Audubon Certification Announcement

On Monday I had the privilege of speaking before the membership regarding the Audubon Certification program. I was pleased to announce there, and here on this blog, that the Royal Mayfair has received full designation as a Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International. This designation signifies the effort we have made to ensure we remain sustainable and environmentally friendly in our management practices. Achieving certification has been a three-year process garnering the following positive changes:

     -   Monitoring and protecting course wildlife
 

     -    Improving soil and turf health
 

     -   Reducing water consumption

     -   Planting native vegetation

     -    Leaving native and natural areas undisturbed

Certification is only the first step for the Royal Mayfair. The environmental program we are adopting is an ongoing process. We are continually finding new ways to improve the habitat on the golf course. Some projects we have planned in the near future include:

     -   Releasing rainbow trout into #10 pond

     -   Inviting a local club to perform a bird count on the course

     -   Creating multiple butterfly gardens across the course

A way for the membership to be involved in this program is to attend meetings of the Environmental Improvement Committee. This group meets to evaluate the current environmental state of the golf course as well as discuss future projects. We will be having our first meeting of the 2014 season coming up in May. If you have any questions or comments about the program, would like more information, or would like to be involved in the Environmental Improvement Committee, please contact myself at dsmith@mayfair.ca or call the Turf Care office at 780-433-9666.

More pheasants were released on Thursday courtesy of another very generous member!

Regards,
David Smith
2nd Assistant Superintendent