CourseCo, Inc Receives International Habitat Conservation Award

Media Contacts: Vanessa Kauffman
Wildlife Habitat Council
Phone: (301) 588-8994
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tim Powers
CourseCo, Inc
(650) 342-4188

BALTIMORE, MD—Employees at CourseCo, Inc's Crystal Springs Golf Course received international recognition today for their contributions to wildlife habitat conservation at the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) 15th Anniversary Symposium, Collaborations for ConservationSM: Maximizing Landscape Potential. CourseCo demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship and increasing native biodiversity by achieving habitat recertification at the Crystal Springs Golf Course.

"When WHC was formed in 1988, the founders conceived a new and innovative concept of bringing together conservation and business. WHC assists corporate landowners in providing valuable wildlife habitat on their properties. Pioneering approaches to habitat management provide our members with the knowledge and tools to enhance and restore land, water and living resources. Congratulations to CourseCo for their commendable efforts towards the restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat. Through knowledge and passion, we can promote a greater understanding of the natural world," said Bill Howard, WHC President.

Crystal Springs Golf Course is situated between Interstate 280 at Black Mountain Road and the Crystal Springs Reservoir in Burlingame, California. The golf course, which is rich in wildlife, is on land that is owned by the San Francisco Water Department, and is considered to be part of a State of California Fish and Game Refuge. The course is also within the boundaries of a U.N. International Biosphere Reserve.

The golf course, which was the 2003 recipient of an Environmental Leaders in Golf Award, which is presented by Golf Digest and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, was originally built in 1924 as designed by Herbert Fowler, although it was significantly altered in 1964 when I-280 was built. The entire site is 200 acres in size, of which 125 acres are dedicated solely to the golf course. Of the 125 acres, only 85 are irrigated and subject to standards inherent to the game of golf. There are 75 acres of the property that are designated as Wildlife Habitat Management Zones, and are treated accordingly. All fifteen regular staff members are actively engaged in habitat enhancement projects undertaken in the golf course's management zones.

There are five targeted management programs within the Environmental Management Plan at Crystal Springs Golf Course. This includes one program that focuses on integrated pest management (IPM) and chemical application management (CHAMP). It is the goal of Crystal Springs Golf Course to minimize chemical use in order to guarantee water quality, human safety and the well being of native wildlife. Another golf course program focuses on the recycling and reuse of materials on-site, evident in the reuse of landscape mulch in weed control efforts, while other programs focus on water conservation and quality, wildlife habitat management and the education and involvement of employees and surrounding community. Wildlife habitat management projects constructing and placing bird nest boxes, brush piles, perches feeders and corridors for wildlife. Species regularly noted on the golf course include mule deer, brush rabbit, racer and gopher snakes, egrets, herons and a variety of songbirds.

Crystal Springs Golf Course was one of 130 sites recognized at the 2003 Symposium for creating a habitat program. Since 1990, WHC has certified 334 programs worldwide. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require that sites apply for periodic renewal.

The Wildlife Habitat Council is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. More than 2 million acres in 48 states, Puerto Rico and 16 other countries are managed for wildlife through WHC-assisted projects. For more information, visit WHC online at www.wildlifehc.org.

This press release can also be found on the Wildlife Habitat Council's website in the Member Spotlight area as well as on the Golf Course Superintendents of America Association's website.