Audubon International recognizes BioBlitz winners

Audubon International recently announced winners in several categories for its seventh annual BioBlitz competition, which took place in June.

Hundreds of nature lovers, from club members to school kids to local environmental groups, observed more than 3,000 species of flora and fauna thriving on Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf-certified courses.

“We were eager to welcome back BioBlitz as an annual celebration of sustainable golf after a several-year COVID-19 break,” Audubon International CEO Christine Kane said. “We anticipated strong participation and got it — member courses were just as excited to gather people together to not only identify an incredible wealth of wildlife in their natural habitats but learn why environmental stewardship is crucial to every course’s health. These winners proved their passion in a big way.”

Southwinds Golf Course in Boca Raton, Florida, received the Community Engagement Award with a total of 247 participants. Key to their success was both a BioBlitz Ladies Scramble with special cocktails named after local birds and a Junior BioBlitz session that included a BioBlitz-themed putting contest.

Glencoe Golf Club in Glencoe, Illinois, and the University of Maryland Golf Course in College Park, Maryland, took second and third place.

The award for Best Photograph went to the University of Maryland Golf Course for Adrienne van den Beemt’s shot of a Dolichopus comatus (long-legged fly).

“Using the golf course in this way had many educational and environmental benefits,” University of Maryland general assistant Laura Russell said. “Students were able to practice wildlife identification skills they had only read about in the classroom. Professionals from the community shared techniques and strategies they have learned over their careers. We all learned the immense value the golf course provides as a home to such a diversity of species. With knowledge gained we will be better equipped to take protective actions needed to keep and further develop a healthy, diverse ecosystem on this beautiful UMD green property.”

Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club in Palm City, Florida, received the Biodiversity Award, with 607 species identified.

“Having a well-organized, sortable, and comprehensive master species list was likely one of the keys to our success at Harbour Ridge,” said Mary Hutchinson, the club’s BioBlitz co-coordinator. “We had participated in two previous BioBlitzes prior to this year’s event, so we spent some time improving upon our 2018 master species list. Within each of the categories we used common names for species that were also sorted alphabetically, helping to identify any missing or duplicate species on the master check list. It further allowed participants to more easily locate a species on the list and check it off during the 24-hour count.”

Second place for Biodiversity went to Meadow Club in Fairfax, California, with 444 species sighted. Ironwood Golf Course in Byron Center, Michigan, took third place, reporting 405 species.

More than 3,000 animal and wildlife species were recorded on golf courses across the monthlong event.

More information about BioBlitz, including how golf courses, communities, lodging properties or resorts can gain recognition for their environmental efforts, is available on Audubon International’s website.