Akridge News
'Green' Course is Setting for CBF's Akridge Save the Bay Classic
"We wanted to find a way to talk with business leaders and decision makers about protecting the Bay and developing the economy of our region in a sustainable way," said
CBF worked with Akridge, the tournament's title sponsor and a major
Akridge, the tournament's title sponsor, is a major real estate developer in the
The course, located on the shore of the scenic
"In order to have healthier streams and rivers for our children, all of us — individuals, businesses, governments equally — must take action today," Coble said. "CBF encourages land uses that improve water quality and habitat, and that in the long run better their communities and are economically sound. Queenstown Harbor embodies these ideas," Coble said.
She said a CBF review found that the course captures 80 percent of the rainfall and stores it in ponds. This water is used to irrigate the course, conserving water and reducing runoff. In addition, the course incorporates wide buffers of no-mow zones around ponds and streams and along the riverside. These buffers take up nutrient and chemical pollution that would otherwise run into the river or leach into shallow groundwater.
Course managers control insects and plant diseases using integrated pest management, which helps them reduce their use of pesticides. For example, to prevent fungus from attacking the vulnerable greens, air circulation is improved, sometimes with fans. In the ponds, fish eat the algae, eliminating the need for algaecides. The course uses locally manufactured fertilizer based on chicken manure. Because the course has large areas of natural vegetation, fertilizer use is curtailed.
Coble noted the
"When we redevelop property we can make decisions that improve on the current conditions, and it's our responsibility to do that," Coble said. She noted another example in another context - the redevelopment of the landmark Homer Building in
"Lessening the human impact on the environment is a 'must' and our efforts should be collective," said
The tournament has attracted top rank corporate sponsors, many of whom have demonstrated sustainable approaches in their business practices, Coble said.
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP), which has certified Queenstown Harbor's environmental planning practices, is an award winning education and certification program that helps golf course managers enhance the natural areas and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide, improve efficiency, and minimize potentially harmful impacts of golf operations, said
He said that golfers can use the same kinds of environmentally friendly techniques that certified golf courses use as they work on their yards, build new homes, or operate their businesses.
Coble noted that "sustainable landscape design involves retaining rainwater on the site, using native vegetation, and reducing the use of chemicals."
For more information, go to CBF's website, www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_sub_yourpart_yard .
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has been educating students and adults and fighting for strong, effective, and consistent laws, regulations, and enforcement to restore and protect the Bay's water quality, plants, and animals. CBF also works cooperatively with government, business, and citizens in partnerships to protect and restore the Bay. Since its founding in 1967, CBF has achieved significant milestones to arrest the Bay system's decline and to begin to restore its health. From the landmark EPA study of the Chesapeake Bay in the 1970s to the first interstate Chesapeake Bay Agreement in 1983 to
Audubon International is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) environmental education organization dedicated to providing people with the education and assistance they need to practice responsible management of land, water, wildlife, and natural resources. Headquartered in
Akridge is a comprehensive real estate services company that provides acquisition, development, construction management, asset management, property management, leasing, and consulting services. Active in the EPA's Energy Star program and the US Green Building Council's LEED program, Akridge has achieved the Energy Star label in six buildings, and currently has a 300,000 square foot LEED Gold certified office building under construction. For eight of the last nine years, Akridge has been ranked the number one real estate firm in the country, among firms of similar size, for Client satisfaction by CEL & Associates. Akridge is also recognized as a "Great Place to Work" by Washingtonian magazine and the Washington Business Journal. Since 1974, the company's projects have encompassed over 12 million square feet of space in the greater
SOURCE Akridge
Search Our News Using Google Search
Can't find what you want? Try using Google:
