November 3, 2008, St. Helena Island, S.C. – Representatives of Dataw Island Club today announced that their Cotton Dike and Morgan River golf courses have achieved designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program. Dataw Island Club is the 23rd club in South Carolina and the 663rd club in the world to receive the honor.
To become certified, Dataw’s Cotton Dike and Morgan River courses had to complete six program components including: environmental planning; wildlife and habitat management; chemical use reduction and safety; water conservation; water quality management; and outreach and education.
For each component, the Dataw golf course maintenance team followed sets of specific, detailed steps in order to achieve this certification. Each specific step was taken as follows:
* Environmental Planning
o Completion of a property site survey documenting acreages for all course features and natural areas
o Documentation of specific projects and areas for improvement in regard to environmental efforts
o Creation of a written plan to implement these projects over time
* Wildlife and Habitat Management
o Increase in number of natural acres for wildlife habitats
o Decrease in number of turfgrass acres on the Cotton Dike and Morgan River courses
o Increase in naturalized shoreline habitation and planted aquatic vegetation
o Selective removal of invasive, nonnative tree species
o Increase in native plant usage in landscape
o Creation of a bluebird trail of nest boxes, one trail per course, each of which is monitored and maintained by Dataw Island volunteer residents and members
o Installation of purple martin houses to attract birds
o Lowered maintenance on core natural habitats, so as not to disturb wildlife
o Installation of signs to alert golfers and members about Audubon-managed areas of interest
o Inventory and documentation of all wildlife observed on courses
* Chemical Use Reduction and Safety
o Reduction of pesticide usage by reducing intensively managed turf acreage and scouting for pests using thresholds before spraying
o Installation of native grasses in nonplay areas
o Reduction of overall fertilizer use, increased use of slow release fertilizers
o Improvement of shop facilities to better store and mix chemicals and fertilizers
o Installation of an equipment washing station that cleans and filters water before it is returned to the drainage system
* Water Conservation and Water Quality Management
o Improvement in efficiency of irrigation operation
o Reduction of irrigated acreage
o Monitoring run times and altered usage
o Capture of all rain water hitting the island in retention ponds for it to be used for irrigating the golf courses
o Increase in use of treated effluent water for 50 percent of course irrigation needs
o Increase in improvement of oxygen levels in ponds by planting aquatic plants along water’s edge
o Implementation of yearly tests on pond water quality and irrigation suitability
o Installation and maintenance of vegetative buffers to ensure no water body contamination
o Inaction of low spray zones around water features
* Outreach and Education
o Improvement of Dataw community involvement and efforts
o Presentation to the Dataw Island Garden Club on Dataw’s Audubon efforts
o Implementation of island volunteer program to create and install a bluebird trail and monitor its bird progress
o Creation of a dendrology trail for walkers and golfers to enjoy along the courses and creation of a brochure to encourage use and educate people
o Implementation of information articles in club newsletters about initiatives and progress
o Participation in Backyard Bird Counts allowing members to count birds and inventory species
o Creation of golf course signs showing areas of importance with the ACSP program
“Dataw Island has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program,” said Jim Sluiter, staff ecologist for the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. “They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on their golf course property.”
“We are greatly honored to be recognized by the National Audubon Society,” said Silvia Lalinde, marketing and membership director of Dataw Island Club. “Here at Dataw Island, we are committed to being a nature-friendly community, and working through the guidelines set by Audubon helps us to provide a better environment for not only our residents, but also the ecological system that surrounds us here on the island.”
About The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the United States Golf Association, provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe and southeast Asia have also achieved certification in the program.
For more information on golf and the environment, visit www.golfandenvironment.org. In addition to golf courses, Audubon International also provides programs for businesses, schools, communities and new developments. For more information, contact Audubon International at (518) 767-9051, acsp@auduboninternational.org or www.auduboninternational.org.
About Dataw Island
Dataw Island is located just outside of the antebellum town of Beaufort, S.C. and encompasses a life of privacy and luxury. Recognized as one of the top coastal residential communities in the Southeast, this secluded 870-acre gated community offers residents the best in South Carolina Lowcountry living. Adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway and lush marshes, the Dataw community provides its residents with two of the finest Lowcountry golf courses, elegant dining and an active lifestyle. For more information, contact Dataw Island at (866) 68-DATAW or visitdataw.com.
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