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Greening our Greens

As a worthy custodian to some of the world’s most awe-inspiring golf courses, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is committed to preserving the natural grandeur of its golf locales and has taken a proactive approach by “Greening Our Greens.” 

As a component of the company’s award-winning Green Partnership Program, the majority of the golf courses owned and managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts are enrolled in integrated environmental management programs with Audubon International.

To date, eight golf courses within the Americas have earned full certification in the Audubon Certified Cooperative Sanctuary System. In addition, Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego has set a goal of working towards Audubon Signature program certification in the coming months.

“Greening Our Greens” takes a sensitive approach to the stewardship of Fairmont’s recreational lands from reducing pesticide use and conserving and testing water to optimizing the use of golf course green space as a refuge and habitat for wildlife. Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than at Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge locations, both of which are inside celebrated Canadian national parks.

“With Fairmont’s commitment to environmental sustainability, indigenous and environmentally inspired design is a primary focus when developing courses. By preserving natural resources, we are able to offer golfers one-of-a-kind experiences in distinctive destinations,” says Justin Wood, Executive Director Golf and Retail, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System was founded on the belief that conservation and habitat enhancement are priorities at golf courses, schools, and places used for leisure time.  The program set the guidelines for an international system of wildlife and environmental conservation.  To achieve certification, golf courses must comply with guidelines and recommendations in six different categories: Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Integrated Pest Management, Water Quality Management, Water Conservation, Outreach and Education.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is also among the golf industry’s leaders when it comes to using the open spaces provided by its golf courses to benefit the broader environment. Programs such as Fairmont’s Bee Sustainable program and Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s Bat Hotel Initiative are specifically designed to aid these struggling, yet vital, populations while providing benefits to resort guests and the neighboring communities.

Pioneered by the company’s Canadian properties in 1990, the award-winning Fairmont Green Partnership program is now growing across the United States and internationally.  This comprehensive initiative to minimize the impact of hotel operations on the environment addresses key issues including waste management, water and energy conservation, habitat protection, purchasing, employee and guest education and community outreach. In addition to publishing The Green Partnership Guide, a “going green” handbook for the hospitality industry, individual Fairmont properties are innovating with green power purchase, coral reef monitoring, food re-distribution, landscaping, golf course maintenance and a range of other activities that think globally and act locally.

 

 

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