Course of the Week: Leisure World GC gets Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary status

Photo: Leisure Golf Course

Leisure World Golf Course in Silver Spring, Md., recently achieved Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP for Golf) certification.

Frank McLaughlin, superintendent at Leisure World GC, and Alan Nelson, golf and greens committee certification project manager, led the effort to obtain sanctuary designation on the property. The course is now one of 19 of the 160 courses in Maryland and 900 courses in the world to hold certification from Audubon International.

“To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas,” said Christine Kane, CEO of Audobon International.

These categories include environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation and water quality management.

Photo: Leisure Golf Course

The course’s accomplishments include:

• Expanding native vegetation
• Removing invasive plant species
• Providing quality wildlife habitat
• Conducting water quality testing

Audubon International awarded McLaughlin and Nelson for their contributions to the project, with a certificate in environmental stewardship and a certificate in environmental planning respectively.

Got a course you want to feature? Let us know!

Is your course undergoing some renovations? Did your course recently host a major event or fundraiser? Send it to Digital Media Specialist Sydney Fischer at sfischer@northcoastmedia.net, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming Course of the Week.