EAGLE CREEK GOLF CLUB and PHASE 1 OF THE COMMUNITY BECOME CERTIFIED SIGNATURE SANCTUARY’S BY AUDUBON INTERNATIONAL

Orlando, Florida - - Eagle Creek Golf Club and Phase 1 of the Community has recently been designated a Certified Silver Audubon International Signature Sanctuary in Florida after demonstrating a commitment to the design and implementation of strict environmental criteria. Signature certification is awarded only to new developments which are designed, constructed, and maintained according to Audubon International’s planning and environmental standards. At Eagle Creek, the goal of integrating people and nature in sustainable ways on the property was accomplished by setting three primary goals for the design. The first was to preserve a portion of the property in its natural condition to support the pre-development complement of species and ecosystems. The second was to provide for the non-intrusive use of the natural ecosystems for passive recreation and wildlife viewing. The third is to integrate native plantings and wildlife habitat into the human centered parts of the project, in order to make them a typical part of the experience of the people living, working, and playing on the property.

Audubon International is an environmental organization whose mission is to educate, assist, and inspire millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources around them. The focus of the Signature Programs is to foster more sustainable human and natural communities through research, education, and conservation assistance.

The Audubon Signature Programs were created for projects in the planning and development stages. “Through these programs we work with landowners from the design stages through construction and then assist in establishing a maintenance program that focuses on sustainability,” says Nancy E. Richardson, Director, Signature Programs. The Signature Programs are guided by the Principles for Sustainable Resource Management

To become certified, each Signature Member must design and implement a Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP) for the property by addressing the following: Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Enhancement, Water Quality Monitoring and Management, Integrated Pest Management, Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, and Waste Management. The designation of Signature Certification is contingent upon the quality and completeness of the NRMP and its implementation.

To date, seventy-six members have achieved the coveted Signature Certification. There are currently eighty-eight other projects under construction and proceeding through the Signature Program process.

To learn more about the Signature Programs, contact Nancy Richardson at (270)869-9419; e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or write to Audubon Signature Programs, 230 Second Street, Suite 311, Henderson, KY 42420-3145.