Over 1,000 golf courses dot the landscape throughout Florida, covering tens of thousands of acres of forest, grassland, and coastal territory.  Nearly a quarter of these golf courses have made a commitment to protect these fragile and unique ecosystems throughout the state as members of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.  They do this by working to reduce irrigated turf areas and water use, providing habitat for Florida-specific flora and fauna, reducing chemical use, and taking an eco-centric approach to maintaining the golf course. 

Who cares that they’re doing this?  Gopher tortoises care.  Eagles care.  Hundreds of other types of wildlife that help make Florida unique care.  For instance, LaPlaya Golf Club in Naples, Florida, led by Superintendent Brian Beckner and assisted by local avian expert George McBath, has established a variety of nesting structures on the 155-acre golf course.  Eastern Bluebirds, Great Crested Flycatchers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, Downy Woodpeckers, and Purple Martins are among the birds that have moved in.  In recent years, Beckner and his crew were especially pleased to see Eastern Screech Owls take up residence for the first time in a nesting cylinder placed in a pine scrub habitat and twelve Wood Ducks fledged from nest boxes in the course’s lakes. 

Who else should care?  You, the golfer, should care.  Golf is a game played in nature and dependent upon nature.  A healthy, natural environment means a healthy golf course.  So support golf courses committed to caring for the natural environment in Florida, and encourage those not taking action to get involved as well.  You can also help by taking the “Audubon Green Golfer Survey” at http://gs-survey.com/s.asp?s=1649.

For more information about Audubon International, the Golf and the Environment Initiative, ways to get involved, and a list of Audubon-certified golf courses in Florida, please visit: http://www.GolfandEnvironment.org