Audubon International

Despite the common thought that “everything is bigger in Texas,” one particular Texas golf club is having great success making its environmental footprint smaller. Tierra Verde Golf Club continues making significant headway in eliminating unnecessary waste since achieving Bronze Certification as an Audubon International Signature Sanctuary in 2000. Tierra Verde is an 18-hole public, municipal golf course located in Arlington, Texas, on the outskirts of Dallas. When discussion around developing a golf course first began, the City of Arlington chose to build according to the requirements of Audubon International’s Signature Sanctuary Program because of its strong focus on preserving and improving wildlife habitat, protecting water quality, reducing chemical use, incorporating recycling, and requirements for ongoing education and outreach to the public. Tierra Verde is always coming up with innovative ways to meet these goals, like their “Grease for Greens” program. The endeavor started with an effort to keep grease out of kitchen drains and turned into an environmental benefit that also saves money by reducing fuel costs. Today, the club is collecting used cooking oil from the community including its own restaurant and converts it to biodiesel fuel for its maintenance machines. For every 40 gallons of used oil collected, the club generates 30 gallons of biodiesel. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this biodegradable fuel reduces emissions, and offers greater greenhouse gas benefits than traditional diesel fuel. Unfortunately, creating biodiesel is not as simple as just pouring used cooking oil into the tank of the machinery! According to Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, the used cooking oil goes through a 30-hour process, to strip the glycerin from it before the remnants are washed with water, dried, and then, combined with diesel. Once these steps are complete, Tierra Verde is left with the finished product, biodiesel. Tierra Verde Golf Club’s environmental efforts don’t cease at the “Grease for Greens” program. The club also recycled 800 pounds of aluminum and 1800 pounds of plastic and other materials in 2019. Other environmental projects at this Signature Sanctuary include composting grass clippings, informational signs about local wildlife, and joining Audubon International’s Monarchs in the Rough program, an initiative to plant native milkweed and wildflower seed on golf courses to promote pollinator awareness and create monarch butterfly habitat. Audubon International’s environmental certifications are helping numerous golf courses make significant strides in reducing their environmental footprint. Tierra Verde Golf Club is an excellent example of how it is possible to do this every day - in all the areas where we live, work, and play. Audubon International Signature Sanctuaries undergo recertification site visits with AI staff every three years, this photo was taken during Tierra Verde Golf Club’s 2019 site visit Numerous wildlife species can be observed on golf courses due to the excellent wildlife habitat they provide, like this bobcat at Tierra Verde Golf Club (photo credit: Tierra Verde Golf Club)