September 17, 2014
Fairwinds Golf Club, a founding member of Golf Vancouver Island, has retained its designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program.
Participation is designed to help course personnel plan, organize, implement and document a comprehensive environmental management program and receive recognition for their efforts. To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas including: Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management.
“Fairwinds Golf Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Doug Bechtel, Executive Director of Audubon International.
Fairwinds Golf Club is one of 12 courses in British Columbia to receive the honour. The golf course was designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 2009. After designation, courses go through a recertification process every two years.
This year the recertification process, coordinated by Rick Munro, Assistant Superintendent at Fairwinds, required a visit by a local community representative. Michael Girard, Instructor and Chair of the Horticulture Technician Program at VIU, was given a tour of the course and sent his observations to Audubon International. “Fairwinds Golf Club appears to be doing an excellent job of environmental stewardship to meet the requirements of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program,” Girard reported.
“The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses has allowed me to gain valuable knowledge and experience of how the natural environment and golf courses interact with each other,” said Munro.
Audubon International is a not-for-profit environmental education organization dedicated to providing people with the education and assistance they need to practice responsible management of land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources.
Fairwinds Golf Club was voted “Best Golf Course on Vancouver Island” by BCLiving.ca readers in 2013 and is a par 71, Les Furber designed 18-hole course located in Nanoose Bay. For more information, visit www.fairwinds.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Ward Stouffer, Director of Golf Operations
Fairwinds Golf Club
3730 Fairwinds Drive, Nanoose Bay, BC V9P 9J6
250.468.7776 or toll free 1.888.718.2777