Dear Source,
I certainly appreciate St. Croix Environmental Association's concern for the environment. However, I think that they need to acknowledge that there are ways to take care of the environment while at the same time improving the economy of our island. This is actually a perfect opportunity for the Great Pond area to be improved and benefit everyone. Instead of attempting to strangle Golden Gaming's project and St. Croix economy, SEA should be working at getting Golden Gaming to adopt the Great Pond area, and improve its appearance and make it beneficial to tourists and locals.
Following is an excerpt from the Audubon International website which shows how they can and will help develop golf courses that are friendly to the environment. During debates last year over establishing an alternate form of wastewater treatment, it was pointed out that bird-watching is an industry that brings in millions of dollars to the local communities. We need to take advantage of this and help build an economy where bird-watching attracts tourists to our island. Audubon International in cooperation with SEA, V.I. Housing, Parks And Recreation, and Golden Gaming, can turn the Great Pond Recreational Area into an attractive and revenue producing area, while at the same time protecting the environment.
On another note, Sen. David Jones once said that the law establishing casinos on St. Croix was a failure because of the amount of time it has taken to get the casinos established. Well, it is time that Mr. Jones and the other 14 paid representatives of the people quit the bickering and the closed-door dealings and get both the Golden Gaming and the Robin Bay projects moving. If we were talking about St. Thomas, we would have had one hearing and everything would have been approved and moved forward. Mr. Jones, rememember who put you where you are: Crucians!!!
From the Web site: Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for Golf
Since 1991, Audubon International has been the leading environmental organization to provide comprehensive environmental education and conservation assistance to golf course superintendents and industry professionals. Through collaborative efforts begun in 1991 with the United States Golf Association (USGA), membership in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses has steadily grown to include more than 2,300 courses in all fifty states, Canada, and increasingly, around the world.
Opportunities and Issues
By their very nature, golf courses provide significant open spaces and opportunities to provide needed wildlife habitat in increasingly urbanized communities across North America. At the same time, golf courses are called to address environmental concerns related to the potential and actual impacts of water consumption and chemical use on local water sources, wildlife species, and native habitats.
The ACSP for Golf Courses seeks to address golf's environmental concerns while maximizing golf course opportunities to provide open space benefits. This highly regarded education and assistance program promotes participation in comprehensive environmental management, enhancement and protection of existing wildlife habitats, and recognition for those who are engaged in environmentally responsible projects.
A flexible program to fit a diversity of needs.
Of the estimated 16,000 golf courses in the United States, no two are alike. The ACSP is designed to help a golf course take stock of environmental resources and any potential problems, and then develop a plan that fits its unique setting, goals, staff, budget, and available time. The program has been tailored to a variety of different types of golf course properties, including: private clubs, public and municipal golf courses, PGA sites, 9-hole facilities, resort courses, and golf residential communities.
Audubon International provides information to help golf courses with:
–Environmental Planning,
–Wildlife and Habitat Management,
–Chemical Use Reduction and Safety,
–Water Conservation,
–Water Quality Management, and
–Outreach and Education.
By completing projects in each of these components of the program, the golf course member receives national recognition as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
Good for the environment; good for golf.
The ACSP presents a win-win opportunity for the game of golf and the environment. Here are just a few of the many benefits our members frequently report:
— Enhances the natural beauty of the golf course.
— Reduces water use and the need for expensive chemical applications.
— Promotes the course's positive, pro-active environmental achievements.
— Educates golf course employees about habitat management, Best Management Practices, and public outreach strategies designed especially for golf courses.
— Provides on-going technical information, support, and guidance for implementing environmental projects.
— Results in financial savings on course maintenance.
— Connects superintendents and course personnel with local resource people and organizations that can support the golf course's environmental management programs.
— Improves job satisfaction.
Audubon International believes that by working cooperatively with course maintenance staff, club personnel, golfers, and industry associations, we can help golf courses integrate sound environmental management practices and make a valuable contribution to conservation. Together, we are enhancing the game of golf while improving the quality of the environment through stewardship action.
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for Golf
Collaborative Highlights (updated 8/2000)
1991 Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses created in cooperation with the United States Golf Association (USGA)
1993 Audubon Signature Program created to serve properties under development
1993 Landscape Restoration Handbook published in cooperation with USGA
1993 Royal Canadian Golf Association sponsors the Golf Program in Canada; in 1997 the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System of Canada was incorporated to serve the needs of Canadian members
1993 The first Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Golf Courses and Certified Audubon Signature Sanctuary serve as valuable demonstration projects showcasing environmental management
1995-present, Seminars on Wildlife Management and Habitat Conservation and Natural Resource Management on Golf Courses offered through the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA)
1996 A Guide to Environmental Stewardship for Golf Courses published in cooperation with USGA
1996 Participation in Golf & The Environment Conference with environmental and golf course organizations yields Environmental Principles for Golf Courses in the United States
1996 Wildlife Links grant awarded by National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to compile data on wildlife and habitat on golf courses
1997 Hosted Birdwatching Ryder Cup in conjunction with the European Golf Association Ecology Unit
1998, 1999, 2000 Hosted North American Birdwatching Open on certified golf courses and recorded more than 310 different bird species on golf courses during the 24-hour event
1999 Integrated Environmental Management seminar developed and taught by Audubon International staff through the GCSAA continuing education program.
2000 Worked in cooperation with the Club Managers Association of America to develop an Environmental Performance Audit for clubs
2000 Compiled third year of research data at our golf course research site, Schuyler Meadows Club in upstate New York
2000 Compiled media fact sheets highlighting environmental stewardship accomplishments at ACSP golf courses that hosted USGA tournaments
–we work with both existing property and sites that are to be developed.
Kevin A. Fletcher
Director of Programs and Administration
Audubon International – Headquarters
46 Rarick Road, Selkirk, NY 12158
Phone: (518)767-9051 ext 26; Fax
: (518)767-9076
Email: kfletcher@audubonintl.org
Website: http://www.audubonintl.org
Case Studies
The following Case Studies highlight ACSS properties that have met or exceeded ACSS minimum standards to enhance and protect wildlife habitat, conserve resources, and offer outreach and education.
The Case Studies provide an overview of the ecological significance of each property and highlight some of the results achieved through participation in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. They do not cover all of the projects initiated to achieve certification, but focus on some of the major accomplishments for wildlife and environmental conservation.
Inquiries about Case Studies should be emailed to: jmackay@audubonintl.org
— Bluff City Elementary Eufaula, AL – Elementary School Contribute to Sustainable Eufaula
— Bonita Bay Homeowners, AL – Preserving Home: Working with Homeowners
— Carolina National Golf Club, NC – Naturalization
— Colonial Acres Golf Course, NY
— Conserve School, WI – Educating Environmental Stewards
— Country Club of Wisconsin, WI – Prairie Restoration
— Cordillera Mountain, CO – Enhancing Pond Shorelines With Native Aquatic Plants
— Eagle Valley Water Quality Group, CO – Monitoring and Protecting Water Quality
— Edgewood Country Club, NJ – Naturalizing the Golf Course
— The City of Eufuala Alabama – Planning for the Future
— Farnsworth Middle School, NY – Preserving Local Biodiversity
— Fauquier Outdoor Lab, VA
— Freedom Organic, NY – Nurturing Soils, Cultivating Stewardship
— Gainesville Golf & Country Club, FL
— Harbor Links Ecological Restoration, NY – [Ecological Restoration] – Reclaim a Former Sand Mine
— Hobe Sound Elementary, FL – Implementing the ACSP for Schools
— Hop Meadow Country Club, CT – Nest Box Project
— Hyannisport Club, MA
— IGM at Habitat, FL – Lake Bank Buffer Zones
— La Cantera Golf Club, TX
— Legacy at Craguns, MN – Stewardship in the Northern Great Lakes
— Legacy Club at Alaqua Lake, FL – Preserving Biodiversity In Florida's Southern Coastal Plain
— Montessouri Community School, VA – Empowering Children through Environmental Education
— Morro Bay GC, CA – Monarch Butterfly Project
— NEGCSA, NY – Adopt-A-School Initiative
— Newton Country Club, NJ
— North Shore Country Club, IL – Use of Composts to Improve Turf Ecology
— Old Collier Golf Club, FL – Sustainable Development Presents a Winning Solution to Burgeoning Growth in Florida
— Old Marsh Golf Club, FL
— Prairie Dunes Country Club, KS
— Silver Dollar City, MO – Landscape Renovation
— Thunderhawk, IL – Endangered Species Protection: Saving the Small Sundrop
— TPC at River Highlands, CT
— TPC at Scottsdale, AZ – Creating a Desert Garden
— Village Links of Glen Ellyn, IL – Implementing the ACSP
Edwin Torres
St. Croix
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