The Cliffs at Mountain Park recognized by Audubon for environmental excellence
November 18, 2015
Mountain Park receives Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Designation
MARIETTA, SC – The Cliffs at Mountain Park has earned a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” designation through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. The Cliffs at Mountain Park is one of only 24 golf courses in South Carolina and 888 in the world to hold the title of Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
“The Cliffs at Mountain Park has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program,” said Tara Pepperman, Director of Cooperative Sanctuary Programs at Audubon International. “They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property.”
This designation was obtained thanks to the efforts led by Jason Harris, superintendent of The Cliffs at Mountain Park’s Gary Player Signature Design award-winning golf course. As a result, Harris is also being recognized for Environmental Stewardship by Audubon International.
Harris commented, “I’m very proud that we could achieve a golf course that is as beautiful and well designed as Mountain Park, but am also grateful for the chance to also provide a sanctuary that coincides with our natural wildlife.”
“I’m thrilled Jason and his team have received this certification from Audubon International, which is one of the world’s best-known and most respected environmental education and certification organizations. The Gary Player Signature Design was largely based on Mr. Player’s commitment to create a course that was going to be sensitive to the local ecology, specifically to the banks of the North Saluda River that the course winds around. Harris continues to maintain the course with a conservative approach to align with The Player Group’s passion for conservation,” said Brian Peeples, Director of Golf at The Cliffs.
To reach certification, a golf course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas including: Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation and Water Quality Management. After a course is certified, a resource advisory group will help oversee the program and advise on new projects. This is the highest certification and courses are recertified every three years.
“The first eighteen months of the process were spent collecting information about the property. It was important for our members to be involved in the project to see the importance of conserving the area that was disrupted while the course was built. The goal is to give back to nature what was taken away during construction and being conscious of how we care for the course. Seven to ten acres are now designated native areas free of any pesticides or golfers and house food plots and turkey feeders. We take great measures in the way we manage our golf course. We use a contained pesticide mix/load station designed to eliminate any contamination to off target sites, recycled water to clean our equipment, and recycle and reuse materials to eliminate waste when we can,” explained Harris.
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the United States Golf Association, provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, New Zealand and Southeast Asia have achieved certification in the program. The sanctuary program is a part of Audubon International, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Troy, N.Y. Audubon International also provides programs for businesses, schools, communities and new developments with the purpose of delivering high-quality environmental education and facilitating the sustainable management of natural resources.
In the recent release of Golfweek’s Ultimate Guide to Golf, The Cliffs at Mountain Park was ranked number 36 in the Top 100 “Best Residential Courses in America,” an improvement from the previous year’s ranking of number 43. The Cliffs at Mountain Park was also recognized within the Top 100 Modern Courses by Golfweek earlier this year.
About The Cliffs
The Cliffs is a collection of seven top-rated, private residential golf club communities located between Greenville, S.C. and Asheville, N.C. and Clemson, S.C. Members of The Cliffs have access and privileges to all seven of The Cliffs’ clubs. The golf experience at The Cliffs includes seven award-winning, championship 18-hole golf courses, including two by Jack Nicklaus, two by Tom Fazio, and one each by Gary Player, Ben Wright and Tom Jackson. The Cliffs’ golf courses have been honored in the Top 100 in America by Golfweek, among the “Best of the Best” of America’s Premier Properties by LINKS, in the Best New Private Courses by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine, and the newest course has been named a Top 100 Best Modern Courses in America by Golfweek. To learn more about The Cliffs’ golf experience, visit CliffsLiving.com or watch this brief video. Homes at The Cliffs range in price from $500,000 to $4 million+; homesites, from $150,000. Contact The Cliffs at 866-411-5771 or [email protected] to arrange a Discovery Tour.
