Sustainable Golf
Audubon International
Westview is a proud member of the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf (ACSP).
This award-winning education and certification program helps golf courses protect our environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. Through collaborative efforts begun in 1991 with the United States Golf Association, membership in the ACSP has steadily grown to include approximately 2,000 golf courses in the United States and three dozen countries worldwide.
By helping people enhance the valuable natural areas and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide, improve efficiency, and minimize potentially harmful impacts of golf course operations, the program serves an important environmental role.
Audubon International has developed Standard Environmental Management Practices that are generally applicable to all golf courses. These standards form the basis for ACSP for Golf certification guidelines.
LATEST PROJECTS
New Nesting Boxes for the course were created by our Maintenance Crew using re-purposed wood from the course.
These boxes are located throughout the course to provide nest sites for the American Kestrel, a small falcon with rusty-coloured tail and back with black barring. They are almost exclusively cavity nesters, and lay four to five eggs each year.
As open space becomes increasingly developed, nest sites dwindle, which means Kestrels and other cavity-nesting birds compete heavily for available habitats. These boxes were built with dimensions specific to the kestrel, but can also provide homes for some owl species.
Click here to find out more about the American Kestrel.
PRACTICES INCLUDE:
- Environmental Planning
- Wildlife & Habitat Management
- Chemical Use Reduction & Safety
- Water Conservation
- Outreach & Education
CURRENT PROGRAMS AT WESTVIEW:
LOCAL WILDLIFE FAQs
Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND A BABY BIRD THAT HAS FALLEN OUT OF ITS NEST?
A: It is always good to move the bird to a safe spot close by and wait to see if a parent bird is nearby. if you cannot find a safe spot, consider bringing the bird to a local shelter, like Shades of Hope. If the bird is injured, the shelter will help provide rehabilitation and then return it to the area it was originally found. In the case of fledglings, shelters sometimes have other birds from the same species, and would consider releasing them together so they have a flock to be with.
Q: HOW CAN I AVOID DISTURBING LOCAL WILDLIFE HABITATS ON THE GOLF COURSE?
- Be aware of Wildlife Corridors. These exist throughout the three nines of Westview, connecting naturalized areas on the course to neighboring areas (meadows, streams, ponds, and other areas of natural vegetation) to provide safe passage for wildlife.
- Stay clear of naturalized areas. Note signs that indicate where parts of the property have been naturalized. If your ball ends up in one of these sites, take a club length.
- Watch out for turtles. Westview is a popular location for turtle nests. Protective boxes have been built to keep the nests safe until hatching takes place in the fall – if you’re near one of these boxes, be on the lookout for baby turtles nearby!