Environmental Outcomes of Participating in the
ACSP for Golf Courses
Since 2002, Audubon International has been
collecting data on the environmental and
financial benefits of good environmental
performance from golf courses participating in
the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. Here
is a snapshot of what our members have
reported:
Chemical Use Reduction and Safety:
-
82% of ACSP golf course respondents reduced
pesticide use
-
75% reduced pesticide costs
-
92% used pesticides with lower toxicity
levels
Wildlife and Habitat Management:
-
89% of respondents now choose native plants
when landscaping, compared to 49% before
joining the program.
-
The average number of acres devoted to
providing wildlife habitat increased by 50%,
from 45 acres to 67 acres per course on
average.
Water Quality and Water Conservation:
-
89% of courses that responded had improved
their irrigation system or the way that
water was applied to the site. As a result,
they saved an estimated 1.9 million gallons
of water per year per course since joining
the ACSP—totaling over 500 million gallons
per year.
-
86% of golf course managers and
superintendents have increased efforts to
monitor water quality.
Participant Attitudes:
The Farm, GA:
-
Converted five acres of rough to
low-maintenance areas and removed 14
sprinkler heads, saving 6,048 gallons per
water cycle—while also saving money through
avoided energy costs and reduced
wear-and-tear to the irrigation system.
Old Marsh Golf Club, FL:
-
Reduced annual water consumption from over
112,000,000 gallons in 1988 to less than
50,000,000 in 1999 by taking steps through
the ACSP
Hole-in-the-Wall Golf Club, FL:
-
Saves approximately $3,000 annually through
reduced use of the irrigation system alone
-
Saves 10 million gallons of water annually
Village Links of Glen Ellyn, IL:
Edgewood Country Club, NJ:
-
Saves approximately $10,000 annually on
fuel, labor, pesticides, water, and
equipment wear and tear from a $4,500
investment in naturalizing areas on their
course.
Carolina National Golf Club, SC:
Click here
to download the full Environmental Outcomes
Report (2000-2001) (PDF) or to download a
white paper on this topic,
Small and
Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
and Voluntary Environmental Performance: 2003
Golf Course Business Value Survey.
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