The Aerie at The Club at TwinEagles, the new championship golf course designed by Hall of Famer Gary Player, has been certified as an Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary and is only the 20th Silver designation in the world to be conferred by Audubon International. TwinEagles is the 1,115-acre community being developed by Bonita Bay Group in North Naples.
Audubon International offers three Signature programs that provide comprehensive environmental planning assistance in environmental design as well as on-site technical assistance in sustainable development and best management practices. The Silver category is reserved for new development projects, and Audubon Environmental Services prepares a natural-resource management plan with six areas of compliance:
- Wildlife conservation and habitat enhancement
- Waste reduction and management
- Energy efficiency
- Water conservation
- Water quality management and monitoring
- Integrated pest management
Nancy Richardson, director of Audubon International’s Signature Programs, conducted the on-site assessments at The Club during construction of The Aerie. The course opened in February with Gary Player leading the ceremonial first round.
“The Aerie was designed around existing site features and developed with minimal environmental impact,” said Bob Volpe, CGCS, director of golf course operations. “Out of 295 acres, the golf course itself is just 80 acres,” lower than Audubon International’s target of 90 acres or less. “Less turf means more natural areas, less water and reduced maintenance,” he said.
The environmental work included removal of exotic and invasive vegetation such as melaleuca and Brazilian pepper from 139 acres of wetland, which Richardson identified as one of the most notable accomplishments. Non-native plants compete with the native wetland species. The work also restored 30 additional acres of wetland.
“One of the outstanding features is the 30 acres of natural bunkers and waste areas that are aesthetically pleasing and require little attention,” Volpe said. The fairways are planted with SeaDwarf turf, which requires as much as 50 percent less water and less maintenance than bermuda grass, and the greens are Champion Turf.
Volpe is keeping track of the wildlife and bird life on site. Among the native residents and migratory visitors he has spotted are red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, bluebirds, deer, quail, wild turkeys, alligators, rabbits and a rainbow of marsh and water birds. But the winner of the endearment contest is the family of otters that scampers across the fairway of the third hole to and from its lake habitat.
Educational outreach is a component of the certification, and the otters will have another audience. Volpe’s first educational outreach for The Aerie will be to invite a troop of Scouts to partner with the team on tours and nature walks and to participate in some habitat enhancement projects.
“We’d like The Aerie to be a place where they can learn about the environment and we can be a resource for Scouting activities,” Volpe explained.
The Aerie’s certification is the second for The Club. The Club’s first golf course, Talon, co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II, earned Audubon International Bronze Signature Sanctuary in 2002 and has just earned recertification.
Certification is not permanent and recertification is not automatic. It is conferred every two years if the environmental work and best management practices are expanded, especially habitat enhancement and educational programs.
“Between the 2002 certification and today, the Talon has changed significantly,” Richardson said. “Native vegetation has been added, buffers are thick and lush and provide good filters for runoff and they form natural connections and corridors for wildlife. The lake near the clubhouse is beautiful, and the littoral plantings have created good habitat for fish.”
“We are particularly proud of having earned Silver certification for The Aerie,” said Kitty Green, president/c.e.o. of Bonita Bay Group. “When Bonita Bay Group acquired TwinEagles in 2000, we made a commitment to nurture the community into an icon of environmentally responsible and sustainable development. It is an ongoing investment that will pay dividends forever, and everyone wins. Golf courses really can be good neighbors, and Audubon International helps prove that again and again.”
The Club at TwinEagles offers resident and nonresident memberships. Members enjoy casual and formal dining in the 47,000-square-foot clubhouse, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and a golf pro shop.
Grand Arbors at TwinEagles features coach homes, villas and single-family homes overlooking lakes, nature preserves and The Aerie. The Estates, the first phase of TwinEagles, includes single-family estate homes along the Nicklaus course.
Bonita Bay Group is developing TwinEagles in keeping with its ongoing commitment to meticulous planning, environmental stewardship, integrity and attention to detail. The community was named to Golf & Travel magazine’s list of the 12 Most Intriguing Golf Communities in America and received a top award from the Council for Sustainable Florida. The Club at TwinEagles is certified by Audubon International as a Signature Sanctuary.
Grand Arbors features intimate neighborhoods linked by nature trails, green spaces and parks. Grand Arbors homes are priced from the high $300,000s to more than $1 million. Furnished estate home models, priced from $2,995,000, are available in The Estates, and are situated to create an extraordinary sense of privacy with view corridors unobstructed by other homes.
For information or to request an escorted tour, visit The TwinEagles Information and Sales Center located inside the community’s entrance on Immokalee Road, seven miles east of
I-75. For additional information, call toll free 800-290-2408 or visit www.twineagles.com.
