Aquarina Beach and Country Club Tees Up for the Environment

In the heart of surfer’s paradise, you will also find a golfer’s paradise, on a barrier island sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon. Aquarina Beach and Country Club is home to an 18-hole certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Golf Course. This semi-private course is open to the public and offers golfers a unique opportunity to play golf while embracing the sustainable management of the course and local conservation initiatives.

It’s important to note that just down the road from the golf course is the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Barrier Island Education Center and the Aquarina community is near the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, which according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, is the most utilized loggerhead turtle nesting beach in the Western Hemisphere and is also used for nesting by green and leatherback turtles.

Due to Aquarina Beach and Country Club’s sensitive location, the staff and volunteers pursued environmental certification through Audubon International to improve and implement efforts in environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, water conservation, chemical use reduction and safety, water quality management and outreach and education – all within the existing infrastructure of the golf course.

The Aquarina team continues to pursue numerous initiatives to improve their local environment, one of which includes installing oyster mats on the dock pilings of Aquarina as a natural way to remove pollutants from the water. This initiative was in conjunction with the Florida Institute of Technology, Brevard Zoo, local restaurants and Aquarina residents. Additionally, 75+ Aquarina residents/members  joined in a beach clean-up project as part of their support for the Surfrider Foundation, an organization that works to protect and preserve the ocean and its beaches.

Aquarina’s dedication to the environment doesn’t stop there, the course also hosts numerous golf tournaments to benefit local organizations. These organizations include the Surfrider Foundation, The Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Marine Resources Council. To learn more about how your local golf course can gain recognition for your environmental efforts and learn how to expand your initiatives through Audubon International’s numerous environmental certifications, visit www.auduboninternational.org.

Audubon International, an environmentally focused non-profit organization, offers members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we live, work, and play. Their certifications are designed to increase environmental awareness, encourage sustainable environmental efforts, and educate both their members and their communities.