I am pleased to be invited by
Wade Peckham to author a guest blog entry in the Royal Mayfair Turf Notes.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Smith, Second Assistant
Superintendent in the Turf Care Department. I joined the Royal Mayfair this
past summer and it has been a distinct pleasure to be a part of this golf club.
Wade and the rest of the management staff strive to provide the members with
the best golf experience in Canada and are dedicated to quality and excellence.
This entry is about our current
Audubon International certification efforts. Since coming to the Royal Mayfair
I have led our department’s environmental efforts. Part of those efforts is
seeking certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. What this title would
mean is that our golf course has dedicated itself to protecting our natural
resources (such as wildlife, plant life and water quality) and has proven its
dedication though quantifiable efforts and results. Some of you may recall that
this certification was pursued in the past. Due to a loss of information during
the leadership transition phase two years ago, we are restarting the process
and ensuring accessibility for years to come. For more information on this
program, you can go to the Audubon website where it will provide further
clarification on their purpose and efforts.
Currently we are in the initial
stages of certification. We have sent information to Audubon International such
as our environmental policy, wildlife inventory and ecological information and
are awaiting further confirmation from them. That doesn’t mean we’re sitting
around waiting for them to give us the go ahead. We are working on planning
projects for the 2013 season as well as partnering with environmental groups in
Edmonton. Wade and I recently presented our efforts and work to the Edmonton
Nature Club and are looking to partner with them this coming season.
The following are some highlights
from our current and past environmental efforts:
- Upkeep of birdhouses on the course
- Partnership with University of Alberta studying urban coyote movement and ethical control of Canada Geese
- Inventory of wildlife on the course
- Continued effort to establish pheasants in the river valley
- Reduction of water use through upgrades to the irrigation system
- Careful and judicious use of pesticides to limit adverse impacts on human health and the environment
We will continue to update you on
our progress through the certification. We welcome member involvement in this
program. If you have any questions or would like to be a part of our efforts,
please email me at dsmith@mayfair.ca, or
Wade at wpeckham@mayfair.ca.
