ORLANDO, FLA.—Marriott Golf, one of the world’s premier golf operators, announced new standards requiring 34 of the company’s managed golf courses throughout North America and the Caribbean to become Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries by the end of 2008.
Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, which enable golf facilities to protect the environment by enhancing natural areas and wildlife habitats, are part of a systemwide commitment by Marriott International, Inc. to promote environmental stewardship. Marriott’s Audubon Certification mandate program includes 34 golf courses at 25 locations throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, including famed golf destinations such as Doral Golf Resort & Spa, in Miami, Florida; Royal St. Kitts Golf Club in the British West Indies; and Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., among others. In fact, Doral, host of the 2008 WGC-CA Championship, March 20-23, will become the first-ever Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in North America to host a World Golf Championships event.
“Marriott Golf is proud to be part of the company’s broader green initiatives by supporting Audubon Certification, golf’s environmental gold standard,” said Robert Waller, senior director of grounds, Marriott Golf. “Our goal is to engage our guests and associates from around the world in this unique process and to further our commitment to promoting the game of golf in an eco-friendly way.”
Audubon Qualification Criteria
In order to achieve Audubon Certification, a golf facility is required to demonstrate that it is maintaining the highest degree of environmental quality in several areas including Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach & Education, Chemical Use Reduction & Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management.
Marriott International has been actively involved in energy conservation since the 1980s, and over the last decade launched environmental cleanup projects around the world, replaced 450,000 light bulbs with fluorescent lighting, introduced linen reuse programs, and installed 400,000 low-flow showerheads and toilets at its hotels worldwide. Recently, Marriott’s headquarters in Bethesda, Md., along with its timeshare division based in Orlando, replaced more than 2.5 million pieces of Styrofoam and plastic utensils with those made of potato (SpudWare), sugar cane and cornstarch—all fully biodegradable within an average of 100 days. These industry-leading efforts have been recognized by the EPA, which awarded Marriott with its 2008 Sustained Excellence award and placed the Energy Star label on more than 200 of its hotels (the most of any hotel company).
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries for golf courses, which are endorsed by the United States Golf Assn., provide information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat, and protect natural resources. To date, and in advance of the 2008 mandate initiative, Marriott Golf maintains six properties that operate as Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, including:
• Stone Mountain Golf Club in Stone Mountain, Ga.;
• Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami;
• The Ritz-Carlton Members Club in Sarasota, Fla.;
• The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla.;
• Grande Pines Golf Club in Orlando; and
• The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes in Orlando.
Each of these properties have achieved certification through a variety of methods, including the development of water conservation plans; converting formerly managed turf into wildlife habitat; constructing nesting boxes for native birds; the creation of butterfly gardens, and much more.
“We are elated with the level of commitment Marriott is showing by mandating Audubon Certification across their portfolio of golf courses,” said Kevin Fletcher, executive director of Audubon International. “This program directly enables golf courses to protect the environment by improving the quality of land, water, and air, along with conserving natural resources and protecting wildlife habitats. These proven environmental management practices will help preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf for many generations to come.”
For a look behind the scenes at the Audubon Certification process and the vision behind the program, click here.
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