City of Asheville Municipal Golf Course Certified As An Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

Today, the City of Asheville and Commonwealth Golf Partner, the operators of the Asheville Municipal Golf Course, announced that this historic municipal property is now certified as an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary. This recognition followed after successful community participation in Audubon International’s BioBlitz over the past two summers. This species-counting competition is designed to showcase the environmental value of the natural habitats found on golf courses. 

This certification recognizes 18 months of effort by the course management team to better serve the golf course and the surrounding environment. With closer water monitoring the course decreased water use by 50% in annual consumption. Additionally, with better utilization of the seasons, fertilizers dropped 20%. Also, there was an emphasis on reintroducing native plants.  

“Asheville Municipal Golf Course has long been a beloved community asset, and achieving certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary highlights our equal commitment to being a vital asset to our local environment,” said Chris Corl, director of Community & Regional Entertainment Facilities with the City of Asheville. “We are thrilled by what our team and community partners at Friends of Asheville Muni have accomplished, and we look forward with great excitement to participating in future BioBlitz events and continuing our environmental stewardship for years to come.”