After this long, difficult winter, another harbinger of
spring are those die-hard golfers who return to the golf course. We’ve all seen golf courses on TV, but have you ever wondered how such landscapes
are created? Do you believe that course
care can be done in a more environmentally-friendly way?
The answer is, yes, it can. I was lucky enough to tour such a course a few weeks ago. This “greener” golf course is one of a handful in south central Pennsylvania certified by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf Courses (ACSP for Golf) program.
The answer is, yes, it can. I was lucky enough to tour such a course a few weeks ago. This “greener” golf course is one of a handful in south central Pennsylvania certified by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf Courses (ACSP for Golf) program.
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| (Photographer: Alicia Riegel-Kanth) |
For 23 years, Audubon International
has operated the ACSP for Golf program that helps to maintain habitats for
animals and birds around the world within the private and public golf course
environment. ACSP for Golf offers
certification for public and private courses that meet certain requirements
related to chemical use reduction and safety, outreach and education, water
quality management, integrated pest management, wildlife and habitat management,
and many other areas. There are 29 ACSP-certified golf courses in Pennsylvania, or 4.3 percent of the Keystone state's 667
golf courses.
On a picture-perfect day, central Pennsylvania outreach coordinator Jen Quinn and I took a field trip
to check out the closest certified course to PennFuture's Harrisburg office, the Hershey Country Club, which has been certified since 2010.
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| (Photographer: Alicia Riegel-Kanth) |
Hershey Country Club (HCC)
was founded in 1930 by Milton S. Hershey, the Hershey Kisses inventor and Milton Hershey School founder. Some of golf's greatest champions including
Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan (former HCC pro), Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Henry
Picard (former HCC pro), and Nancy Lopez have traversed HCC courses over the
years. Jen and I toured three HCC
courses: East, West, and Spring Creek. Each has its own character and scenic beauty.
On our field trip, we learned that HCC plans its landscapes
carefully, with an eye toward balancing aesthetics and conserving natural
areas in order to provide habitats for animals
and birds. Expanded naturalized areas
and removal of invasive species has helped these habitats take root. With community partners, staff conduct
education and outreach alongside environmental planning and water
conservation.
Birders, take note:
The variety of birds you'll see at HCC will surprise you! Stay tuned for my next guest post, where
I'll share some of my favorite bird and nature photos with you and discuss HCC habitat
creation and water conservation in greater detail.
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| (Photographer: Alicia Riegel-Kanth) |
Alicia Riegel-Kanth is a Volunteer Policy
Associate in our Harrisburg office.
