Enviro Blog: Outreach and Education

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment

An important sectionof the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program is outreach and education. The following are several ideas that could happen in the future at the Olds College 3-hole golf course.



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1. Host tours for students at Olds High School

This is an outreach event that could happen every year. More and more schools are teaching students about ecology and environmental issues. What better place to do it then on an Audubon certified site? An opportunity like this could show students the benefits that golf courses provide to a community and the environment. At the same time, it could encourage students to consider future careers in the golf industry.

2. Open the course to the Olds Art Club or the Foothills Camera Club

Golf courses can provide some spectacular views and vistas, and many of these have been recreated through paintings and pictures. Giving artists an chance to explore the course and see the natural beauty can greatly promote what we are doing. This will give them an opportunity to explore a site that might be largely unfamiliar to them, and provide some pictures of the course that could be used in marketing.

3. Provide educational experiences to Olds College Students

This opportunity is almost a certainty. Olds College students will be given a chance to come and explore the course and hear about the ways we are promoting sustainability. Turfgrass management students can be given practical opportunities to build features on the course and operate equipment. Land and water students can observe how we use naturalized areas to filter water and promote wildlife on the course. This occasion provides the course help with any projects on the course that need to be done, while at the same time giving students practical learning opportunities.

4. Partner with the composting site on campus and provide seminars to the public

The course already plans on partnering with the Olds College composting program. This partnership provides an opportunity to educate the citizens of Olds on proper composting techniques. They can come and see how we compost our clippings and then use this compost on the course. Not only does this provide practical education to members of the public, but it also raises awareness of our environmental practices on the course and on campus.

Aububon International provides the following documents to help you plan and organize outreach events.
Choosing Outreach Projects
Programs for Schools and Youth
Creating a Culture of Environmental Stewardship