Capilano Golf and Country Club (CGCC) has been recognized by Audubon International for its environmental work through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program since 2005. To gain recertification in 2014, CGCC submitted documentation highlighting ongoing efforts to maintain high environmental standards, including pesticide reduction, water conservation, and wildlife encouragement. Some of CGCC's successes have been increased water conservation through limited irrigation and moisture monitoring, using wood scraps as habitat, installing drainage to reduce damaged areas, releasing salmon fry, and recording wildlife sightings. CGCC also replaced an aging wood pipe supplying its irrigation system, securing its gravity-fed water source for the

1. Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf – Recertification 2014
In 2005 Capilano Golf and Country Club (CGCC) gained recognition for the Club’s environmental work
through Audubon International with The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf. This is an
award winning education and certification program that helps golf courses worldwide protect the
environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. Audubon International has
developed “Standard Environmental Management Practices” that are generally applicable to all golf
courses, with a mandatory recertification every two years to ensure these standards are continually
met. To gain certification, the club focused on such areas as;
1. Environmental planning 4. Wildlife and habitat management
2. Chemical use reduction and safety 5. Water conservation
3. Water quality management 6. Outreach and education
In April 2014, CGCC’s Course and Grounds Department submitted the clubs most recent recertification,
supplying Audubon International with a recertification booklet and necessary documentation
highlighting the ongoing efforts and determination to maintain the golf course to the highest possible
standard while simultaneously maintaining its symbiotic relationship with the surrounding natural
landscape. This has been achieved by making environmentally conscious decisions and investing time
and labor in researching new technology and products that could potentially aid in areas such as
pesticide reduction, water conservation, and the encouragement of wildlife on the golf course.
Above: Salmanders found in the pond on the 11th
hole

2. Over the past few years, Capilano has had numerous successful environmental accomplishments,
including;
Increased control in water conservation and management. Using minimal irrigation at night, staff then
use TDR moisture meters to monitor the volumetric water content on the greens throughout the day,
hand watering typically dry areas as needed. This has dramatically minimized the possibility of over
watering the turf, promoting dry and firm playing conditions, and reducing water usage each year.
The stumps and trunks of select trees that fall or need to be removed are left as natural areas to
encourage wildlife and promote ecological habitats. All branches and trunks that are removed are all
chipped into bark mulch and this biomass is returned to the shrub beds on the golf course over the
season. This mulch reduces invasive weeds, a good cultural practice as opposed to using herbicides.
Other scraps of wood are used to make the many bird houses found on the property.

3. Below: Electric mowers are frequently used to mow greens, delivery a superior cut and also reducing
fossil fuel emissions
Other technology has been used to assess the amount of sunlight that specific greens receive. As
necessary, limbs are trimmed, trees are replanted where possible, and invasive species are removed,
allowing the previously shaded greens to receive more sunlight over the growing season. The result is
far superior turf on these troublesome greens that in turn require fewer inputs to maintain, reducing
pesticide, water and fertility use.
Time and labor is also invested in hand pulling weeds in shrub beds and in the natural tall grass areas on
the property, as opposed to using herbicides.
Above: A natural tall grass area behind the 16th
green

4. Another major success this winter has been the installation of 16,000 meters of drainage across five
holes. This has been a huge undertaking and in the past the rough and fairways on these five holes have
required extra inputs to be maintained at the same level as the rest of the golf course as they are
repeatedly worn and damaged by traffic through wet weather. Now, with correct drainage to move the
surface water away from high play areas, it is expected that there will be a reduced need to sod or over-
seed damaged areas on these five holes this season, and in the following seasons.
Above: Slit drainage on the 18th
fairway in January (left) and the recovery process in April (right)
Over the past several years Course and Grounds has worked in conjunction with the West Vancouver
Streamkeepers Society on keeping a keen awareness of the streams and creeks that flow through the
property. The Audubon Coordinator for the club attends the Streamkeepers meetings, learning how
they plan to increase the salmon population in West Vancouver using fish ladders and erosion
prevention. Staff help their volunteers record the temperature of the water at two locations on the
property, and every year the club works with the Streamkeepers and the local schools to release salmon
fry into the ponds on the course. Each winter, staff from Course and Grounds volunteer to join the
Streamkeepers in taking surveys of the surrounding creeks, keeping a watchful eye on many types of
salmon as they struggle up the fish ladders through the rivers and creeks from the inlet below.
Below: CGCC interns release salmon fry into the pond on the 4th
hole

5. Each season staff are encouraged to make note of any wildlife they see on the golf course. This is
important for the club to ensure that there is a rich and diverse wildlife population on the property. This
has been well received by the staff, with recurring sightings of squirrels, coyotes, deer, black bear,
numerous birds, and even a discovery of a nest of flying squirrels. This information is recorded on the
“Wildlife Log” and has been a great way to get the staff involved with what the Club is achieving with
the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf. Each winter, bird counters arrive at the golf
course and staff join them in their annual bird count. This is another valuable relationship, and it is also
another way for the club to assess its impact on the wildlife on the property.
Another successful project over the winter was the replacement of the last piece of the 100-year-old
wood stave pipe that feeds the Club’s irrigation lakes, and ultimately irrigates the golf course. This pipe
was built prior to 1913 by a wealthy Englishman, Harvey Hadden, long before any thoughts of a golf club
being built on the property were even considered. He dug out what are now the Club’s two irrigation
lakes and ran a wood stave pipe from higher on the mountain to funnel water down to irrigate the
gardens on his estate. Since the Club was built in 1938, this pipe and both the lakes have been used to
irrigate the turf at Capilano Golf and Country Club. This gravity-fed irrigation system is very unique, using
the natural surroundings to irrigate the property. This last segment of wood stave pipe was replaced
with a 10”, high density polyethylene pipe (HDPE), and it has been extremely important to secure this
system for the future.
Above: The old wood stave pipe (left) and the new High Density Polyethylene pipe (right)
As the number of golf clubs worldwide that are certified under the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary
Program continues to grow, it is an immense source of pride to have such an established partnership
with Audubon International, and to remain an environmental sanctuary for years to come.