Courtesy of Audubon International
Audubon International reports a 30 percent increase in registrations for its eighth annual BioBlitz competition. From May 18 through June 17, golf courses across the United States and Canada will compete to see who can identify the largest number of species of flora and fauna thriving along their fairways. Audubon International will announce the winners later this summer.
Sponsored by BioBoost Nest along with support from Seed King Enterprises, the event offers an opportunity for golf courses to engage community members in activities designed to showcase and record the abundance of wildlife thriving on golf landscapes in a wide range of natural settings.
“Audubon International’s annual BioBlitz is a terrific way for golf courses to create greater awareness among the general public of their wildlife habitat value, especially in urban locations,” Audubon International CEO Christine Kane said. “It’s also a wonderful opportunity for community members from all walks of life to meet and learn about nature while getting outside and having fun.”
BioBoost Nest CEO Jody Fitzpatrick added: “We are thrilled to sponsor the BioBlitz campaign. Our bioremediation approach to pond care supports biodiversity and environmental health in the green spaces that golf courses provide.”
BioBlitz returned in 2023 after a three-year COVID-19 hiatus. Activities attracted scout troops, birding groups, club members, golf course employees, community members from surrounding neighborhoods, entire families, school children and other nature enthusiasts.
For most participants, BioBlitz is key to keeping a course’s admirable stewardship efforts front and center in their relationship with the surrounding community. At the University of Maryland Golf Course, for instance, the 2023 edition added a valuable educational dimension for students of all ages and opened new avenues of school outreach.
“We are now developing ways to run smaller versions of the BioBlitz for our PGA kids and local high schools,” said Laura Russell, the university’s general assistant. “We found it to be a fun activity with educational benefits and environmental value. This is just another way to be a leader among university golf courses, using the education resources of our faculty and students to improve the environment and strengthen community connection.”
Florida’s Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club enlisted a wide range of community members on its way to identifying 607 species on their course — the most of any BioBlitz participant.
“Getting the word out early was important and done through different communication methods,” said Mary Hutchinson, 2023 BioBlitz co-coordinator at the club. “We also prepared a BioBlitz pamphlet and scorecards based on Audubon International’s model and distributed hard copies at various locations around the community and in digital form online. Our members had a blast participating in the 2023 BioBlitz and it helped to showcase the rich and diverse ecosystem that we all call our golf community home.”
