Stewardship News Winter 2023-2024 by Audubon International

STEWARDSHIP NEWS Winter 2023-2024

BLACK DESERT RESORT Going For Platinum in Utah

30-Year Certification Milestones

US Military Course Success in South Korea

Lords Valley Takes Sustainability Seriously

A New Sponsor for Audubon International

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

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CEO CORNER

The Sustainability Tipping Point

s humankind continues to deal with the effects of global climate change and the environmental upheaval it is causing at an alarming rate, the word “sustainability” takes on deeper meaning than ever. And as Audubon International looks forward to 2024, we see many positive trends in every certification program we offer, with every partner having the desire and need to achieve “big rewards” as stewards of the planet (as Lords Valley Country Club Golf Superintendent Chris Passenti puts it in one of this issue’s spotlight stories). Those trends extend far beyond our golf course members. They’re gaining strength in the hotel and lodging industries, as reflected in the pace existing properties are striving for sustainability in every area of operation, from heating and air conditioning systems to water use to landscaping, and certainly in new builds like Black Desert in southwest Utah, the focus of this issue’s cover story, which is building sustainable best practices into its DNA and promises to be a model not only for future desert developments, but resorts of all kinds. The trends are showing up in businesses of all kinds, too. Leaps in energy technology, turf science, landscaping methods, water treatment and reclamation, and building materials–from paving to roofing to special paints–open the door to a lighter environmental footprint across the board. We’re seeing those charging stations, LED light banks and new generation heat pumps show up for a reason: They’re achievable, they’re efficient, and they make more economic sense than ever. What else is driving this green evolution, and revolution? Customer demand. Golfers want to play courses that demonstrably and proudly pursue sustainable practices. They want to know their favorite pastime no longer carries the stigmas of the past, when golf was often singled out for harming the environment. They appreciate seeing wildlife and applaud the efforts of superintendents and crews to maintain native areas that attract bees and other pollinators (such as our popular and effective Monarchs in the Rough program). And they want to be a part of it all; indeed, many golf course communities enjoy working with dedicated teams of green-minded volunteers, and in turn help customers and communities put their best practices into action at home. It’s the same story in the fractional ownership and hotel industries, of course. Guests now look for and expect personal water bottle filling stations instead of landfill-choking plastic bottles. They no longer expect lobbies and rooms to be littered with paper literature. They have become accustomed to new, more sustainable room cleaning and towel exchange policies, and seek out restaurants that locally source their menus. As every year brings new green technologies and methods to the marketplace, the environmental managers and specialists at Audubon International work closely with dedicated members in every certification program to advance their individual stewardship efforts, to keep improving day-to-day efforts on the ground and inside their walls–and make sure all stakeholders are kept apprised of those efforts. Successful stewardship creates a healthy, balanced and growing ecosystem at every level–personal, local, corporate and global. We’re proud and happy to join our partners in celebrating every achievement in sustainability, and welcoming what comes next.

Christine Kane, Chief Executive Officer, Audubon International christine@auduboninternational.org Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

www.auduboninternational.org 518.767.9051 | Toll-free 1.844.767.9051 Audubon International Headquarters 120 Defreest Drive, Troy, NY 12180

CEO Corner by Christine Kane

STAFF

Chairman’s Corner by Henry DeLozier

News Briefs

Christine Kane , Chief Executive Officer christine@auduboninternational.org Fred Realbuto, Director, Green Lodging and Green Hospitality Certification fred@auduboninternational.org Frank LaVardara, Director, Environmental Programs for Golf frank@auduboninternational.org

CONTENTS

Porous Pave is Newest Sponsor Courses Reach ACSP for Golf Milestones Audubon International Members Recognized by GCSAA

Spotlight on 30 Year ACSP for Golf Awardees

Kat Welch, Director, Signature Sanctuary Certification kat@auduboninternational.org

Cover Story: Black Desert Goes for Platinum

Scott Turner, Environmental Program Manager scott@auduboninternational.org

Course Spotlight: Lords Valley, Pennsylvania

Monarchs in the Rough: Coming Back Coast to Coast

Tallis Warren, Member Services Manager tallis@auduboninternational.org

From the Experts: New Surfacing Solutions

Sarah Honan, Environmental Program Specialist sarah@auduboninternational.org

Member Course Spotlight: South Korea’s River Bend

Kelsey King, Environmental Program Specialist kelsey@auduboninternational.org

New Members, Certifications and Recertifications

Alison Davy, Finance and Operations Manager alisond@auduboninternational.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Henry DeLozier, Chairman Rich Katz, Vice Chairman Matt Ceplo, Treasurer Marvin Moriarty, Secretary Jennifer Grant, Ph.D. Dan Murphy Jake Riekstins James Singerling, CCM Randy Winegard

STEWARDSHIP NEWS STAFF Vic Williams, Editor | Alissa Theodor, Designer Stewardship News is published quarterly in digital-only form by Audubon International, 120 Defreest Drive, Troy, New York 12180. Copyright© 2023 Audubon International. No material may be reproduced without written permission. Previous issues available by visiting www.auduboninternational.org/stewardship-news. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

On the Cover: Black Desert Golf Club, Ivins, Utah. Photo by Brian Oar, courtesy of Black Desert

CHAIRMAN’S CORNER

Stewardship Is Everyone’s Job

t Audubon International, our mission is to create environmentally sustainable environments where people live, work, and play. Simply stated, we are stewards of some BIG things, like environmental teaching and learning and a healthy planet. Most importantly, we are not alone in our work. Golf course superintendents are some of the most effective and diligent environmental stewards on the planet. If everyone were as safe and smart in environmental practices, we would live in a better world. Our Board of Directors is fortunate to have several superintendents – Matt Ceplo in New York, Jake Riekstins in Texas, and Bryan Stromme in Illinois – who have followed such sound and effective stewards as Tim Hiers in Florida and Ted Horton in California. On that note, we honor the recipients of the 2023 BioBlitz Biodiversity Awards: BIODIVERSITY AWARD

1st Place with 607 species: Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club, FL 2nd Place with 444 species: Meadow Club, CA 3rd Place with 405 species: Ironwood Golf Course, MI COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD

1st Place with 247 people: Southwinds Golf Course, FL 2nd Place with 87 people: Glencoe Golf Course, IL 3rd Place with 40 people: University of Maryland, MD BEST PHOTO AWARD

1st Place: University of Maryland, MD 2nd Place: Glencoe Golf Club, IL 3rd Place: Poplar Creek Golf Course, CA The organizers and participants of these events are regular people with everyday jobs–and who are remarkable stewards. This year’s BioBlitz project was the first held after a three-year pandemic hiatus; volunteers identified more than 3,000 wildlife species. You can be a part of this fun and free program too. Contact Environmental Program Specialist, Kelsey King, for more details! kelsey@auduboninternational.org We believe that everyone is an environmental steward. Audubon International offers numerous opportunities for residential communities and businesses to build Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programs (ACSP) from which all benefit. ACSP is an education and certification program designed to help organizations and businesses protect our environment, become sustainability leaders in their community, and provide positive bottom-line impacts on their operations. The “plan-do-check-act” approach of the ACSP includes certification as an incentive and reward for positive environmental actions and results. Achieving ACSP certification demonstrates leadership and commitment to high standards of environmental management. To be designated, your team will develop and implement an environmental management plan and document the results. Once confirmed by a site visit from an Audubon International representative that you’ve met the environmental management standards in each area, certification is awarded. Recertification is required every three years to maintain Certified Sanctuary designation, which creates a wonderful, meaningful sense of community. We are all stewards.

Henry Delozier, Chairman of the Board Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

NEWS BRIEF

From left: H. Mitchell Wilkerson, Matt Gourlay, Jim Pavonetti and Landon Lindsay (photo courtesy of recipients/gcmonline.com)

Superintendents Honored for Environmental Leadership

uperintendents and operations directors at four longtime Audubon Signature or Cooperative Sanctuary Certified courses were honored by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America with Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards for 2023 in four categories. Three are firsttime winners in their categories. Those first-timers include Mitchell Wilkerson, superintendent at Moss Creek in Hilton Head, S.C. for 24 years, for Communications and Outreach; Landon Lindsay, superintendent at TPC Las Colinas in Las Colinas, Tex., for Natural Resource Conservation; and Jim Pavonetti of Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Conn., for Innovative Conservation. All three had previously notched runner-up finishes in several categories since the awards program’s overhaul in 2018. Matt Gourlay, director of golf course operations at 27-hole Audubon Signature Sanctuary 4

Silver member Colbert Hills in Manhattan, Kan., won his third award overall, this time for Healthy Land Stewardship. Wilkerson’s outreach work includes the use of what he calls “Audubon boards,” displays at various points around his property that highlight Moss Creek’s natural assets that have long been a key to its certification as an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary. “One thing about Moss Creek is, it’s very nature-related,” Wilkerson told GCM senior managing editor Andrew Hartsock. “Everything about it is concerned with nature, so we use those boards to highlight or promote what other parts of the club are doing.” Lindsay points to his TPC club’s water-saving measures in the midst of a lengthy Texas drought as a big part of their successful conservation program. “We’re lucky to have a pretty healthy wildlife inven-

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

NEWS BRIEF tory. We have coyotes, bobcats. We have a reclaimed water canal that runs through the entire property we irrigate with, so we have beavers and otters. That helps a lot.” Similarly, Pavonetti credits his club’s innovative use of water resources, among other things, for his award. His crew puts barley straw in cages, which sink into ponds and ingress streams, decays, and releases beneficial bacteria that inhibits algae growth. “Now there’s no odor. It’s clear and looks cleaner, and I think it’s healthier for the grass.” Gourlay’s recent land stewardship efforts include

a fairway-mower-mounted passive microwave remote sensor — a high-tech moisture meter — and a 5-kilowatt solar array installed on the maintenance facility. “You have to continue learning, continuing to push envelopes,” he said. The ELGA recipients will be honored during the 2024 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, Jan. 29Feb. 1 in Phoenix, Ariz. This story contains information originally published at gcmonline.com

Audubon International Honors Courses Reaching ACSP Milestones

n 2023, Audubon International honored 40 courses in the United States and abroad that have attained an admirable milestone as certified Audubon Certified Sanctuary Program for Golf members for 10, 20 and 30 years. Every year, Audubon International recognizes member courses that reach these impressive milestones, awarding plaques to those at the 30- and 20-year level and certificates to those at the 10-year level. “These 40 honorees for 2023 continue an important, longstanding tradition at Audubon International,” says Christine Kane, CEO. “They also set a high bar for sustainability practices and stewardship culture that all our members strive to clear the moment they take on the ACSP challenge. Seeing these courses’ dedication in action with every passing year is truly inspiring and proof positive that we are helping golf facilities of all kinds lead the way to a more environmentally friendly industry, for the benefit of everyone.” Two American courses reached the 30-year mark in 2023, including the Bay Course at Kapalua Resort on the Hawaiian island of Maui, as well as Village Links of Glen Ellyn west of Chicago, Ill (read more about Village Links elsewhere in this issue). Along with three courses in Canada and one in the Philippines, twenty-one American courses reached the

20-year milestone–four in California, three in Florida, two each in Massachusetts and North Carolina, and one each in Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New York, South Carolina, Virginia and Wyoming. Hitting the 10-year mark were 14 courses overall–a dozen in the United States and two in Canada. Colorado led the way with three courses, while California, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington notched one each.

“These honorees for 2023 continue an important tradition at Audubon International, setting a high bar for sustainability practices and stewardship culture.” — Audubon International CEO Christine Kane

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

NEWS BRIEF

Porous Pave Joins Audubon International As Corporate Sponsor

ichigan-based sustainable surfacing company Porous Pave is Audubon International’s newest corporate sponsor. Porous Pave joins such longtime Audubon International sponsors as United Airlines, epar and Water IQ Technologies to support the organization’s ongoing efforts to help lead golf courses and clubs, hotels, resorts, municipalities, private communities, and businesses establish and build on sustainable best practices through their various certification programs. “As a non-profit organization, we truly value our sponsorship partners, and are happy to welcome Porous Pave to the family,” says Christine Kane, CEO. “The sustainable practices at the heart of their business model is a perfect fit for our ongoing mission to help businesses and communities who own or manage properties make their operations as environmentally sound as possible.” One of the most consumable products in the automotive industry are rubber tires. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and Scrap Tire Management Council, approximately 280 million tires are discarded each year by American 6

motorists, approximately one tire for every person in the United States. Besides the need to manage these scrap tires, it has been estimated that there may be as many as two to three billion tires that have accumulated over the years and are contained in numerous stockpiles around the country. Since 2007, Porous Pave has transformed over 23 million pounds of scrap tires into over seven million square feet of aesthetically pleasing permeable paving solutions. Reincorporating scrap tires into processed crumb rubber creates an ideal material for cart paths and bunker liners. With the fiber and steel removed during processing, the material can be colored into material which ranges from a natural earthtone colors to a bold look for cart paths and other course applications. “We are very excited to work with Audubon International as we share their vision to create sustainable environments,” says Matt Lamb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Porous Pave Inc. “Since its inception, the foundation of Porous Pave has been the conversion and recycling of scrap tires into environmentally friendly paving solutions. Our products are unique in that they also offer best-

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

NEWS BRIEFS in-class permeability along with amazing durability and filtering properties. We look forward to partnering together with Audubon International as we introduce and educate their members on our permeable paving solutions that are beneficial within the circular economy, being good for both the environment and business.” To explore Audubon International sponsorship opportunities, visit www.auduboninternational. org or call toll free: 1-844-767-9051. For more on Porous Pave and its products, visit www.porouspaveinc.com

“We are very excited to work with Audubon International as we share their vision to create sustainable environments,” — Matt Lamb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Porous Pave Inc.

A crew installs porous bunker liner made partially of recycled tires at Bull's Bridge in Connecticut.

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

NEWS BRIEFS

Pavonetti, Mills Take Top GCSAA Awards

Wayne Mills, Superintendent at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, Calif.

udubon International congratulates two respected superintendents of longtime ACSP for Golf Certified golf courses for winning highprofile awards for 2023 and 2024 from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Wayne Mills, 39-year GCSAA member and superintendent at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, Calif., will receive the the 2024 President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship, while Jim Pavonetti, CGCS, the golf and grounds superintendent at Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Conn., has won named 2023 Leo Feser Award. Established in 1991, the President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship recognizes an environmental contribution to the game of golf, which the GCSAA calls “a contribution that further exemplifies the golf course superintendent’s image as a steward of the land.” “From water conservation to wildlife habitat enhancement, Wayne Mills’ dedication to being an environmental steward has undoubtedly contributed to the sustainability of the game of golf,” GCSAA President Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, said. “The numerous ways in which he advocates for the protection of the environment, both at La Cumbre and other local golf courses, makes a measurable difference and 8

embodies all that the President’s Award represents. We commend his efforts and congratulate him on this honor.” A member of the GCSA of Southern California, Mills’ efforts helped establish La Cumbre’s golf course as an Audubon International Certified Cooperative Sanctuary, receiving the Audubon Certification for Water Conservation. He allows the local Audubon Society to conduct bird banding at La Cumbre and he has worked with the California Conservation Corps on the removal of invasive plants from the Arroyo Burro Creek in a collaborative restoration effort. Additional areas of Mills’ focus on environmental stewardship at La Cumbre include the establishment of an Integrated Pest Management plan, recently updating the pump station, evaluating the installation of solar panels at the maintenance facility and creating a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan specific for the maintenance facility operations. La Cumbre was also recently certified by Audubon International for Wildlife Management under his leadership. “It seems overwhelming at first like you’re taking on this new aspect of the property and the challenges of managing that come with it, but as you go, there’s a satisfaction that’s different,” Mills said. “On our property, we maintain good grounds for golf, but we also plant for wildlife, and they show up.” Mills’ work has also earned him numerous Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards recognition from GCSAA, including Natural Resources Conservation Award winner in 2022, Communications and Outreach Award runner-up in 2023, Natural Resources Conservation Award runner-up in 2021, Healthy Land Stewardship Award runner-up in 2020, 2019 and 2018, and ELGA Chapter Award winner in 2017. The Leo Feser Award is presented annually to the author of the best superintendent-written article published in Golf Course Management, the association’s flagship publication, during the previous year. Pavonetti authored the story “Gold standards” that was published in the November 2022 issue of the GCM Online https://www.gcmonline.com/pro-

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

NEWS BRIEFS

Fairview Country Club: A “gold standard” for sustainability in Connecticut.

fession/operations/news/gold-standards-best-maintenance-practices. The story was originally published in the July 2022 edition of Tee to Green, the chapter publication for the Metropolitan GCSA, and was reprinted with permission in GCM. “I’m certainly honored to receive this award, but it was completely unexpected,” Pavonetti told the GCSAA’s Scott Hollister. “I wasn’t even thinking about it when I submitted the story. I wasn’t really sure I was eligible since it had been published in Tee to Green first, but I really thought the topic was one that would interest other superintendents so I wanted it to be seen as broadly as possible. That it won the Feser caught me by surprise, for sure.” The award honors the late Leo Feser, a pioneering golf course superintendent and a charter member of GCSAA. Feser is credited with keeping the association’s official publication alive during the Great Depression. The award was first presented in 1956 and has been given annually since 1977. Members of GCSAA’s GCM Editorial Board Task Group select the winner of the award each year. Pavonetti was named to his position at Fairview

Country Club in 2008. He led the way for Fairview Country Club to achieve the designation of Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. He was rewarded with the Metropolitan Golf Association Arthur P. Weber Environmental Leader in Golf Award, in 2019 and earned the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award by the GCSAA seven times between 2006 and 2021. In 2021, Pavonetti was featured in Golf Digest, for his environmental conservation contributions to the field. Pavonetti also oversees a standard-setting apprenticeship program at Fairview that attracts top turf science students from universities around the nation. He wrote about the program and his club’s many sustainability programs in the Spring 2023 issue of Stewardship News. Both men will received their awareds during the 2024 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Phoenix. They will also have their names engraved on a plaque permanently displayed at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan.

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

FEATURE

Meet The 30-Year Certified ACSP for Golf Honorees for 2023

very year, Audubon International shines a welldeserved light on members reaching important milestones as Audubon Certified Sanctuary Program for Golf courses. Of the 40 courses worldwide marking such accomplishments in 2023, two have been awarded a plaque for 30 years of certified stewardship excellence: the Bay Course at Kapalua on Maui, Hawaii, and Village Links of Glen Ellyn in Glen Ellyn Ill., about 25 miles west of downtown Chicago. “Though located in radically different ecosystems, both of these courses, and the superintendents and staffs who maintain them, share a reverence for the natural environment and admirable, ongoing commitment to the standards and practices that distinguish all of our Certified ACSP for Golf members,” says Christine Kane, CEO of Audubon International. “To maintain such commitment continually for three decades – back to our organization’s earliest days – is worthy of loud and sustained applause and thanks.” KAPALUA BAY COURSE In 1993, the original Bay Course, which opened in 1976, was the nation’s very first golf course certified 10

The 10th hole at Kapalua Resort’s Bay Course

by Audubon International as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. In 1994, the Plantation Course – perhaps more well known for its hosting a PGA Tour event each year – followed suit. Andrew Rebman has worked for Troon Golf for more than two decades, taking the helm as superintendent for both Kapalua courses in 2018, just as the Bay course was to undergo a rerouting – and a switch to a more drought- and shade-resistant strain of Bermuda Celebration turfgrass. He’d also overseen the certification of his previous venue, the Classic Club in Palm Desert, and calls reaching 30 years “a real honor.” “[Certification] just gives you a good foundational starting point, making sure you have integrated course management program in place,” he adds. “We are always looking and seeking ways to be more sustainable. Some things require more funding to take it to another level, but they’re very important for us as an industry, and the world.” That’s especially true in a paradise like Maui, home to nine temperate zones, wildly fluctuating precipitation levels – yearly numbers range from 75 inches at the top of the Plantation course to 25

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

inches down at ocean level – and the incredible variety of wildlife hanging out in the canyons between ridgetop golf holes, from exotic birds (Rebman recently spotted a black-rumped shama for the first time) to mongoose to feral hogs. In the island’s tropical setting, virtually any species of insect can find a home, too, but Kapalua employs a pest-management program that spot treats only when necessary. “It’s a challenge because it's always high disease and pressure,” Rebman says. “They may swing a little bit, but our temperatures are so constant throughout the year that it’s just one generation after another.” Rebman’s crew also employs mostly organic fertilizers and turns waste into compost to enrich the soil at the resort’s Kapalua Farms, an organic farm that supplies produce to local restaurants. Their water comes from a reservoir in the Puu Kukui Watershed Preserve, an 8,304-acre conservation site established by the resort and situated along the West Maui Mountains. Its level fluctuates and gets quite low during drought periods, so Kapalua’s irrigation system tracks local weather and shuts off sprinklers when it rains, while its filtration system and an underground oil separation tank clean the water before reaching the Pacific. Kapalua also cleans its golf equipment with wash pads that separate toxic and solid material. The water is repurposed throughout the resort. Rebman is looking forward to employing more sustainable measures in 2024. “We’re just finishing changing our light fixtures to LED, and planning to redo our fueling station and basically creating an environmental center. Again, we’re always looking for places to improve.” VILLAGE LINKS AT GLEN ELLYN Though located in one of America’s largest metropolitan areas, the residential-based Village Links at Glen Ellyn – one of the first municipal courses in DuPage County, built in the 1960s – maintains a powerful connection to northeastern Illinois’ natural environment in many ways. It’s a philosophy that goes back decades. Andrew Cross, CGCS, Glen Ellyn’s Superintendent, picked up the stewardship torch when he took the helm in 2019. He’d previously worked at nearby Arrowhead Golf Club, another Audubon certified venue. “I knew [Glen Ellyn] had been in Audubon property for a long time, and I know some of the early

environmental awards it had won. Tim Kelly, who was the superintendent when the Audubon program was started here, had won several of them for his efforts. “I knew we had this tradition, and we had a 25-year plaque in the clubhouse. We were due for a site visit. I told myself that I can't be the guy that lets this program slip, so I had reached out early on and said, ‘Hey, we were due for a site visit when you're in the Chicago area, let me know and we’ll schedule it.’” Now that Cross has shepherded his course through the recertification process until 2026, he can turn his attention back to his three-legged stool of sustainability: Keeping invasive species at bay and desirable species such as his beloved oaks in great shape; making sure wildlife have plenty of spots to feel at home; and maintaining no-mow buffer strips around water features. “We like to highlight our native tree species and just provide a decent area there and keep invasives out,” he says. “It’s a matter of trying to keep that under control and then still keep our environmental footprint low. “We've got a very healthy coyote population. We actually had five pups this spring. We’ve got a pretty good hawk population as well. I’ve not seen any deer, oddly enough, but we’ve got very healthy egret population –a lot of [species] of birds out here. And then there are the turtles and frogs.” He also partners with a local beekeeper to make honey in a greenhouse onsite. “We try to stay grounded.” On the Education and Outreach side, Cross says he does hear from golfers that they’re happy to see clear examples of the course’s ongoing stewardship strides. “We had one woman call up; her teenage son had played her and was excited that we had separate garbage and recycling cans on every tee box. She said, ‘I’m just so glad to see your sustainable at every spot.’” And though the course is in a densely populated area, “When you’re out on the course, you really can’t see buildings and houses. We’re surrounded by them on three sides, but we’re a nice oasis in the middle.” Audubon International is proud and honored to welcome these two courses into its “30 year club,” and for setting a long-term example for golf operations around the world.

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

FEATURE

Photo by Brian Oar

Sustainable From The Very Start Utah’s Black Desert Puts Signature Sanctuary Platinum in Its Sights By Vic Williams

hen Audubon International introduced its comprehensive Signature Sanctuary Platinum Certification program in early 2023, it could have had a place like Black Desert Resort in mind. Usually, when a brand-new luxury golf resort and residential development breaks ground, the golf course comes first. Get it designed, sculpted, planted and up and running to create some buzz and revenue, then move onto the “vertically built” elements — permanent clubhouse and maintenance building, then hotel, then homes and related structures. But in Black Desert’s case, it’s “everything everywhere all at once” among the dramatic volcanic rockscape of southwest Utah, just west of the golfrich city of St. George and an hour’s drive from Zion National Park. Yes, the golf course — the late Tom Weiskopf ’s last design — opened in May 2023 to strong reviews, with sustainability built into its bones. But 12

Reef Capital Partners, the investment firm behind the project, isn’t waiting around for the course to take root before moving onto build-out of other infrastructure. It’s all underway, spurring Reef to enroll in the Signature Sanctuary Platinum Certification process for the entire property. As of Sept. 1, Black Desert Resort is a registered member of the Audubon International Signature Sanctuary Program and is currently working toward designation as a Certified Signature Sanctuary. A 148-room eco-hotel will open in fall 2024, with “Golf Village,” “Family Village” and “Boardwalk” complexes to follow. The timeline and scope to build it all are ambitious indeed, especially when environmental stewardship is in play at every point on the schedule and Platinum Certification the goal. But with Troon Golf operating the course and experienced Superintendent Ken Yates directing the course’s maintenance and maturation, that goal

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

is already in sight in terms of vital protocols like water use and turf selection and coverage. And it’s all being done in tandem with other construction, including the homes that will pepper Black Desert’s vast, dramatic high desert landscape. “We’re doing hotel, the golf course, and the other home development sites, all at the same time,” Yates says. “Usually a golf course is done, everybody comes in, does stuff around you, so we’re all kind of working together, a lot of communication. That’s been the biggest challenge, honestly, just trying to stay on schedule. It’s just the nature of it.” Ross Laubscher, Executive Director of Construction and Agronomy for Reef Capital, offered a layof-the-land assessment of Black Desert’s progress as a new Audubon International member. “From the golf course standpoint we’re always looking to be as sustainable as we can be. And Audubon International has shown a track record of assisting with that. That’s really what our partnership is about. We’re looking for them to help us and us to help them, get us a product that all can be proud of, that shows we’re still environmentally conscious and, and that the product is sustainable years from now.” As always in a desert setting, saving water is par-

amount on the course’s 75 acres of turf (out of 600 total acres). “We’re getting all of our water from gray sources,” Laubscher said. “Our irrigation system is state of the art and built out to a point where we’re able to put out a large amount of water in a small window to maximize usage. From day one we’ve spent $50,000, $60,000 an acre on an irrigation system to make sure it will be sustainable into the future. “We use a bentgrass out on fairways, which is uncommon in the southwest. But that gets us out of the need to overseed and gives us a year-round turf that we can dry down pretty good, still plays well, and we’re not growing in a golf course that takes a lot of chemicals, fertilizers and water every season. It’s more of a permanent turf solution. The genetics on bentgrass has come so far in the last 10, 15 years that now we have grasses that can handle our hot summers and cold winters. “That’s really where we are from the ground up. And that’s where Ken builds off systems from the golf course where he can use fewer inputs, especially after growing, where we’re very much sustainable. We’re expecting fertilizer numbers to plummet and water numbers to plummet and overall pesticide use to continue to trend downward.”

Black Desert is located in some of America's most pristine and ecologically diverse regions. Photo courtesy of Black Desert Resort

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

Black Desert lives up to its name by winding carefully through volcanic rock formations. Much of the property's 600 acres will remain protected and undeveloped. Photo by Frank LaVardera

While Troon continues to bring its strong stewardship record to bear — including visits by the company’s environmental science team and the use of all-electric carts and maintenance equipment, including mowers — Laubscher adds that Black Desert has hired Utah Tech professor Dr. Joe Platt as Director of Environmental Affairs. Part of his job is to monitor wildlife on the course. “He’s doing a study on the wildlife. We’re basically creating a sanctuary that promotes wildlife, and he’s doing that in a quantitative method, to where we can say, ‘just because we see a bobcat out there, was that bobcat here before? Now there’s five bobcats.’ Same with lizards, down to plant materials and native species. He’s here to measure our impact on what’s going on. “Another thing about Black Desert is that more than half of the golf course won’t have homes around it. We have these huge areas of lava that will be preserved forever, because they’re inside the golf course. Our deed agreement says that we can’t go into those areas at all. They are sanctuary areas for the lava to stay and for plant and animal habitat to come in too. That’s a huge thing for us.” That light-on-the-land ethic will run through the hotel and other structural elements as well, starting with a revolutionary low-voltage Power Over Ethernet system, an advanced regenerative media filter system for water savings, and much more to be revealed as Black Desert’s Signature Sanctuary Platinum partnership with Audubon International deepens. “Projects such as Black Desert can be created in 14

an environmentally sensitive or in a heavy-handed way,” says Dr. Platt. “The difference is time, money, and vision. Black Desert has chosen to invest resources in preserving hundreds of acres of natural areas, reducing water and power requirements, and developing ways to educate the public about our environmental resolve. By partnering with Audubon International, we will ensure our commitment to the environment grows and matures with Black Desert.” Frank LaVardera, Audubon International’s Director of Environmental Programs for Golf, recently completed the Initial Site Visit to Black Desert. “I was very impressed with the entire Black Desert facility. Based on the conversations I had with both the golf course and buildings people, it is clear that environmental sustainability is a very high priority. All the various systems we talked about had sustainability in mind. Our guidelines and principles for the golf course and the buildings are being implemented. I look forward to our continued relationship with Black Desert and their achieving a Signature Platinum Certification for the entire facility.” For more on Black Desert, visit www.blackdesert. com. For more information on Signature Sanctuary Platinum Certification, visit https://auduboninternational.org/signature-sanctuary-certification.

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

More black rock formations framing a Tom Weiskopf-designed fairway. Photo by Frank LaVardera

COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION The Black Desert Resort respects the importance of conservation efforts in Greater Zion. The inspiration we take from the natural environment can be seen throughout the design of the resort as well as our emphasis on making access to nearby state parks and trails as easy as possible. The 600 acres of spanning landscape surrounding the Black Desert Resort consists of 67% protected open space and conservation efforts continue into the design of the resort itself. — www.blackdesertresort.com

ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES IMPLEMENTED TO DATE: • Utilizing low- voltage POE (Power Over Ethernet) • Installation of an advanced regenerative media filter for water use • Golf course fairways planted in bentgrass to eliminate overseeding and save large quantities of water Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

GOLF COURSE SPOTLIGHT

Loving the Stewardship Life at Lords Valley

ortheast Pennsylvania’s Lords Valley Country Club (LVCC) marked its 60th Anniversary in 2023, and Golf Course Superintendent Christopher Passenti knew it was high time this secluded, history-steeped enclave got its due for decades of sustainable practices and dedication to environmental conservation. After all, its golf course has been certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary since 1996, some three years after he started working for Lords Valley Country Club. Perhaps that’s one big reason LVCC continues to thrive as other “old line” private clubs struggle or disappear: Sustainability breeds longevity. The New Jersey native and graduate of Penn State’s Turf Grass program reached out to Scott Turner, Audubon International’s Environmental Program Manager, to arrange a site visit. “I called Scott because the golf course had been recertified a couple years ago, and I wanted Audubon International to come and see our facility and the practices that we have put into place.” Passenti believed it was time that LVCC was 16

showcased for the practices that have been in place for 27 years. “We are extremely concerned with our environment footprint, so we do everything in our power to ensure that day-to-day pest and turf management practices are effective. That includes watching weather patterns, which may affect the overall golf course, as well as all ensuring all equipment is up to date.” Passenti and LVCC aren’t alone when it comes to some local community members misunderstanding how Audubon International Certified courses actively and intentionally help the environment, not harm it. It’s long been a source of frustration for many committed, hard-working, nature-loving superintendents. So welcoming Turner to this special place that’s only two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, including a mix of retired residential members as well as newer commuter culture members, was a big deal. “Scott’s visit to the course was another way to highlight the areas in which Lords Valley Country

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

Club was working within the surrounding environment,” he says. “No shortcuts were taken and big rewards are achieved even with a small budget.” The list of sustainable practices throughout LVCC’s 145-acre golf course –approximately 80 of which are maintained and “in play”–is long and impressive, starting with careful attention to keeping its ponds and lakes as pristine as possible. “We have some of the cleanest water in the area,” Passenti says. “We have a 30-foot no-spray, no-fertilize border around our lakes, and take pride in that, and we monitor irrigation cycles to make sure we’re getting the most out of our watering.” Passenti’s comment about “weather patterns” takes on a whole new meaning during more intense

weather swings. “For example, we are seeing more torrential downpours that yield one inch of rain, and rapid temperature changes which affect the overall health of the turf (bentgrass greens and fairways, with Poa annua). We try to stay well ahead of play by starting our applications at 4 a.m. to ensure all chemicals are dry.” Beyond the fertilized areas, native plants are treated with a careful hand, as well, to allow a wealth of wildlife to flourish including fox, bear, deer, and turkey. Passenti had some significant square footage set aside for Monarch butterfly habitat, letting crucial milkweed take hold well away from in-play corridors. “It also attracts bees,” he adds, “and it’s

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

For more on LVCC, https://www.lordsvalleycountryclub.com.

well out of the way so it doesn’t get trampled. We have some members who were really excited about it.” Passenti and crew's hard work also led to the club helping put together the GCSAA's Best Management Practices manual for the state of Pennsylvania. Audubon International’s Turner echoes that excitement and appreciates LVCC’s longtime commitment to stewardship. “My site visit to the property really brought into focus the special dedication Chris and his crew give their jobs every day, every year. Their turf management, irrigation and chemical application management practices are second

to none in terms of caring for flora and fauna and achieving that delicate balance with nature at every step, with intense planning, in sometimes challenging climate conditions. Nothing is left to chance.” Passenti agrees. “People forget that. They just think we do whatever we want to do. That’s not the case. I was taught to think about what you are doing, and how it may impact your environment, before you do it. “I take pride in not only my work, but also mentoring my employees instilling the importance of their environmental impact, as well as taking pride in the work that they do on a daily basis.”

“We are extremely concerned with our environmental footprint, so we do everything to ensure that day-to-day pest and turf management practices are effective. That includes watching weather patterns.” — Lords Valley Superintendent Chris Passenti 18

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

MONARCHS IN THE ROUGH

Members tending to the Monarchs in the Rough habitat at The Ford & Field River Club

Making a Coast-to-Coast Comeback

fter going off the sustainable practices radar for a couple years due to drought in the West and the Covid-19 pandemic in general, Audubon International’s Monarchs in the Rough program is again on the upswing at golf courses throughout America. So far, Audubon International has worked with more 800 golf courses to create some 1,200 out-ofplay acres of milkweed habitat where the butterflies lay their eggs and, in caterpillar form, dine on the otherwise invasive but vital plant. “Golf courses continue their positive contribution to the habitat needed,” says Audubon International CEO Christine Kane. “Monarchs in the Rough had been somewhat on hold during the pandemic, but now we look forward to continuing to grow the program and increasing new habitat.” That means making sure a participating course gets the strain of milkweed appropriate for its region. After starting Monarchs in the Rough in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, Audubon International now handles all elements of the program, working with distributors nationwide to assure healthy milkweed installations. They also

provide signage, posters, and technical guidance to assure proper installation and maintenance, and that golf course members are made aware of the efforts their course is making to save the monarch. Let’s check in with a director of agronomy and a superintendent at a couple such courses – one in Georgia, one in California – to see how Monarchs in the Rough is faring as climate change continues to alter the stewardship landscape, literally and figuratively. Jared Nimitz director of agronomy and maintenance operations The Ford Field & River Club in Richmond Hill, Georgia Nimitz says “The Ford” has been committed to Monarchs in the Rough for six years. He and his maintenance and agronomy staff have seen a dramatic increase in key pollinators in the club’s wetland and golf course ecosystem. “The Monarchs in the Rough program has been a wonderful collaboration between Audubon Interna-

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

MONARCHS IN THE ROUGH tional, our Ford members and golf course team to restore pollinators throughout the golf course and property,” he says. “The Ford’s Audubon and Green & Grounds Committees have been instrumental in working with the Golf Course Team to introduce pollinators into our wetland and golf course ecosystem. Over the past few years we have seen a dramatic increase in our monarch population and pollinator plants.” Wayne Mills superintendent La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, Calif. Longtime superintendent at La Cumbre and 2023 Presidents Award winner from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Mills says he expects the course’s 4,000 square feet or so of active milkweed habitat to see an upswing in activity in the next year. “The numbers fluctuate as far as butterflies and caterpillars, but last year there was so much rain north of me in Ellwood Bluffs [a well-known butterfly habitat in Goleta, Calif.], that the eucalyptus feasted, and it’s a haven for Monarchs up there during winter. Right now the trees are just covered

with them. I didn’t have that many caterpillars last year, but this will be the year where populations of a lot of species go up, double and double again, and we expect to see more activity in our milkweed areas.” Welcoming more butterflies to La Cumbre along with its many other wildlife species, including bumblebees and bluebirds, has become a popular part of the club’s stewardship culture. “The members really enjoy it, it’s a great part of what we do here. It’s fun. When you see the caterpillars lay a single egg per plant, then find the pupae, it’s very interesting. I have several members who follow the butterflies where we have milkweed on the course, and one has set up her own habitat at home. I give members some direction, let them know to use the local milkweed rather than South American strains.” Such comments bring a smile to Kane’s face. “We hear from many superintendents that their maintenance crews really appreciate having the opportunity to contribute like this,” Kane adds. “They feel like they’re contributing to something that could be very near and dear to them, part of their own personal core values.” To become a Monarchs in the Rough partner or for more information, visit monarchsintherough.org.

A native area at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

FROM THE EXPERTS A newly installed porous bunker liner made of recycled materials a Bull's Bridge in Connecticut.

Permeable Paving Solutions for Erosion & Stormwater Management By John Harvey

s more of our cities and countryside become developed and redeveloped, erosion control and stormwater management are hot topics from the regulatory, engineering and site development standpoint. Since most pavement has historically used non-permeable surface materials such as concrete or asphalt, stormwater has little chance of being directed into the soil profile. Typically, sheet runoff discharge from these pavement surfaces flows into catch basins, inlets, or other design structures, then is conveyed into drainage pipes. Surface runoff from impervious surfaces often carries sediment, chemical compounds, plastic materials, waste, trash and other objectional, deleterious debris. This is called “nonpoint source pollution,” and is difficult to control because it comes from many different sources and locations. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, most nonpoint source pollution occurs because of runoff. Throughout the United States, individual state agencies and regulatory bodies require developers

to quantify and reduce the area of imperious surfaces on a new or redeveloped property. Having permeable pavement options can be vital for decision making and treatment of the ground plane for paving when erosion control, stormwater management, and permeability of sites are scrutinized and regulated. Over the last 20 years or so, the use of permeable paving systems has produced many practical applications for reintroducing or returning stormwater back into the soil profile. Some hybrid compositions of porous asphalt, concrete, unit pavers, and permeable poured-in-place paving materials have an added benefit of absorbing and transferring stormwater back into the soil profile, thus reducing direct runoff water volumes directly into ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Within the circular economy, having a paving material that incorporates recycled materials into the pavement matrix is a positive, eco-friendly proposition. Porous Pave is a national leader in these products. It is comprised of three basic materials: Rubber chips (from recycled tires), stone aggregate and a proprietary urethane binding agent.

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

What are the benefits of using this paving system? • Reduces point source concentrated discharge of water and sediment laden water by introducing water back into the soil. Porous Pave allows over 5,800 gallons/square foot/hour back into the ground.

• Filtering properties of permeable pavement are beneficial, whereas fine soil particles flow through paving material evenly without clogging up the void space. It also offers nutrient sequestration due to the colonization of bio-slime within the rubber particles. • Directs stormwater into the ground profile more evenly, instead of generating surface runoff like traditional asphalt and concrete pavement. • Strong, durable, and permeable, yet providing flexibility with freeze/thaw cycles, due to the elasticity of rubber. • Pavement stays cooler during the summer sunlight and warmer during winter months (helps with snow and ice melt). • Porous Pave is mixed on-site with low impact equipment and applied over three-quarter-inch, clean No. 57 drainage base stone. • Pavements can be combined with other permanent stormwater treatment systems, such as rain gardens, biofilters, bio-retention swales, and site retention areas. Together, they can become an overall project solution in stormwater reduction, abatement, and treatment in an engineered physical and biological management system for commercial, residential, parks and golf course settings. • Use of permeable paving materials made from scrap tires may qualify for certain state and federal grants using recycled materials back into the landscape.

aesthetic and decorative paving designs, and inlays among other paving materials, plazas, walkways, and numerous other applications. The simplicity of the installation process is an added benefit. The three constituents of rubber, aggregate and binder are batch mixed on-site using mason-type plaster mixers or similar power mixing device attachments, operated by skid-steers. Only simple tools are needed for installation and finish work. Today there are more and more applications requiring permeable pavement solutions at the regulatory level for new developments and site rehabilitation/repurposing projects. Certainly, traditional pavement surfaces are not going away anytime soon. However, other practical and diverse uses for permeable paving solutions such as Porous Pave provide artistic, aesthetic, and functional erosion control measures for unique and demanding projects when dealing with stormwater management issues. John Harvey is Golf Specialist for Porous Pave Inc., and Matt Lamb is Vice President of Sales for Porous Pave. Harvey was awarded the ASGCA Environmental Excellence Award for 2020 and 2021.

Some hybrid compositions of porous asphalt, concrete, unit pavers, and permeable pouredin-place paving materials have an added benefit of transferring stormwater back into the soil profile, thus reducing direct runoff into ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Some permeable pavement solutions, such as Porous Pave, are not meant for high-speed traffic, yet excel for paths and trails, tree surrounds, golf course cart paths and bunker liners, sidewalks,

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

MEMBER PROFILE Turf and wetlands on River Bend Golf Course

River Bend Continues Welcome Trend in Military Golf

f the more than 900 courses worldwide certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf program, several are located on American military bases. Most of those are located within the United States or its territories, but a few are in far-flung locales such as Stuttgart, Germany. It’s strong proof that the nation’s armed forces, and their leaders, are on board with Audubon International’s mission to make all kinds of courses more sustainable. The newest addition to this growing military based ACSP for Golf team is South Korea’s River Bend Golf Course at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, which in 2018 replaced the base’s original Sung Name Golf Course. Earning its first ACSP for Golf certification in 2022, River Bend is part of the Army’s MWR system, which stands for “Morale, Welfare and Recreation,” designed to give deployed servicemen and their families access to activities that promote readiness, community and general health. The fact that River Bend — a par-72 Robert Trent Jones II-designed course with a double-deck 48-stall driving range, six-hole practice course and full-service pro shop — is committed to environmental stewardship adds to its allure. As River Bend celebrated the first anniversary

of its certification, Brent Borelli, GCS Director of Agronomy for River Bend and a native of South Portland, Maine, gave some insights on what goes into achieving and maintaining certification. The following Q&A is adapted from an interview that originally ran on wwwl.golfcoursetrades.com in fall 2023. What motivated your course to join the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for Golf, especially as a military course halfway around the world? Environmental stewardship is an investment in the future. River Bend Golf Course is a pristine place not only for golf but also for local wildlife to thrive. We want this land to remain clean and healthy for many generations. Joining the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program sends a resounding and reassuring message to the community of our commitment to environmental stewardship and natural resource preservation.

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cate and raise awareness of the course’s wildlife and fauna. Water testing was the next largest expense, which required four tests the initial year and two subsequent test per year to monitor the water in and around the course. How has working at military course changed your approach to sustainable practices?

River Bend Golf Course Superintendent Brent Borelli (left) helped with the construction of River Bend Golf Course in 2018. Sim Eun Yong (right) was a shaper for the project.

What did it take to achieve ACSP certification – how long was the process and what steps were involved? The certification process took nearly three years to fulfill with some steep requirements. We had to meet and maintain a high degree of quality in six categories: environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, and water quality management and conservation. We worked with current and future Eagle and Girl Scouts to build bird and bat houses and the community to clear waterways. Due to coronavirus pandemic, we had to facilitate a virtual visit by the Audubon International’s Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. What did it cost to earn certification all-in and what were the biggest expense items? There were some costs involved with the certification, including the site visits and building and setting up bird and bat houses. The Eagle Scout candidates received funding through scholarships and the Humphreys United Club, a volunteer organization comprised of military spouses. The Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division funded the interactive display in our lobby for around $17,000, which displays information about the course’s diverse ecosystem. It helps us to continue to edu24

The Army Climate Strategy supports the resiliency and sustainability of Army installations and facilities. Working at a military golf course has enhanced our approach to sustainable practices. We work closely with Department of Public Works’ Environmental Division on the best methods for keeping our waterways clean and our operations eco-friendly. Our mixing and loading stations are a closed looped system with berms and a water recycle station. It is state of the art. We are eager to incorporate purely electric options once they become available. We have been using hybrid grass mowers for the past several years. Due to labor constraints, we cannot do all that I want, such as recycling clippings in our topdressing for nitrogen. We do, however, return clippings on our fairways and roughs. What were / are the most challenging aspects of being certified and maintaining the standards required to achieve and retain that status? There really isn’t much change in maintaining standards since being certified. Our staff continues the same work, including continual surveillance and record keeping. What specific benefits are you reaping from being a Certified Member, among golfers/military members, and the community at large? USAG Humphreys’ River Bend Golf Course being a Certified Member of ACSP sends a resounding and reassuring message to the community of its commitment to environmental stewardship and natural resource preservation. What would you share with other superintendents and course managers who are considering joining the Audubon International ACSP program?

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

Environmental stewardship is an investment in the future. I would encourage other courses to be a part of the ACSP program. They more than likely do 90% of what is required already. Environmental stewardship is everyone’s responsibility, and we must do our part in ensuring the health of the hundreds of acres under our care. This is key in helping ensure golf courses are seen as a positive force in preserving and promoting a healthy environment. What is the best guidance or tip(s) you have received pertaining to being a superintendent and overseeing your golf course agronomy/maintenance department? (And from whom?) The two most influential superintendents in my life are Jeff Wentworth, CGCS at Pelham Country Club on New York, and Joe Esposito, retired GCS at Riverside Golf Course in Portland. Joe was my first superintendent when I was a summer hire during college at the start of my career. He got me excited to start on this career path. I loved the outdoors

and being involved with nature. He was a strong leader and father figure type – a good hardworking man. Jeff and Larry Taylor, his first assistant at the time, probably taught me the most about agronomy and what is possible on a golf course with an adequate budget. They made an outstanding team. I was fortunate to work with them both during the time I was there. We put in a new irrigation system, new maintenance building, and started the process of a new master plan with lots of projects. Jeff was a leader and helped young superintendents in the New York Metropolitan area and wasn’t afraid to push the limits of turfgrass. His best advice to me was to go learn from a couple other superintendents and that you will learn more of what to do and what not to do by gaining different perspectives and leadership qualities of each superintendent you work for.

A newborn fawn on River Bend Golf Course

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

CERTIFICATIONS AND RECERTIFICATIONS NEW CERTIFICATIONS – 2023

ACSP FOR BUSINESS

ACSP FOR GOLF

UNITED STATES CALIFORNIA 25391 Washington LLC CONNECTICUT Sacred Heart Greenwich ILLINOIS Techny Prairie Park and Fields Wood Oaks Green Park NEW YORK Pinelawn Memorial Park & Arboretuma

CANADA Credit Valley Golf and Country Club CHINA Xili Golf & Country Club UNITED STATES CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara Golf Club FLORIDA Mizner Country Club GEORGIA University of Georgia Golf Course MARYLAND Falls Road Golf Course Leisure World Golf Course Sligo Creek Golf Course Woodmont Country Club NEW JERSEY Skyway Golf Course at Lincoln Park West OREGON Sheep Ranch at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort SOUTH DAKOTA Elmwood Golf Course WISCONSIN Erin Hills Golf Course Lake Geneva Country Club SIGNATURE SANCTUARY UNITED STATES FLORIDA TwinEagles Club (Eagle and Talon Courses) GREEN LODGING UNITED STATES CALIFORNIA Marriott Vacation Club San Diego Pulse FLORIDA Amelia Hotel at the Beach Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau Comfort Suites Amelia Island Hyatt Siesta Key Marriott Vacation Club Pulse South Beach Ocean Coast Hotel at the Beach Sea Cottages of Amelia Seaside Amelia Inn Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort Sheraton Vistana Villages The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island Vistana Beach Club HAWAII Hyatt Residence Club Ka’anapali Maui MVW The Westin Princeville Ocean Villas Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villa MISSOURI Big Cedar Wilderness Club Condo Association, Inc. Paradise Point Resort The Cliffs at Long Creek NEW YORK Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, New York City

RECERTIFICATIONS – 2023 ACSP FOR GOLF AUSTRALIA Avondale Golf Club BARBADOS Apes Hill CANADA Calgary Golf and Country Club Silver Springs Golf and Country Club Capilano Golf and Country Club Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club Highland Pacific Golf Mississauga Golf and Country Club Niagara Parks Commission - Legends on the Niagara Sunningdale Golf and Country Club Mount Bruno Country Club Club de Golf Memphremagog (S.E.C.) CAYMAN ISLANDS The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Grand Cayman HONG KONG Hong Kong Golf Club OMAN Almouj Golf SPAIN Valderrama Golf Club (Club de Golf Valderrama) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Saadiyat Beach Golf Club UNITED KINGDOM Marriott Worsley Park Hotel & Country Club UNITED STATES ARIZONA Anthem Golf and Country Club Westin La Paloma Country Club CALIFORNIA Admiral Baker Golf Course Cherry Island Golf Course Deep Cliff Golf Course Tilden Park Golf Course Whittier Narrows Golf Course COLORADO Castle Pines Golf Club City Park Nine Golf Course EagleVail Golf Club Flatirons Golf Course SouthRidge Golf Course Vail Golf Club: Vail Rec District CONNECTICUT Aspetuck Valley Country Club Fairview Country Club Wee Burn Country Club

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024

CERTIFICATIONS AND RECERTIFICATIONS Woodway Country Club FLORIDA BallenIsles Country Club Copperleaf Golf Club DURAN Golf Club Estero Country Club Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club Hawk’s Landing Golf Club at the Orlando World Center Marriott High Ridge Country Club Naples Lakes Country Club Okeeheelee Golf Course Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Orlando Grande Lakes Spring Run Golf Club The Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, Autograph Collection TPC Prestancia GEORGIA The Ford Field & River Club The Oconee at Reynolds Lake Oconee The Preserve at Reynolds Lake Oconee ILLINOIS Arrowhead Golf Club - Wheaton Park District Glencoe Golf Club Skokie Country Club Village Links of Glen Ellyn INDIANA Chariot Run Golf Club Knollwood Country Club KANSAS Ironhorse Golf Club MAINE Riverside Municipal Golf Course (City of Portland Maine) MASSACHUSETTS Ipswich Country Club Winchester Country Club MARYLAND Little Bennett Golf Course Needwood Golf Course MICHIGAN Sylvan Glen Golf Course MINNESOTA Francis A. Gross Golf Course Somerset Country Club TPC Twin Cities NEVADA TPC Las Vegas NEW HAMPSHIRE Bald Peak Colony Club NEW JERSEY Somerset Hills Country Club NEW YORK Columbia Golf & Country Club Piping Rock Club OREGON Shadow Hills Country Club PENNSYLVANIA Diamond Run Golf Club Tam O’Shanter of Pennsylvania SOUTH CAROLINA Hampton Hall Club Sun City Hilton Head The Reserve at Lake Keowee TENNESSEE Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain State Park

Fall Creek Falls Golf Course Marriott Cattails at MeadowView The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay The Bear Trace at Tims Ford TEXAS Boot Ranch Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club VIRGINIA Algonkian Golf Course Boonsboro Country Club Brambleton Golf Course Golden Horseshoe Golf Club- Gold Course Golden Horseshoe Golf Club- Green Course Herndon Centennial Golf Course Willow Oaks Country Club WASHINGTON Columbia Point Golf Course SIGNATURE SANCTUARY UNITED STATES FLORIDA Hoffman Old Corkscrew Golf Club LLC. Pelican Preserve PGA Village - Wanamaker, Ryder & Dye Courses World Wide Sportsman, Inc. GEORGIA Cateechee NORTH CAROLINA Brightleaf at the Park Compass Pointe Realty LLC The Hasentree Club NEW YORK Bridgehampton Road Races -The Bridge Sebonack Golf Club GREEN LODGING UNITED STATES FLORIDA Marriott’s BeachPlace Towers Marriott’s Cypress Harbour HAWAII Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club Marriott’s Kauai Lagoons Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club MASSACHUSETTS Marriott Vacation Club Pulse at Custom House SOUTH CAROLINA Marriott’s Barony Beach Club Marriott’s Grande Ocean ACSP FOR BUSINESS CANADA Niagara College Canada UNITED STATES SOUTH CAROLINA The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island

Audubon International | Stewardship News | Winter 2023-2024