Audubon International is a
not for profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
501(c)(3)
environmental education
Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating discip ...
organization based in
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany a ...
. Established in 1987, the organization works with communities, developments, resorts, and
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
s in 36 countries to plan and implement sustainable natural resource management practices, as well as receive public recognition (through certification processes) for employing sound environmental stewardship.
It is the first organization to work extensively with the golf industry on
sustainability
Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...
issues, and has a long history of partnering with industry associations such as the
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the United States national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the rules ...
(USGA). The organization has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other members of the environmental community for enabling facilities to adopt design and operations practices that are consistent with the principles of sustainability. Central to Audubon International's core value system is the belief that voluntary education and certification programs can simultaneously advance ecological, economic and social goals.
The organization is not affiliated with the
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...
, which
sued
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
to prevent the organization from using the Audubon name. In 1991, a judge ruled that the National Audubon Society did not hold an exclusive right to the name Audubon, and had not shown that the use of the name by Audubon International was causing confusion.
[Craig Pittman]
Audubon groups at odds over names, objectives
''St. Petersburg Times'', August 7, 2000
Funding
Audubon International is a membership organization and a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. Most of the funding for the organization comes from golf courses, who each pay thousands of dollars to become certified, and hundreds of dollars per year for membership. In addition, according to its online list of sponsors, the organization gets funds from turf, irrigation, and landscaping companies.
There is no additional fee for certification in any of Audubon International's programs, and membership fees include the ability to become certified, educational resources and staff guidance.
Programs
There are several programs in the organization that aim to educate members and non-members about the environment.
Environmental stewardship and management
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program
This program focuses on helping companies and organizations learn about what they can do to help manage their surroundings that will in turn enhance their efficiency and conservation efforts. Audubon International will focus on many things, including: Energy and Water Conservation, Waste Management, Wildlife and Habitat Management and Outreach and Education.
Some of the developments that have received this certification are:
* Bakery Feeds, Inc.,
Centre, Alabama
Centre is a city in Cherokee County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,587. The city is the county seat of Cherokee County.
History
Cherokee County was created on January 9, 1836, and named for the Cherokee people ...
* Aurora Sports Park,
Aurora, Colorado
Aurora (, ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, Arapahoe, Adams County, Colorado, Adams, and Douglas County, Colorado, Douglas List of counties in Colorado, ...
* Amelia Island Plantation,
Amelia Island, Florida
Amelia Island is a part of the Sea Islands chain that stretches along the East Coast of the United States from South Carolina to Florida; it is the southernmost of the Sea Islands, and the northernmost of the barrier islands on Florida's Atlantic ...
* Griffin Industries, Inc.,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
* Kapalua Land Company,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf
Similar to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, this program works solely with golf courses and to help them create environmentally-friendly areas while still having functional spaces to play golf. It also focuses on environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation, water quality management, and outreach and education. The entire process can take 1 to 3 years to complete.
There are over 2,110 golf courses that participate in this program in 24 countries.
Some of the courses that have earned this certification are:
*
Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park.
* Shell Point Golf Club,
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...
* Dwan Golf Club,
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is a suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, on the north bank of the Minnesota River, above its confluence with the Mississippi River, south of downtown Minneapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 89,987, ma ...
* The Golf Club at Briar's Creek,
Johns Island, South Carolina
Johns Island is an island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, and is the largest island in the state of South Carolina. Johns Island is bordered by the Wadmalaw Island, Wadmalaw, Seabrook Island, South Carolina, Seabrook, Kiawah I ...
* Ocean Winds Golf Course, The Town of Seabrook Island, South Carolina
* Crooked Oaks Golf Course, The Town of Seabrook Island, South Carolina
* The Greenbrier Resort,
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
White Sulphur Springs is a city in Greenbrier County in southeastern West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,231 at the 2020 census. The city emblem consists of five dandelion flowers and the citizens celebrate spring with an annual Dan ...
* Gull Lake View,
Augusta, Michigan
Augusta is a village in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 885 at the 2010 census. The village is mostly within Ross Township, though a small portion extends south into Charleston Township.
Augusta is situated ...
* Lake Malaren Golf Club,
Shanghai, China
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
*
Prairie Dunes Country Club
Prairie Dunes Country Club is a golf course located just outside Hutchinson, Kansas. Frequently ranked among the best golf courses in the United States, it has hosted several United States Golf Association national championship tournaments.
The ...
,
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city and county seat in Reno County, Kansas, United States, and located on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch". As of the 2020 cen ...
* The River Club, Suwanee, Georgia
* Tuckahoe Creek Course of the
Country Club of Virginia {{Short description, Country club in Richmond, Virginia, USA
The Country Club of Virginia is a private club in the Richmond, Virginia, area, with three eighteen-hole golf courses.
CCV, which was organized in 1908, has always been one of the large ...
,
Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
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*
Victoria National Golf Course
Victoria National Golf Course (officially Victoria National Golf Club) is located northeast of Newburgh, Indiana, in the southwestern corner of the state, roughly 7 miles east of Evansville, Indiana. Victoria is a private 18-hole golf course that ...
,
Newburgh, Indiana
Newburgh is a borough in Ohio Township, Warrick County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,325 at the 2010 census, although the town is part of the larger Evansville metropolitan area which recorded a population of ...
* Westfields Golf Club, Clifton, Virginia
* Wu Fong Golf Course,
Taichung
Taichung (, Wade–Giles: ''Tʻai²-chung¹'', pinyin: ''Táizhōng''), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality located in central Taiwan. Taichung has approximately 2.8 million residents and is the second most populous city of Taiw ...
, Taiwan
Green Lodging Program
This program works with hotels to ensure that they are using green practices in their upkeep and everyday running of the establishment. It helps with cost savings, conservation, cost avoidance, and the ability to increase market share. It also awards one of four precious metal designations (bronze, silver, gold or platinum) as part of its eco-rating.
Some of the hotels that have earned this certification are:
* Hotel
Sofitel
Sofitel Hotels & Resorts are a French hotel chain of luxury hotels based in Paris, France, and owned by Accor since 1980.
Founded in 1964 in France, Sofitel quickly developed worldwide to reach more than 200 properties. In 2008, Sofitel became a ...
Chicago Water Tower,
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, subdivision_name ...
* Resort, Cedar Grove Lodge,
Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville is a town in Muskoka. It is located north of Toronto and south of North Bay. Of the three big Muskoka towns, it is the largest by population (21,147 per 2021 census) and land area (710.64 km2).
Huntsville is located in the ...
, Canada (4 Leaves)
Eco-design
Signature Program
This program works with new housing developments and helps them to create living areas that are environmentally sound. There are three levels to this program: gold, silver, and bronze, with gold being the top of the list. After completing the program, a development can receive, among other things, certification as an Audubon International Sanctuary.
Some of the developments that have received this certification are:
* Evergrene,
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida, 77 miles north of downtown Miami. , the population was 59,182. Palm Beach Gardens is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6 ...
* Black Forest at Lake James,
Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton is a city in and the county seat of Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 16,918 at the 2010 census. Morganton is approximately northwest of Charlotte.
Morganton is one of the principal cities in the Hick ...
*
Conserve School
Conserve School was a semester school for environmentally and outdoor minded high school students located in Land O' Lakes, Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. For seventeen weeks students pursue a program of environmental studies and outdo ...
,
Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin
Classic Program
This program is similar to Audubon Signature Programs, but it is for established developments that are either being redeveloped or restored or simply want to make their areas more environmentally friendly. There are some minimum requirements and a development will not get certification until they pass a final audit.
Community planning and engagement
Sustainable Communities Program
This program works with communities to ensure that they are great places to live, work and play. There are two different tracks: Public Sector and Private Sector. The public sector is geared towards the local government while the private sector is more for properties run by an association, landlord or other such private entrepreneur.
Some of the communities that have received this certification are:
*
Eufaula, Alabama
Eufaula is the largest city in Barbour County, Alabama, Barbour County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census the city's population was 13,137.
History
The site along the Chattahoochee River that is now moder ...
Other programs
In addition to these programs, Audubon International also participates in the following:
*
Nestbox Network
*
North American Birdwatching Open
References
{{reflist
External links
Audubon International website
''Articles:''
Up to the Challenge: The new Audubon International CEO is ready to take on the group's evolving missionPlaying Golf in Friendly Confines
Audubon movement