACSP for Golf certification. “[I thought], ‘I’ve actually got somebody showing up who knows what he’s doing. We’re all just doing what we think we’re doing right.’ Honestly, it was a very emotional time with Scott to realize that we actually are doing the right thing. It was something the team and I were really proud of–to have somebody that knows what he’s doing to come in and say, ‘you are actually doing a good job here.’”
“We didn’t just build another green sustainable golf course; we’re building an eco-system rooted in responsible behavior that puts our people, our wildlife and our planet first,” said Sunil Chatrani, Apes Hill’s Executive Chairman, when the certification was announced in July 2023. That same year,
The first iteration of Apes Hill’s golf course was a tough go for golfers, and didn’t fit the land in a way that made sustainable best practices achievable. A popular and spectacular re-routing and remodeling eliminating those issues.
Now Apes Hill is a stewardship leader.
Photo courtesy of Apes Hill
the club added a state-of-the-art Golf Performance Center, and more recently, Paskins and his team of 65 strong have been working hard to get a new 9-hole executive course off the ground, with the goal of opening in mid-2025.
BUY-IN AND BIG STRIDES
“The team is really excited about working with the environment,” Paskins added. “Most of them were involved in the first [golf course] project [in the mid2000s], and they’re seeing the feedback from homeowners. People who live on the property are buying into the project, which has been really exciting. I expected a little bit of buy-in, but from the homeowners to the owner of the project, everybody’s a hundred percent behind what we’re doing.”
By any reasonable measure, they’re doing plenty, literally starting from the ground up. To turf the course’s 70-odd in-play acres, Paskins has run the climate gauntlet–it’s a delicate balance planning for both deluge and drought–by planting Zoysia, Bermuda and Paspalum. “We were the first course to plant Paspalum Supreme, which was not very successful [on the first course],” he says. “So this time we’ve gone with Zoysia, but even with that, I haven’t been specific with it in the wet areas, where Paspalum grows naturally. I’m not using selective herbicides. We’re just trying to keep it as natural as we can.”
That goes for irrigation, too. Apes Hill relies exclusively on rainwater, a practice dating back to the days when the land was occupied mostly by a dairy farm, with some sugar cane scattered here and there. “We had more milk than water,” Paskins says, only half-joking. “Construction took many years. Now we have 60 million gallons of rainwater stored. There are not many golf courses in the Caribbean able to catch all the water they require to run a golf course all year. Even in the [maintenance] facility, everything is used on rainwater. I don’t see us ever running out of water, but obviously if I have six months of a dry spell, it becomes an issue.”
Judicious water use is the rule across the board at Apes Hill, both on and off the course. Paskins’ crew also oversees 60 acres of livestock grazing area, along with nearly 50 beehives and 17 acres of fruit trees–the core of the property’s growing farmto-table program. “We’re growing a lot of our herbs, edible flowers, pumpkins, basic crops. We do all the fruit trees–mangoes, passion fruit, pineapples. We’re growing cocoa trees, coffee trees, tobacco,
all the crops that have been grown on Barbados in the past, including sugarcane. Instead of just having landscape, we have usable, edible plants.”
SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS
To bring all this trendsetting work to fruition, so to speak, Paskins plans to hire consultants to “work on the organic tees and the fertilizing programs and really capture the farm to table concept–putting in hydroponics and bringing food to the restaurant so that members can see that it’s coming straight off the land to the kitchen. We’ll be doing eggs, chickens, some different livestock in areas that need grazing. So that’s really the immediate plan. Turf-wise, we’ve got everything where it needs to be. We’re just fine-tuning and reducing the chemical usage.”
Another big thing on the horizon: Spreading the gospel of sustainability throughout the Caribbean golf and resort communities, starting with his own.
A majestic tree along Apes Hill’s “Sandbox Trail.”
Photo by Ed Paskins | Courtesy of Apes Hill
“Ed participates in speaking engagements on the realities of golf course management and environmental issues,” says Turner, “He takes club members and property guests on walking tours of the property and hikes through the property’s ‘Sandbox’ trail.”
Though he’s as gregarious and enthusiastic as a 30-year super can be, Paskins is still finding his stride as an environmental evangelist. “I did a speech recently with the Marine Reserve here on Barbados, and I said, ‘We’ve just turned 500 acres into arguably one of the best environmental golf clubs in the world,’ but it was just a small group. The rest of island needs to take notice. We definitely have work to do in the industry, I feel. We need to all start working together to make things happen.”
Over the past few years, several colleagues from around the islands have reached out to Paskins–known by the locals as “Kiwi the Grass Man”– for his advice. The team at Cabot St. Lucia, which is going for Audubon International Platinum Signature Sanctuary Certification along with every other course in the Cabot Collection, “used to call me every other week when they were doing their construction,” he says. “It’s exciting and we hope we can spread what we are doing to the other islands, that they buy in and they see the publicity we’re getting. I need to promote what we’re doing because the people here
Located on the western side of Barbados, Apes Hill is blessed with plenty of elevation change, bringing into play several mini climate zones. Native areas abound for plenty of wildlife, including migrating birds.
Photo Courtesy of Apes Hill
Apes Hill maintains some 50 bee boxes around the property
Photo by Ed Paskins | Courtesy of Apes Hill
“Growing grass is the easy part. I love going to work every day. I have 65 people on the team who are great characters and a real asset.”
— Ed Paskins
are registering what we’re doing, that we are doing the right things.”
CHARACTER AND PARTNERSHIP
Paskins is quick to add that none of this progress would be possible without his strong partnership with Turner and all Audubon International leadership. “It’s really shown me the way to be passionate about being a superintendent. It teaches me how to audit my business in an environmental fashion in the way I should do rather than what I think I want
to do. We’re practical people in the Caribbean and I think that’s what really showed when Scott came in. What we’re doing in the field is better than most.”
And that takes total teamwork, and a shared love for preserving as much of the island’s natural magic as possible.
“The two things I think are important as the superintendent are the environment and human psychology. Growing grass is the easy part. I love going to work every day and I have 65 people on the team who are great characters; they’re a real asset. That’s what people come here for–not just the island, but the individuality of what our people bring to the table.”
To get the full picture of how Apes Hill is changing sustainable golf and leisure in the Caribbean–and what future environmentally sound amenities are in progress–visit www.apeshill.com.
Taiwan: Mountains, Turtles & Plenty of Rain
DESPITE CHALLENGES, THE ISLAND’S GOLF COURSES STRIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Inmost Americans’ minds, the word “Taiwan” conjures a few popular embedded images. A large, educated populace. Skyscrapers. Inexpensive electronics. The occasional typhoon.
One word that might not come so easily is golf. While there is a handful of courses on the island of some 24 million souls perched between the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea, the sport just hasn’t taken root as deeply as it has in other Southeast Asia nations such as Thailand or Vietnam, or on mainland China itself, which experienced an extreme golf course boom in the 1990s and 2000s before slowing down over the past two decades.
For one thing, Taiwan’s mountainous terrain, coupled with its dense population, makes building courses a constant and often extreme challenge. That didn’t stop intrepid architects and investors
from engineering them among severe slopes and hollows above large, congested cities, and several of them have taken on another level of challenge: Earning and maintaining Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) certification.
At present, three Taiwan courses are ACSP certified – Horng-Shee Tai-Ping in Taichung City, National Golf Country Club in Miaoli, and Wu Fong Golf Club in Wu Fong District. All are public, semi-private or resort-based, and two were on the November 2024 site visit itinerary of Scott Turner, Audubon International’s globetrotting ACSP Manager, who sat down for a Stewardship News “debrief” after returning from his visit.
“I visited National and Horng-Shee Tai-Ping, which is about an hour bullet train ride south of Taipei,” Turner says. “Tai-Ping has been a long-
Audubon International was invited to the meeting of the Taiwan Golf Association in November.
standing member of ours. They invited Dr. Ching-Hsiang Hsieh [pronounced ‘Shea’], Professor of Emeritus Department of Plant Industry at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, to the visit. He is known as the founding father of golf course agronomy in the country. And the superintendent, Hung-Ming Chen or “Chen” for short, was one of his first graduating students. That was kind of unique. He was educated in the States.”
What are the biggest differences between Taiwan and mainland China as far as their overall golf culture and the way they do things in a sustainable manner?
I was told by one of the superintendents that golf courses can’t just be built anywhere. The island is small and the topography is predominantly mountainous. Flat land is exclusively for agriculture and residential areas like apartments and high rises. So golf courses are primarily built on “unnatural” topography settings–huge undulations, which makes for a lot of challenging man-
agement. One thing I learned is the runoff is crazy because the slopes are so steep, and then of course they have typhoon season, several months where it’s just constant rain. It’s a challenge to capture that rainfall because it's coming off the mountain so quickly.
Another thing that I found interesting: On mainland China, there was never an issue finding qualified maintenance workers. Often those golf courses would have a few hundred staff working, and that was the polar opposite of Taiwan, which struggles to find quality candidates working in the golf industry. Taiwan has a culture of academia–parents want their children to become doctors and lawyers. They’re seriously looking into hiring foreign workers like you’d see in the United States, from laces like the Philippines and Vietnam.
Any similarities?
Like mainland China, Taiwan has feral hogs. A mitigating tactic one course uses is lining native areas with speakers. When the course was closed at night, they would turn on speakers to a radio
station. You would just hear people talking like a radio show or music, and that would spook the hogs. As gimmicky as it may sound, it’s actually working. I was shown a couple areas on the golf course where there was some damage, but before they installed the speakers, there was damage everywhere. They also get quite a few wild dogs; they were setting off little firecrackers to scare them, which works, but then at the same time, you are scaring off bird species. That’s not really ideal. We talked about other ideas to deter them.
Given the island’s dense population, creating “desirable” wildlife habitat must be a challenge.
These golf courses are doing a lot to provide quality habitat for wildlife. An endangered species of eagle resides on one golf course. Another thing I found interesting is that in Taiwan and China, there’s an exotic animal trade– [animals for] consumption and pets. The yellow pond turtle is nearly extinct in Taiwan due to that very reason–it’s a delicacy. TaiPing is the only golf course in the immediate area that is home two a couple dozen yellow pond turtles. They’ve set up wildlife cameras to capture them, and
they work with a local university to monitor them and conduct research. They’re proud that a lot of national icon species and species under threat call their golf courses home.
Then there’s the climate challenge …
Taiwan has a monsoon season and a drought season. In the past year alone they had 14 typhoons, several feet of rain, and in another recent stretch they had 14 months of drought. With such extreme weather events it’s difficult to grow grass. They just can't really predict the weather anymore. Both golf courses have been implementing new turf species that can handle a ton of rain.
Also, in Taiwan, it’s overcast quite often. Some of that has to do with air pollution–they don't get a whole lot of direct sunlight, which then makes it difficult for growing grass. They’re adding new turf species that are shade tolerant as well. They do have the resources but it’s so difficult to maintain healthy, hardy turf there.
Dr. Ching-Hsiang Hsieh, Professor of Emeritus Department of Plant Industry at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, and superintendent, Hung-Ming Chen of HorngShee Tai-Ping Golf Course.
A sign on Tai-Ping informs players that this water feature is home to the yellow pond turtle, which is endangered in the region.
How about their maintenance equipment?
Have they embraced the latest technology?
They’re spending quite a bit of money to get the latest and greatest technology. They are using electric equipment, investing in solar panels, autonomous mowers, which I saw in action. They used drones to check for hotspots and grass condition on certain areas of the golf course. The autonomous mowers aren’t cheap, and everything is coming from the United States. Even with shipping cost increases, they’re committed to having the latest greatest technology. In your estimation, how do the courses work with their surrounding communities?
Both golf courses are very charitable. They host a lot of local youth, kids who may have never seen golf courses. They walk them around the property, showing them what equipment does and asking if they can spot any wildlife. Both courses also work with a wildlife rescue center, the Taiwan Wild Bird Federation.
And how do they publicize their Audubon International certification?
They are extremely proud of their certifications and went to the expense of getting massive custom-made signage installed all over the clubhouses. That was unique. All the golf carts had “Audubon
International Certified” stamped on the windshield. Do you see more Taiwan courses coming on board? There’s interest from other golf courses on the island about getting certified. The superintendents I worked with, who speak English quite well, have been helping others navigate the language barrier. Also, we’ve been invited to speak in next year’s Taiwan Golf Association Convention. I think they have a bright future, despite the challenges.
The three golf courses currently maintaining ACSP for Golf Certificaiton on Taiwan are very proud of their status, displaying the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary logo throughout their clubhouses.
Bonita Bay Keeps Seizing The Stewardship Day
As a community celebrating 20 years as an environmental steward with Audubon International, Bonita Bay’s goals and priorities have naturally evolved right along with what is now the Sustainable Communities Program. Bonita Bay’s accomplishments are an example to other communities as to the benefits of being an Audubon International Sustainable Community partner and having a plan in place for achieving common goals.
Community Strengths
Although Bonita Bay was planned in the early 1980s, before the environmental movement gained momentum, a deep respect for nature and its preservation guided the community’s design. More than half of Bonita Bay’s acreage was set aside for natural areas and open space, and residential neighborhoods were sited to take advantage of views of nature without impacting it.
During early planning, the development team completed the most thorough site assessment ever undertaken in Southwest Florida. The information helped design a community that would not merely co-exist in harmony with the ecosystem but enhance it. Land was selectively hand-cleared; specimen trees, wildlife habitat and natural wetlands were preserved, and invasive exotics were replaced with native species.
From the perspective of Audubon International, some highlights of the community’s strengths and accomplishments include:
• A longstanding and noteworthy commitment to the environment and to sustainability.
• A thriving community that values Bonita Bay’s unique natural setting
• Exemplary volunteerism and involved, educated residents
• Supportive staff and a positive working relationship with residents as well as contractors to achieve
environmental initiatives and share an interest in promoting sustainable awareness and best practices
• Ongoing nature-based educational and recreation opportunities
• Community involvement and relationships with like-minded organizations outside of Bonita Bay, from vendors at the Farmers Market to Master Naturalists and local schools
• Commendable water quality, stormwater and pond management
• Continuous plans for upgrades to natural areas and pond buffers through planting native plants and trees
• Preservation of native plants and wildlife habitats
• Award-winning Marina with exemplary best practices in place
Bonita Bay is one of southwest Florida’s most wildlife-rich communities
A common denominator across all certified Sustainable Communities are the volunteers that make it possible.
THE LANDINGS, SKIDAWAY ISLAND, GEORGIA
Skidaway Audubon: “Educating, engaging and enhancing our world.”
Projects Include Butterfly Gardens; Nest Boxes; and Nature Notices, a community publication to educate residents on protecting wildlife habitats and more. Another unique highlight of their volunteerism is their “reptile rescue,” the largest program in the nation to rescue, incubate and release Diamondback Terrapins.
OLDFIELD CLUB, OKATIE, SOUTH CAROLINA:
Oldfield Volunteer Corps or OVC, whose motto is “I volunteer because I care,” is composed of residents seeking to volunteer their time to community service projects in and around Oldfield for the betterment of neighbors as well as the physical and natural environment. The residents of Oldfield have many skills and talents that often match up with the needs of the community; the OVC is dedicated to bringing those together when appropriate and cost-effective.
Projects include managing a community garden that is truly a shared effort. In most community gardens individuals are responsible for their own plots, but in Oldfield they share the work and the produce! Other projects include helping with the upkeep and maintenance of the neighborhood from building a chicken coop to mending fences and painting venues.
AMELIA ISLAND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA
Amelia Island Foundation Volunteers: “In harmony with nature.”
The most recent project completed by the volunteers of Ameilia Island is the Pollinator Pathway. Along the roadway to the “front door” of Amelia Island, volunteers have worked tirelessly to remove
invasive vines and replant native plants. Through this multi-phase project they have consulted with local experts, held fundraising events, and hold educational opportunities for the community.
VILLAGE OF HAWTHORN WOODS, ILLINOIS
Sustainable Committee: “Rural by Design.”
The Hawthorn Woods Sustainable Committee is dedicated to hosting educational volunteer events throughout the year to support the local environ-
ment and bring the community together. Some examples of annual events are the Arbor Day Tree Give-A-Way; Adopt-A-Highway; and the Buckthorn Buster Day. Recently the volunteers teamed up with the local Eagle Scouts as well and dedicated a Memorial Pollinator Garden to be shared with the community as a beautiful place to visit and provide a wildlife habitat.
TOWN OF RED HOOK, NEW YORK
Motto: “For the Community, By the Community.”
A town that thrives on lending a hand and serving the community–from creating and maintaining nature trails to volunteering for one of the many opportunities offered at local community center, Red Hook sets the bar high for volunteerism and a true show of support for their residents.
Amelia Island Pollinator Pathway
Audubon International’s Jill Moore with a tiny Diamondback Terrapin
The Village of Hawthorn Woods invites youth groups to help plant pollinator gardens
Red Hook is rife with nature trails
Oldfield Club volunteers bring a wealth of talents to the tasks at hand
Sebonack’s Long Island Leadership Sustainability is In This Private Club’s Bones
By Vic Williams
Whenyou’re in the company of giants, you’ve got to do something special to stand out. So that’s exactly what the developers of Sebonack Golf Club on Long Island did, from the day in the early 2000s when the first shovelful of sandy Peconic Bay soil turned over within view of the clubhouses serving two of America’s truly legendary golf locales: The National and Shinnecock Hills.
Armed with a well-publicized and thoroughly scrutinized set of plans from the superstar design partnership of Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus–still their only team effort to date–Sebonack’s shapers and agronomists made environmental stewardship the central tenet of their construction and maintenance credo. They took into consideration every nuance and vagary of their site–soil composition, water sources, often capricious island weather, and a rich wildlife profile–when laying out 18 holes that swoop down to the bay to start, swing inland and uphill through sandy scrubland and sparse forest, then back down to the water again for a stirring, windswept finish. By the time founding members
took their first cracks down the tumbling No. 1 fairway in 2006, Sebonack had asserted itself as a leader in sustainable golf, with three staffers shepherding it through the environmental impact studies and construction standards necessary: Original superintendent Garret Bodington, assistant superintendent Nick Venturino (who worked most closely with Audubon International’s certification specialists at the time), and project manager Mark Hissey. “All were instrumental in the original certification program,” says Mike Keohan, who in 2024 marked three years as the club’s superintendent and is coming up on his sixth year there.
June 19, 2008, Sebonack received its first Audubon International Signature Sanctuary certification, an honor it has maintained ever since. Its stewardship roots are now as deep as those of any course in the Signature Sanctuary family, and there’s absolutely no chance of them withering as long as the club’s membership–and the club’s founder, car leasing pioneer-turned-media owner Michael Pascucci–continue to count sustainability among their treasured
When Sebonack opened in the mid-2000s, it was already well on its way to achieving Audubon International Signature Sanctuary Certification. That tradition continues. Photo by Joann Dost
cultural touchstones.
“It’s part of the allure of being part of the Sebonack Golf Club,” says Keohan. “It’s a very natural setting. We set up to [operate in a sustainable way]. This is just how we operate. Our ownership is fully on board with and proud of being part of the certification, so we’re always trying to improve on it.”
“They enjoy
seeing that we continue to uphold their certification, following their guidelines. If this is how the program is supposed to run,
Keohan has long put environmental best practices at the core of his work. In 1997 he oversaw construction and opening of the Country Club of Vermont–one of the most environmentally sensitive projects in New England, built in close cooperation with state and local authorities. He has established sustainable systems at facilities up and down the Eastern Seaboard, including Anglebrook Golf Club in Northern Westchester County, located on the watershed for New York City drinking water–which, of course, made water quality monitoring not just a priority but a necessity.
that’s how we’re maintaining it.”
— Mike Keohan
sland courses–the very conditions Keohan and Sebonack’s members are after. “We are a very sandy site, so we have been using specialized wetting agents. We are looking to hold a little bit of moisture in the sand profile, but allowing the top to be dry. We provide a firm playing surface for our members and guests, but allow ourselves to have adequate moisture for plant health. We supplement it just by irrigating, by spot, watering by hand, especially during July and August.”
FINITE RESOURCE, FIRM-FAST CONDITIONS
That’s also true at Sebonack, where fresh water irrigation sources are limited, necessitating a fast-andfirm playing surface philosophy.
“We pull directly from the aquifer and have a holding pond,” Keohan says. “Our well withdrawal capacity is probably half [of what other courses in the area use per acre]. If we’re maintaining 54 acres of fairway and tee, where your traditional golf course on the island is maintaining 25, we’re allocated the same amount of water as that property. So we end up doing an awful lot of hand watering.”
These efficient irrigation methods and careful planning, combined with technology, keep water use in line. “We do use a lot of native plants, which are drought tolerant, but as far as the playing surfaces of the golf course, one of the nice things about modern irrigation systems is if we want to put out a 500th of an inch of water, which is kind of our happy number, we know that when we run the overheads, we only run them for two, three minutes as opposed to a traditional golf course that may be running seven to 10 minutes.”
If this approach sounds familiar to well-traveled golfers (and agronomists), it’s pretty much standard operating procedure for the world’s traditional link-
To further protect water sources including the course’s two holding ponds–one for fairways and rough, one for greens–crews have lined every putting surface with a rubber membrane, preventing fungicides and fertility treatments to escape and get into the groundwater. All greens drain back to its pond, which has its own pump station. “In turn, we have forced mains pumping systems; water drains through the cavities of the USGA spec green into a dry well that [also] has a device for pumping, carrying water all the way back to the holding pond on the other side of the property–which has a rubber membrane also. All water, any precipitation, any irrigation water is recycled back to that pond and put back out only onto the greens.”
While the greens get what amounts to white-glove treatment, out-of-play areas are left pretty much alone. From tee to green they take specific measures to ensure optimal conditioning, while allowing the natural setting of certain bunker faces and other native areas to remain untouched. “We have gone back to what golf was in its origins, and we pride ourselves on that.”
TALKING TURF
From its earliest days, Sebonack has taken a traditional tack with its turf, as well, and Keohan has carried that approach through his tenure there.
“There are challenges as far as the type of grass that we’re growing. We have fine fescue and Colonial bent grass fairways, so they can be a little temperamental due to different cultural practices and healing in springtime. And they’re very sensitive to herbicides and pre-emergence.”
As at fescue-based properties like Bandon Dunes on the West Coast and any number of U.K. or Ireland
courses, this grass is also sensitive to high traffic, chiefly golf carts. “We have expanded out our organic use program over the past few years, working at a cellular level of plant health, using more potassium, calcium, and carbon-based fertility programs. We are building more cell wall strength in the plant, which is able to withstand the added traffic we’re seeing postCovid with the increase in rounds.”
The carbon-based fertility line features seaweed extracts and kelps. “We’re also trying to build a stronger soil structure, a better soil biology, with improving our microbial population. The only way to improve that is through a carbon-based program.”
He also makes extensive use of granular composting. “We are big proponents of the Earthwork product line, and we use them extensively for a lot of our program.”
RICH IN BIODIVERSITY
The south fork of eastern Long Island, out beyond the pine barrens where dense population gives way to broad tracts of open land including some of
the world’s great golf courses, is home to countless species of fauna, too. “We run the gamut with wildlife,” Keohan continues. “We have bald eagles early in the spring, and osprey usually come back sometime around St. Patrick’s Day. The eagles will then tend to move out, which is a weird dynamic. When the osprey leave in the fall, after Labor Day, we see the Eagles come back. We have a lot of fox, especially in the shoulder seasons before play resumes. We are open from May first to November first, so over the winter months, we have a lot of foxholes in the bunker faces, and they occupy certain areas of the property during spring. Once the maintenance teams are back out there on a real regular basis, they’ll go away and find another home, then come back. I’m sure they’re not far.”
Year-round species include a “prevalent deer population,” and Sebonack welcomes bluebirds to its many on-courses boxes; they and other species really ramp up during summer, when they “eat a lot of mosquitoes.”
Keohan and his crew also partner with their Na-
Sebonack’s Eastern Long Island location puts in the midst of several riparian zones, with sandy soil providing to foundation for its Colonial bentgrass/fescue turf mix, which is kept healthy via organic, carbon-, potassium- and calcium-based fertility programs. Photo: www.sebonack.com
tional counterparts to “bring in 500 quail a season. We let ’em loose out into the native areas for tick control. Keeping that population down with a natural predator seems to be working since we started the program. We’re not chemically treating that outer rough for ticks. We’re not using any other kind of biological agent, so we attribute it to the quail.”
KEEPING UP, MOVING FORWARD
As a club with a healthy maintenance budget, Sebonack embraces new technology at every level of operation, including the GPS sprayers. “The whole facility is outfitted with LED lighting, and all lighting switches are on timers. Even if we’re occupying our maintenance facility, our storage areas, we don’t keep the lights on during the day. When we’re done in the morning, when we head out, we shut the lights off.
“The GPS sprayers are revolutionary to our maintenance programs. We tend to be on the leading edge of technology thanks to our ownership, who’s very supportive of everything we do. We’re just trying to reduce our footprint on the environment. So we purchased GPS-equipped spraying equipment. We also have a recycled wash pad system.”
It’s all in service to Sebonack’s high sustainability standards, which keeps it in a leadership position in the industry’s journey to stewardship respectability.
“I’ve been a golf course superintendent now for over 25 years. It’s a lot different now than it was then. We are stewards and custodians of the land, and we must make these decisions to benefit all who are sharing this planet.
“Golf gets a bad rap sometimes. Everyone in the business is looking to protect the environment. Just
because clubs have larger budgets does not mean that they are either polluting the environment or that they’re reckless or careless with their practices. We find that it’s the opposite–that the larger the budget, the more proactive superintendents and directors are in protecting our natural resources. That goes across the board, where budgets can be allocated for resources other than chemical or fertility inputs, such as labor. I think that any superintendent would much rather have three, four, or five more guys on their staff than a few extra pallets of fertilizer.
“Also, we are playing our part with the local agencies to ensure that members can enjoy the game of golf at a high level without affecting our surrounding environment.”
The club’s long-running partnership with Audubon International is a big part of Sebonack’s continued success. Through it all, Keohan keeps learning.
“They have a lot of good points,” he says, referring to certification site visits. “They’re happy to see the records we keep and what we’re promoting as far as wildlife we establish–allowing more wildlife to be introduced into the area just by having non-maintained areas on the perimeters. We’ve learned many interesting protocols. We’re working hand in hand to make it a better work environment for everyone. They enjoy seeing that we continue to uphold their certification, following their guidelines. If this is how the program is supposed to run, that’s how we’re maintaining it.”
For more on the club, visit www.sebonack.com. For more on Signature Sanctuary certification and other certification programs, visit www.auduboninternational.org
Sebonack is set hard against Great Peconic Bay, whose colder waters can lead to cooler temperatures even in midsummer–and make the spring wake-up a tall order. Photo: www.sebnack.com
St. Regis Bahia Beach Joins ‘Platinum’ Fraternity
Asmore upscale lodging locales join the ever-expanding trend to sustainability best practices across all operations, Audubon International gained yet another high-profile partner in 2024. The St. Regis Bahia Beach, long a sustainability-driven luxury resort on Puerto Rico’s north shore, has achieved Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Platinum Certification.
“On an island blessed with such a rich and deep commitment to its environment, The St. Regis Bahia Beach has taken that commitment even further, indeed to the highest level of Green Lodging certification we offer,” says Christine Kane, CEO of Audubon International. “They are a strong partner and proof positive that when a major hotel chain leads its management and staff to new heights of stewardship, the results are powerful. Attaining this standard of sustainable best practices is truly forward-thinking business policy.”
Adds Anja Frankenbach, General Manager of The St. Regis Bahia Beach, “We are very proud of what we have achieved as a team in such a short
time, and this recognition will further motivate us to create more initiatives and experiences towards sustainability for our guests, hosts and the community.”
Available to any lodging facility from inns and lodges to full-scale resorts such as The St. Regis, the Green Lodging Program provides third-party verification that audited lodging facilities have met environmental
The Ritz-Carlton Bahia Beach has long been committed to sustainability, and its Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Platinum Certification solidifies its leadership position for Puerto Rico.
The Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course earned ACSP for Golf Certification in 2008..
best practice standards and have demonstrated a strong commitment to making improvements. Through a comprehensive method for assessing the extent of the environmental measures undertaken, participating facilities can reduce environment-related costs and gain a marketing advantage. Areas of focus include Communication, Community, Waste & Materials, Water Conservation, Energy, and Chemicals & Air Quality. Properties must recertify every three years.
Ideally located on a former coconut farm and situated between the El Yunque National Forest and Espíritu Santo River State Preserve, Bahia Beach Resort Puerto Rico is set on 483 acres and two miles of secluded beach with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. Guests are immersed in the island’s natural wonders and can enjoy a private cabana at an oasis pools, partake in state of the art cuisine, explore the lush and exotic wildlife of the sanctuary, get pampered in the Iridium Spa, or test their golf skills in Bahia’s expertly designed 18-hole course. The setting combined with the legacy of St. Regis creates a luxury retreat where adventure, history, elegance and tropical splendor blend perfectly together.
The St. Regis’s commitment to sustainability fits well with its unique setting in an ecosystem that is home to more than 240 species of flora and fauna, including tropical birds and leatherback turtles. Bahia Beach resort offers naturalist-guided bird-watching and kayaking tours.
The resort’s Green Lodging Platinum Certification follows in the footsteps of Bahia Beach Resort’s Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course, which achieved Audubon International ACSP for Golf Certification in 2008.
2024 CERTIFICATIONS & RECERTIFICATIONS
NEW CERTIFICATIONS
ACSP FOR GOLF
UNITED STATES
FLORIDA
Babcock National Golf Club, Inc
Eastpointe Country Club - West Course
Kensington Golf & Country Club
Marsh Creek Country Club
Windsor Florida
ILLINOIS
Winnetka Golf Club
MAINE
Tarratine Club of Dark Harbor
MISSOURI
The National Golf Club of Kansas City
SOUTH CAROLINA
Cougar Point at Kiawah Island
Oak Point Golf Course at Kiawah Island Golf
Resort
ACSP FOR BUSINESS
UNITED STATES
FLORIDA
Navy Federal Credit Union
GREEN LODGING/ GREEN HOSPITALITY
PUERTO RICO
The St. Regis Bahia Beach
UNITED STATES
ARIZONA
Hyatt Piñon Pointe
Marriott’s Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge
Sheraton Desert Oasis
COLORADO
Hyatt Residence Club Mountain Lodge
Sheraton Lakeside Terrace
Hyatt Residence Club Breckenridge, Main
Street Station
Marriott’s Mountain Valley Lodge
Sheraton Mountain Vista
The Ritz-Carlton, Denver
MICHIGAN
Keweenaw Mountain Lodge
MISSOURI
Finley Farms
Big Cedar Lodge
Big Cedar Lodge- Anglers Lodge Hollister
Big Cedar Lodge- Thunder Ridge Arena
Big Cedar Lodge- Top of the Rock Ancient
Ozark Natural History Museum
NEVADA
Hyatt High Sierra Lodge
SOUTH CAROLINA
Sheraton Broadway Plantation Resort Villas
VERMONT
Westin St. John Villa Resort Company, Inc.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
UNITED STATES
NEW YORK
The Town of Red Hook
RECERTIFICATIONS
ACSP FOR BUSINESS CANADA
ALBERTA
Fairmont Banff Springs, Hotel Grounds
ONTARIO
Granite Club
UNITED STATES
FLORIDA
Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort
NEW YORK
White Haven Memorial Park
TEXAS
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, City of Plano
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, City of Plano
ACSP FOR GOLF
AUSTRALIA
Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club
BARBADOS
Apes Hill (Barbados) Inc.
CANADA
ALBERTA
Country Hills Golf Club
Earl Grey Golf Club
Highwood Golf and Country Club
Olds Golf Club
Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club
Royal Mayfair Golf Club
Silvertip Resort
The Glencoe Golf and Country Club
The Winston Golf Club
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Cordova Bay Golf Course
Gleneagles Golf Course
Point Grey Golf and Country Club
Uplands Golf Club
Fraserview Golf Course
McCleery Golf Club
Vancouver Parks Board - Langara Golf
(Continues)
ONTARIO
2024 RECERTIFICATIONS
Bigwin Island Golf Club
Donalda Club
Hamilton Golf and Country Club
Idylwylde Golf & Country Club
Markland Wood Golf Club
Oakdale Golf and Country Club
Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, Limited
The Toronto Golf Club
Westview Golf Club
Whitevale Golf Club
QUEBEC
Le Chateau Montebello
Royal Ottawa Golf Club
COSTA RICA
Four Seasons Golf Club at Peninsula de Papagayo - Ocean Course
Reserva Conchal Golf Club
PHILIPPINES
Santa Elena Golf Club
SINGAPORE
National Service Resort & Country Club
TAIWAN
Wu Fong Golf Club
UNITED KINGDOM
Breadsall Priory Marriott Hotel & Country Club
UNITED STATES
ARIZONA
JW Marriott Camelback Golf Club
JW Marriott Wildfire Golf Club
Sewailo Golf Club
Starr Pass Golf Club
The Westin Kierland Golf Club
Troon Country Club
Troon North Golf Club
ARKANSAS
Berksdale Golf Course
CALIFORNIA
Aliso Viejo Country Club
American Golf Corp.
dba Lake Tahoe Golf Course
Bartley Cavanaugh Golf Course
Boundary Oak Golf Course
Callippe Preserve Golf Course
Classic Club
Coto De Caza Golf & Racquet Club
Crystal Springs Golf Course
La Cumbre Country Club
Las Positas Golf Course
Los Lagos Golf Course
Maderas Golf Club
Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Riverside Golf Course
The Course at Wente Vineyards
Yocha-De-He Golf Club at Cache Creek Resort
COLORADO
Breckenridge Golf Club
Broadmoor Golf Club - East and West Courses
Collindale Golf Course
Maroon Creek Club
Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club
The Glacier Club
TPC Colorado
Ute Creek Golf Course
CONNECTICUT
Country Club of Darien
Litchfield Country Club
Round Hill Club
Shennecossett Golf Course
TPC River Highlands
DELAWARE
Bidermann Golf Course/ Vicmead Hunt Club
Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club:
White Clay Creek State Park
FLORIDA
Aquarina Beach & Country Club
Broken Sound Club, The Club Course
Broken Sound Club, The Old Course
Club Pelican Bay
Eastpointe Country Club - East Course
Estero Country Club
Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando (Formerly Tranquilo)
Foxfire Golf & Country Club
Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club
Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club
Heritage Pines Golf Club
Hideaway Beach
Hole-in-the-Wall Golf Club
Interlachen Country Club
John Prince Golf Learning Center
John’s Island Club West Course
Kelly Greens Golf & Country Club
Lemon Bay Golf Club
Links at Boynton Beach
Loblolly Golf Club
Maple Leaf Golf and Country Club
Marriott’s Grande Vista Golf Club and Marriott Golf Academy
Moorings Club at Hawk’s Nest
Old Marsh Golf Club
Pelican’s Nest Golf Club
Queens Harbour Yacht & Country Club
Royal Poinciana Golf Club
The Club at Olde Cypress
The Everglades Club
The Forest Country Club
The Oaks Club
The Sanctuary Golf Club
The Venice Golf and Country Club
Vero Beach Country Club
Wilderness Country Club
Country Club of Miami
Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne
Palmetto Golf Course
IGM at Sandridge Golf Club
GEORGIA
Flat Creek Country Club
TPC Sugarloaf
The Landings Club - Deer Creek
The Landings Club - Marshwood & Magnolia
The Landings Club - Oakridge
The Landings Club - Terrapin Point
IDAHO
The Valley Club
ILLINOIS
Billy Caldwell Golf Course
Bolingbrook Golf Club
Burnham Woods Golf Course
Canal Shores Golf Course
Cantigny Golf Club
Countryside Golf Club
Edgebrook Golf Course
George W. Dunne National
Heritage Oaks Golf Club
Highland Woods Golf Course
Indian Boundary Golf Course
Joe Louis “The Champ” Golf Course
Kemper Lakes Golf Club
Lake of the Woods Golf Course
Meadowlark Golf Course
Orchard Valley Golf Course
River Oaks Golf Course
Schaumburg Golf Club
Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University
White Eagle Golf Club
IOWA
Elmcrest Country Club
Glynns Creek Golf Course
KENTUCKY
Kearney Hill Golf Links
Lakeside Golf Course
Tates Creek Golf Course
LOUISIANA
TPC Louisiana
MASSACHUSETTS
Hyannisport Club
Ipswich Country Club
MAINE
Biddeford-Saco Country Club
MARYLAND
Cattail Creek Country Club
Hobbits Glen Golf Club
Lakewood Country Club
Queenstown Harbor
TPC Potomac
University of Maryland Golf Course
Northwest Golf Course
The Golf Course at Crossvines
MICHIGAN
2024 RECERTIFICATIONS
Lakelands Golf & Country Club
Radrick Farms Golf Course
University of Michigan
MINNESOTA
Birnamwood Golf Course
Keller Golf Course
Somerby Golf Club
The Wilderness Golf Course at Fortune Bay Resort
Theodore Wirth Golf Course
Town & Country Club
Wayzata Country Club
Woodhill Country Club
NEVADA
Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course
Montreux Golf & Country Club
TPC Summerlin
Wildhorse Golf Club
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Amherst Country Club
Eastman Golf Links
NEW JERSEY
Ridgewood Country Club
Quail Brook Golf Course
NEW MEXICO
The Club at Las Campanas
NEW YORK
Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort
Leatherstocking Golf Course
Millbrook Golf and Tennis Club
Mohonk Golf Course
Schuyler Meadows Club
The Whippoorwill Club
NORTH CAROLINA
Cypress Landing Golf Course
Highlands Country Club
Sherwood Forest Golf Club
TPC Piper Glen
OHIO
Beavercreek Golf Club
Firestone Country Club
Safari Golf Club at The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
OREGON
Columbia Edgewater Country Club
Eastmoreland Golf Course
Heron Lakes Golf Course
Stone Creek Golf Club
Tualatin Country Club
PENNSYLVANIA
Aronimink Golf Club
Cranberry Highlands Golf Course
Diamond Run Golf Club
Hershey Country Club - East Course
Hershey Country Club - West Course
Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
Lords Valley Country Club
RHODE ISLAND
Newport National Golf Club - Orchard Course
Sakonnet Golf Club
SOUTH CAROLINA
Atlantic Dunes at Sea Pines Resort
Belfair POA, Inc.
Callawassie Island POA
Dataw Island Club
Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort
Heron Point at Sea Pines Resort
Minnehaha Country Club
TENNESSEE
TPC Southwind
Tellico Village - The Links at Kahite
Tellico Village - Tanasi Golf Course
Tellico Village - Toqua Golf Course
Buford Ellington Golf Course at Henry Horton State Park
Montgomery Bell State Park Golf Course
TEXAS
Lost Pines Golf Club
The Clubs of Kingwood
The Retreat
TPC San Antonio
Meadowbrook Park Golf Course
Texas Rangers Golf Club
(Formerly Chester W. Ditto Golf Course)
VIRGINIA
Birdwood Golf Course at UVA
Cavalier Golf and Yacht Club
Country Club Of Virginia, Tuckahoe Creek Golf Course
Hermitage Country Club
Ocean View Golf Course
Pohick Bay Golf Course
The Club at Creighton Farms
Willow Oaks Country Club
WASHINGTON
Bellevue Golf Course
Overlake Golf & Country Club
Palouse Ridge Golf Club
Sun Willows Golf Course
Useless Bay Golf & Country Club
WISCONSIN
Ozaukee Country Club
Wausau Country Club
WYOMING
The Powder Horn Golf Club
GREEN LODGING/ GREEN HOSPITALITY
SAINT
KITTS AND NEVIS
Marriott’s St. Kitts Beach Club
UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIA
Marriott’s Grand Residence Club Tahoe
Marriott’s Timber Lodge
FLORIDA
Marriott’s Ocean Pointe Resort
NEVADA
Marriott’s Grand Chateau
NEW JERSEY
Marriott’s Fairway Villas
SOUTH CAROLINA
Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes
UTAH
Marriott’s Summit Watch
Marriott’s Mountainside
VERMONT
The Lodge at Spruce Peak
VIRGINIA
Marriott Frenchman Cove
SIGNATURE SANCTUARY
UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIA
Granite Bay Golf Club
FLORIDA
Lost Key Golf Club
St. James Bay Golf Club
HAWAII
Kohanaiki Club, Inc.
MISSOURI
Buffalo Ridge
Mountain Top
Ozarks National
Payne’s Valley
Top of the Rock
NEW YORK
Kaluhyat, Shenendoah & Sandstone Hollow Golf
Clubs at Turning Stone Resort
OHIO
Sand Ridge Golf Club
Washington Park Golf Course
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
UNITED STATES
FLORIDA
Amelia Island Plantation
GEORGIA
The Landings on Skidaway Island
SOUTH CAROLINA
Old Tabby Links at Spring Island
Oldfield Community Association
Seabrook Island Property Owners Association
VERMONT
Spruce Peak
