Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program

As a demonstration of IGM's commitment to the environment, our team is seeks to establish each of the properties we serve as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. IGM is a Charter Member of Audubon’s Conservation Country Club and has committed and maintained 100% participation of all its courses in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP). To date, IGM has completed certification of 13 courses across the country. One of IGM's certified courses, Widow's Walk Golf Course, is an environmental research center built to assess the impact of golf course maintenance practices on the environment.

Naturalized or native area

There are five basic steps for completing the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program’s process - analysis, documentation, implementation, evaluation and revision.

Analysis

The golf course environmental assessment is the initial step in the process of creating an ecosystem-based Golf Course Management Plan. Properly completing the assessment is paramount to the long-term compatibility of a property’s golf course management practices with the Golf Course Environmental Management Program’s goals and objectives.

Through constant monitoring and updating documentation, the golf course will remain in compliance beyond the regular restrictions put in place by regulatory agencies and Audubon International.

Documentation

It is not enough to know the keys to a successful golf course management program. There must be a written record of existing site data, opportunities, constraints and historical maintenance practices that documents where we have been as well as assists in helping us choose where we need to go. The Program consists both of a report and an outline that maps the daily management of the course according to the environmental stewardship goals set by the IGM and Audubon International. The report and outline also provide a convenient method to help educate and involve the course's customers and the community.

Implementation

Action is really the only true measure of success in a solid Golf Course Environmental Management Program. By implementing new practices, whether to knowingly improve the course's role in the environmental stewardship or just trying new ideas to determine their value, will not only benefit the good manager, but also the image of the property and the ability to market the course in such a manner.

Dead tree was topped but left standing to provide

habitat for woodpeckers

With proper environmental management, the course has a great opportunity to use this attention to draw exposure and positive press to the course.  IGM has had great exposure for caring for the environment both on and off the golf course. The implementation of a proper Golf Course Environmental Management Program can be a key differentiation point to set your golf course above its competition.

Evaluation

In order to ensure the highest quality of customer service, the IGM staff conducts continual internal-evaluation and improvement research at the course level.  There will be on-going measurement of the environmental impact the management programs have on the course. For example, documenting the reduced use of inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation can be used to demonstrate the overall value of the Program. This can be easily accomplished by regularly evaluating our maintenance methods, practices, and management approaches to day-to-day issues.

Revision

The very nature of a superior program implies that all documents be regularly updated and maintained to represent the most current conditions. IGM’s golf course managers and superintendents should be constantly looking for ways to improve their processes. Acting on lessons learned is right behind initial implementation as the most important aspect of a successful Program. The plan should be completely updated at least every two years.

Highlights & Successes

Underbrush left where possible to provide cover for wildlife

Our successes are measured almost daily by our team in many ways. Some of the accomplishments that we are most proud of:

-          Complete participation of all maintained properties in ACSP

-          Assisted in ACSP certification of 13 courses

-          An additional 18 courses are nearing ACSP certification with all others working towards that goal

-          Team members have received dozens of awards and recognition for Environmental Planning and Environmental Stewardship

-          Meadowbrook/IGM CEO Mr. Ron Jackson served three years on the Board of Directors of the Environmental Institute for Golf

Our efforts are collaborative with our clients and represent our desire to go above and beyond standard maintenance practices to get results - this results in sustainability.

Wee One Foundation Golf Tournament



IGM is a proud supporter of the Wee One Foundation. In the Hampton Roads area and would like to play on July 16th? Not able to play but would like to be a sponsor? Sign-up information is below.

Visit www.weeone.org to find out more about this great organization.

June Anniversaries

We would like to recognize the following team members who have demonstrated their continued commitment to excellence and have reached important milestones with IGM.

12 Years

Brad Rook

Leon Sandoval

Rogelio Obispo

Clemente Campos

Filiberto Alcala

John Lecour

11 Years

Terrence Watson

8 Years

Nickolaus White

6 Years

Maria Barrios

5 Years

James Foy

Arthur Kastner

4 Years

Angel Ayala

Juan Garcia

Oscar Lopez

3 Years

Robert Tramel

2 Years

Michael Davis

Richard Davis

Shane Maggard

Andrew Owens

Christopher Silva

Gerardo Velazquez

John Reese

Brandon Haynes

1 Year

Miguel Castillo

Nicolas Garcia Hernandez

David Gonzalez

Philip Howell

Exequiel Rodriguez

Thanks to each of you for your efforts in making IGM the leader in the golf maintenance industry. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

June Birthdays

Members of the IGM Team with June birthdays:

Pierre Auguste

Scott Brindley

Manuel Cazares

Felipe Cazares

Uriel Cruz

Mike Dickerson

Chris Eckart

Michael Fontaine

Josue Garcia

Daniel Goulet

Arthur Hampton

Philip Howell

Henry Jacques

Katherine Jeffrey

Joseph Malarles

Daryl Morris

Fue Moua

Kenneth Parker

Aaron Parker

Brandon Pinner

Juan Quintana Serrano

Talius Richardson

John Samples

William Stone

Antonio Andrade

Joe Carranza

Brad Rook

Leon Sandoval

Kyle Scholtka

Wayne White

Tomas Garcia

We wish each of you a very Happy Birthday!

IGM’s Commitment to Environmental Excellence

International Golf Maintenance (IGM) is committed to the continuous enhancement of the environment, conserving natural resources and protecting precious wildlife habitat. We are leaders in environmental performance through stewardship, education, employee involvement and the utilization of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as well as sound Best Management Practices (BMP). We are committed to providing high quality services in a manner that ensures a safe and healthy workplace for our employees and minimizes our potential impact on the environment. 

IGM Staff building nest boxes at community event

We recognize that economic development needs to be compatible with human welfare and a healthy environment. To ignore this is to risk increasing social, environmental and financial costs. Our role in managing and reducing environmental risk is one we take seriously and we regularly work in conjunction with governmental agencies, organizations and individuals to ensure our goals are achieved. We are committed to work together with all of those who share our commitment and endeavor to identify realistic, sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the golf industry.

We commit ourselves as stewards of the environment to:

-    Promote environmental awareness among our employees and encourage them to work in an environmentally responsible manner with a firm commitment to train, educate and inform our employees about environmental issues that may affect their work

-    Communicate our environmental commitment to clients, customers and the public and encourage them to support in their own way

-    Encourage and reward our supply base for working with us to implement changes in their operating procedures that will improve environmental and sustainability initiatives

-    Promote efficient use of materials and resources throughout our facility including water, electricity, raw materials and other resources, particularly those that are non-renewable

-    Integrate the consideration of environmental concerns and impacts into all of our decision making activities

-    Avoid unnecessary use of hazardous materials and products, seek substitutions when feasible, and take all reasonable steps to protect human health and the environment when such materials must be used, stored and disposed of

-    Ensure that we have environmental champions in each and every property and at each and every level in the organization

Everyday at each of IGM’s golf courses, our managers are acutely aware of the impact our operations can have on the local, regional, and global environment. That is why we apply chemicals fastidiously and consistently with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - the practice of scouting the golf course, discovering pests, determining thresholds when the pest populations reach damaging levels, and taking appropriate measures. These measures range from altering irrigation patterns and adjusting mowing heights to employing competing biological agents and applying traditional pesticides. The IPM strategy employs these measures in a sequence that has the least impact on natural environmental conditions to attain the desired result of reducing and maintaining pest populations below damaging levels. 

Fledglings in IGM nest box

The ultimate desire of IGM is to provide a foolproof, customer-driven service that will free up course managers to care for customers, the property and our environment. Properly designed and implemented, our environmental commitment program will help our customers to keep the facility in compliance with the ever-changing environmental rules and regulations and assist in achieving certification with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.