AUDUBON CERTIFICATION 
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, created by the United States Golf Association and Audubon International, is an award winning education and certification program helping golf courses protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of golf. Celebrating its 20th year in 2011, the ACSP is the most widely use d environmental certification program for golf courses. After an evaluation, Cardinal Golf Club now meets ACSP Certification Criteria in all five management categories, these include:

Wildlife & Habitat Management Evaluating and identifying habitat types Protecting habitats and linking them to off-property corridors Proposed planting plan to Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, resulting in planting of shrub and tree species along stream and drainage corridors Installed and monitoring of bird houses throughout the property

Water Quality Staff keep pest control and fertilizer applications away from ponds, creeks and habitats Established vegetative buffer-zones to help filter runoff Monitoring surface water quality through approved laboratories

Chemical Use and Safety Participating in the IPM Accreditation Program A Chemical Storage Structure that meets all Municipal, Provincial and Federal Codes Using cultural methods to reduce pressures leading to a pest outbreak Fuels, fertilizers, pest control products and cleaning products are stored safely and securely.

What is IPM Accreditation, and how does it affect
Cardinal Golf Club?

The Province of Ontario initiated a cosmetic pesticide ban (Ontario Regulation 63/09) meant to eliminate unnecessary use and potential threats to the environment. The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method of preventing pests and applying the appropriate control measures helps Cardinal superintendent Rob Sloan reduce pest pressures and active ingredients in chemical controls. There are two parts to the ban that any golf course must abide by in order to continue to use products under the ban. These include the parameters of the IPM Accreditation exemption tool for golf courses, and additional provincial requirements of the ban. Under the exemption, golf courses are defined as the areas intended to be used as playing surfaces, therefore clubhouse lawns, patios and gardens are not exempt from the cosmetic ban.

Golf courses choosing to use pesticides that fall under the cosmetic ban must be in the IPM Accreditation Program of the Integrated Pest Management Council of Canada (IPMCC).

Level 1 Accreditation comes once the IPM Agent successfully completes an annual Desk Review Audit. An independent certified environmental auditor will review weekly scouting forms, pest control application forms, annual hot spot management forms, annual pest control product usage forms, sprayer calibration documentation and training documentation. These expectations must continue to be met annually.

Level 2 Accreditation is met only once the golf course has successfully completed its On-Site Audit by an independent certified environmental auditor once every three years. This audit will review all of the requirements within Level 1 as well as a site tour, equipment calibration demonstrations by staff, a tour of the preventative techniques employed at the golf course and a written test completed by the IPM Agent(s).

Starting in 2011 staff will be required to submit an Annual Report, which must be accessible to the public within seven days of a request. 2012 brings the next compulsory stage, an Annual Public Meeting to discuss all of the information within the Annual Reports. The golf course is required to publish a notice in the public paper and notify all occupants of abutting properties and properties within 100 m of the golf course.