Certified Audubon Sanctuaries

[Ryan Farrow]

I was reading through the golf section of a “Discover Scottsdale” book and read an insert that the Sanctuary Golf Course was only the 17th course in the world to attain the coveted Audubon Signature Status. This is the first time I have ever heard about such a program and was wondering if this is something architects are beginning to think about when designing a golf course. My last studio teacher was an advocate of green building and at the end of the year presented a lecture on sustainability. Is achieving a gold or silver Audubon status something that architects should strive to achieve. Is it their responsibility to the environment to help make golf courses less dependant on excessive watering and preserving natural habitats?

Also are their any architects in particular who have taken the initiative to make this happen at every course they design?


More information about the program here:

http://www.audubonintl.org/programs/acss/golf.htm

[Jeff_Brauer]

Ryan,

It has been a goal of many courses for at least a decade now.  Some just because (like my hometown) they have that committment, others as a tool to get a permit.  Most of the requirements are something that I build into every course now as a matter of fact, whether they are going for the status or not.  Its as you suggest, we do have some responsibility to design in the most environmentally effective way we can given the site circumstances.

My Colbert Hills and just recently Wilderness at Fortune Bay have gotten the highest levels of certification.  Other courses, like Giants Ridge, Wild Horse in Sacremento have reached lower levels of the program.  

Some have come up short, in one case because the maintenance building, rather than the course, came up short in the requirements.  Others have given it up, finding that the use of certain chemicals or practices outweigh the program benefits.

As with my golf game, the enviromental sensitivity movement is still all over the place......

[Phil_the_Author]

Calling Mike Young!

Mike should comment on this in that, unless I'm mistaken, he has a relationship with the Audubon Society.

His input on this topic would be invaluable...

[Joe Hancock]

For clarification, Audubon International is not the same organization as The Audubon Society.

Joe

[Bob_Huntley]

The Golf Club at Squaw Creek has some sort of imprimature from Audubon something or other and it still doesn't do a thing for a lousy golf experience.

The noisy clattering of golf carts on wooden slats over wetlands must terrify any birds in the vicinity.

Could this be another politically correct way to get permit approval to build a golf course?

Bob

[Mike_Young]

Phillip,
As Jeff says, we all try to make our courses sustainable.  As for being involved I am on their advisory panel but I think that was from a course we did, Cateechee which was #14 to gain that status and won the GCSAA Environmental stewarship award in 2000 or 2002.  But hey, I don't claim to know anymore about eating carrots or pine cones than Jeff.  When a course subscribes to the highest level it has to begin before construction and will include things like handdryers instead of paper towels in the restrooms, mulching fertilizer bags...all good things.....
the lady that really knows this stuff is Nancy richardson ad she can be contacted at audubon......

[paul cowley]

...well Mike I have always been a skeptic of the group...definately a for profit corp.....but on your say so, I will be more open minded [if I only had a brain ].

[Bob_Huntley]

Will someone tell me that these certifications come with no one making a profit from the such certifications.

Is this a scam where a supposedly environmentally sensitive group makes a pile out of doing good, but doing well in the process?

Bob

[Ryan Farrow]

My studio instructor spent some time at the end of his lecture to present a project he worked on. It was a green building and he gathered up all the information to send it to a green building program called LEEDS. This seems to be the architectural equivalent to the Certified Audubon Sanctuaries. His building received, I think, silver status which he still to this day claims, deserved gold(Just like how I deserved a B+ and not a B- in his class)….

The point I guess I’m trying to make is that compiling all the criteria and determining what kind of status the golf course deserves takes a lot of time and effort if it is to be done correctly(just like the green building LEED program).

So Bob, I certainly hope this is not a scam as the quote on their website might lead some to believe:

The 50 in 5 Goal
”To have 50% of all golf courses in the United States enrolled and active in the either Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses or the Audubon Signature Programs by the end of 2007.”

–At $150 a year from thousands of golf courses…. you get the picture.

From the looks of it I think they are truly doing good while doing well. And I guess there’s not much wrong with that.


-And Jeff, I applaud your efforts and hope more of your kind are striving to do the same.

[Joe Hancock]

I don't think "scam" is the right word. "Business" would be an appropriate fit. They are making money, and they are helping golf courses understand things about the environment that they might not have known before.

However, too many times the program is invoked purely for marketing purposes, especially by new high end public facilities. Nothing says "poser" to me quicker than when I get bombarded with propaganda that tells me how much a course loves the earth. When it's all over their print ads and scorecards, I can almost gaurantee the course is being over watered, over fertilized and over sprayed because they are probably charging upwards of $100 for the priviledge.

That might be a bit harsh, but I'll leave it as written for now, just so I can take my lumps.

Joe

[Jeff_Brauer]

Paul and Bob,

I once served on a jury where the young lawyer asked every expert witness whether they had been paid to be here today.  Finally, the judge - who was actually retired, but called out of retirement by Cook County to ease caseloads, and therefore could "tell it like it is" - told the lawyer to stop asking that, adding that " you're paid to be here, I'm paid to be here, the other lawyers are paid to be here, and even the jury is paid a few bucks a day to be here!  No one goes anywhere without getting paid, so get over it."

I always remember that when someone questions the motives of a gca, the USGA, or Audubon International just because they get some fees out of a deal.  Yes, they all get paid, but it doesn't necessarily lessen their committment to their cause or ideals.

[paul cowley]

Jeff.....I have no problem with them being paid for their services....my concern is with how they apply their 'science' to the construction of my golf courses and the impacts associated as a consequence....and, putting all my ignorance and naivety aside, in most cases I feel I can build a better environmental mouse trap.

[Ryan Farrow]

Could anyone describe the differences between a gold, silver, or bronze course? Are there any number of factors that are more important than others?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Ryan,

To get gold, you have to involve them from the beginning.  For silver, they have to start being involved in construction .  For bronze, I think you can apply after construction.  From their perspective, they can positively influence more things if involved earlier, so that's why they have the different levels.

At bronze, you could have all the best management practices, for instance, but if your drainage went into streams unfiltered, or you exceeded their 90 acres of turf suggestion, you would be somewhat below the best practices in design, etc. and you couldn't be considered a top of the line enironmental performer.

The deeper involvement brings the higher price tag, naturally.

[Bob_Huntley]

Paul and Bob,

I once served on a jury where the young lawyer asked every expert witness whether they had been paid to be here today.  Finally, the judge - who was actually retired, but called out of retirement by Cook County to ease caseloads, and therefore could "tell it like it is" - told the lawyer to stop asking that, adding that " you're paid to be here, I'm paid to be here, the other lawyers are paid to be here, and even the jury is paid a few bucks a day to be here!  No one goes anywhere without getting paid, so get over it."

I always remember that when someone questions the motives of a gca, the USGA, or Audubon International just because they get some fees out of a deal.  Yes, they all get paid, but it doesn't necessarily lessen their committment to their cause or ideals.

Obviously, the young lawyer was a novice. No expert witness travels a thousand miles, stays in a crummy hotel for days on end and gives of his expert knowledge free of charge.

What I am concerned with, is the value of their imprimature. The Gold, Silver and Bronze stuff sounds suspiciously like the fees from Scientology.

As mentioned earlier I played at a certified course at Lake Tahoe. It was so environmentally correct as to defy logic. The sensitive areas were so pervasive that each foursome out there must have lost four or five balls per man.  

Exactly which group has permission to use 'Audubon' in its  title.

Bob

[Ryan Farrow]

Jeff, from what I understand they are there to consult and give recommendations. If you follow all of their recommendations I suppose that would give you gold status?

I don't understand how a course built without their services cannot receive higher than a bronze. I guess I am more in favor of a system where you receive points based on some of the design or preservation choices you made when designing a golf course.
I’m sure some courses out there are just as environmentally friendly and sustainable as the courses that they oversaw at the beginning of the construction and design process.

[Mark Studer]

I have a  feeling that if you allow your super to decide where the money should be spent, he will say he too loves birds and nature but ,"Didn't you hire me to grow and maintain turfgrass and bunkers?"  Even if the members claim that there is money for both, there is not.  The bird and nature committee types should be congratulated and  encouraged to volunteer for the local audubon society fundraiser not affiliated with your golf club.  

[Jeff_Brauer]

Ryan,

As I said, they believe there are some things you can only design in for environmentally friendly courses, like no direct drainage into water courses, minimal turf, etc.

I guess they figure there are ways to design, build and manage courses for environmental sensitivity. Do all three and you get gold, 2 of 3 you get silver, and only one of three and you get bronze. I don't know if you could change status by retrofitting your course, but I doubt it, since I think they are trying to hold up a higher level or recognition to those who engage them from the very start to make it more "meaningful."  

However, I doubt the general public stops to learn the differences, and I have had owner's purposely start the program at silver or bronze to get the Audubon stamp for less funds up front on that premise.  At the same time, I continue to design the course to general AI environmental standards.....even though it won't help raise their status with AI.