Audubon Award Focus
Both the Hammock Dunes Club’s Links and Creek golf courses are certified as “Audubon
Cooperative Sanctuaries” by Audubon International, reflecting the community’s commitment to
the environment and protection of endangered species. The Tom Fazio designed Links course
includes three holes bordering the majestic Atlantic Ocean, whereas the Rees Jones designed
Creek course sits on 680 acres of pristine forest and marsh and meanders along the
Intracoastal Waterway with unbelievable vistas. Throughout the community and our Links and
Creek courses, you will see abundant Flora and Fauna, including Spoonbills, Wood Storks,
Herons, Eagles and, directly off the Atlantic shoreline, the rare endangered Right Whale and
three species of sea turtles that nest on the beach. Our Audubon certified sanctuaries
protect and sustain deer, river otters, alligators, wild turkeys, foxes, bobcats and other
species. Many migrating birds chose to stop at Hammock Dunes to rest on their way both north
and south and enjoy its protected environment.
We are now pursuing “Audubon Sustainable Community” certification for the Hammock Dunes
community, and have most recently competed Phase 1 and were awarded our “Green Communities”
Certificate. The remaining two phases address Sustainability Planning and Progress Reporting
and Certification, which we intend to complete within the next year. This Audubon
International certification publicly recognizes a community’s environmental achievements and
leadership. In many ways, Hammock Dunes is already complying with the requirements for an
“Audubon Sustainable Community”, including conservation of water and other resources,
protection of wildlife habitats and efficient landscape management.
Along sections of our 2.5 of majestic Atlantic Oceanfront sand dunes, we have erected sand
fences to protect those dunes with the most potential for high tidal erosion. We have
implemented an annual fertilization program of all dune vegetation to not only ensure a
vibrant, healthy and strong community tidal barrier, but to also provide a habitant for the
many state and federal protected wildlife species who use these dunes for nesting and as
their homes.
In 2000, Audubon International
initially certified the Links Course as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary”. In
January of 2002, the Creek Course achieved its initial Audubon Certification. Both golf
courses are one of 113 in Florida and 864 courses in the world to receive the cooperative
Audubon sanctuary honor, joining a distinguished group of international courses from the
United States, Africa, Australia, Central America, Europe, South America, and Southeast
Asia. More significant is the fact that we are one of only 15 golf communities in the world
that have two or more Audubon International Certified Cooperative Sanctuary golf courses and
one of only three in Florida.
Our Links and Creek
courses have continuously retained their Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary certification, and we
enthusiastically look forward to the Audubon International re-visits every two years. To
first obtain and then sustain certification, our community must demonstrate that we are
maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas including:
Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use
Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management.
To ensure our long term commitment to Audubon International certification, the Hammock Dunes
Owners’ Association (HDOA) and the Hammock Dunes Club have institutionalized defined,
repeatable Audubon processes. Our landscape and course maintenance crews and contractors
follow strict fertilization guidelines to ensure chemical use reduction and water quality
management. These crews clear damaging invasive plants and vines, while carefully protecting
indigent native Florida vegetation throughout the community, courses and our fragile
conservation areas. Lake banks and conservation areas have visible signage restricting
resident and golfer access. Irrigation systems and timers provide just the right amount of
water to sustain grass and landscape, while controlling water and fertilizer runoff into
retention ponds and filtration ditches to protect our lakes, aquifer and the Intracoastal
Waterway.
The Sustainable Community program includes three stages: Assessment, Planning and
Implementation, of which Hammock Dunes is currently entering the program’s Assessment phase.
This first stage, Green Communities, establishes a baseline focusing on environment, quality
of life, and economic vitality. During Stage 2, we develop a goal-oriented, milestone-based
vision plan, resulting in an Audubon Planning Award. Stage 3 implements the vision plan and
reports progress against the plan’s milestones. Our goal is to complete Stage 3 in CY 2015,
earning Hammock Dunes designation as a “Certified Audubon Sustainable Community”.
To provide Hammock Dunes residents and their visitors an opportunity to appreciate our
exclusive sanctuary, we created the “Audubon Trails to Fitness” program. Our Trail map
consists of five defined routes throughout Hammock Dunes, with each route defined by mileage
markers and rest-stops to view our many protected species. Since each Audubon Trail has a
unique mileage associated with it, residents can choose the best conditioning route that
meets their specific exercise regime.
Additional information concerning the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program may be found at
the Audubon International homepage (www.auduboninternational.org).

