Audubon International partners with University of Guelph

Audubon International recently partnered with the Diploma in Turfgrass Management (DTM) program at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, to provide assistance in training students in the areas of environmental sustainability, ethical land stewardship and stakeholder communications.

As part of the partnership, Audubon International, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, will provide the university with access to its newly released third edition of “A Guide to Environmental Stewardship on the Golf Course” for students enrolled in Turf Environmental Management and Turf Case Studies during the fall and winter semesters.

“We are pleased to help train the next generation of golf course superintendents and turfgrass managers,” said Frank LaVardera, Audubon International’s director of environmental programs for golf. “With this training, these individuals will better understand the relationship between turf management and the environment, ensuring best management practices are utilized, which will result in environmental sustainability wherever they may work.”

DTM is a 20-month program at the University of Guelph that provides students with hands-on learning opportunities and real-world experience for an array of career opportunities, including golf course management, lawn care, sports field management, parks management, sod production, and related supply and service businesses. DTM requires a minimum 15-week industry co-op or internship, and students have historically landed internships at golf courses and other turfgrass-based enterprises across Canada as well as in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Germany and the Caribbean.

“Audubon International's Cooperative Sanctuary Program core philosophies and success stories have proved to be valuable teaching tools in our classroom,” said Cameron Shaw, who manages the DTM program. “We are particularly excited about Audubon International making its newly updated guide accessible to our students as it will not only help them identify key principles in sustainability but allow them to observe case studies and real-world stories being implemented successfully by current industry leaders.”