In History....
The Royal Ashburn Golf Club and the Paterson family have always had a deep love of nature, conservation and the outdoors. Wilson Paterson confirmed this by becoming a Ducks Unlimited member in perpetuity and passing down his love of the outdoors to his sons David and Scott who carry on the family tradition. This passion for the outdoors has led to the most recent project at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club: a ten acre wetland engineered by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) in association with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA).
The Wetland, made up of three connected ponds, is located in a natural watershed on the golf course and fed by an artesian well. It can be viewed from several holes. Water depth of the three ponds will be controlled by an Agri-Drain water control structure. The first pond will be maintained at a depth to allow maximum aquy a shallow shelf of water providing vegetation and shelter. The third pond, similar to the first, will be maintained at a level that creates marshland habitat and provides an additional area for wetland species to survive. Once the construction of the ponds is completed, biologists from DUC, CLOCA, and the OFAH will select a variety of native grasses, trees and shrubbery that will be planted to surround the perimeter. Upon completion, we will have created a atic growth and natural vegetation to flourish, providing an ideal habitat for a variety of invertebrates, amphibians, birds and reptiles. The second pond will be held at a greater depth, to create habitat for fish and larger aquatic species, but will be surrounded bpectacular wetland that will quickly become home to a wide range of plants, fish and wildlife. This is the first time that DUC, CLOCA, and OFAH have partnered with a golf course to create a wetland.
The timing of this project is excellent for the golf industry which is facing tremendous pressure from environmentalists on hot topics such as pesticide use, water consumption and environmental protection. Golf courses are often viewed, by the general public, as the enemy in conservation and resource consumption when in fact they are very conscious of environmental issues. The Wetland Project serves as a wonderful example to the public that golf courses can provide green sustainable environments for hundreds of species of flora and fauna. Partnering with such great organizations as DUC, CLOCA and OFAH demonstrates the golf industry's interest in, and ability to protect, our natural environment.
Everyone involved is excited and proud to be a part of the project and looks forward to the support of like minded people and organizations that are concerned and want to help.
On September 29, 2009 The Royal Ashburn Golf Club in association with DUC, CLOCA, and the OFAH will be hosting the first annual Golf Tournament for Conservation. The goal of the day is to showcase the hard work of these organizations in creating a spectacular working wetland and to bring recognition to these organizations as they strive to restore, protect and create habitats for a depleting ecosystem. The funds raised will be used to support local conservations projects and youth education. Please help us reach our goal and participate in the first annual Golf Tournament for Conservation. For details, click now.
