Moraine: A Sanctuary for Members and Wildlife

Just as Moraine strives to be a sanctuary for its members to escape for a round of golf or slip away to socialize with old friends, the club also strives to be a retreat for the wildlife that shares its land.

This is why Moraine took action in 2011 to become a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary to protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. By following the guidelines within Audubon International's Standard Environmental Management Practices, Moraine is enhancing the beautiful nature areas and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide.

Moraine is proud to be the 11th club in Ohio to earn this distinction and the 831st in the world to achieve this certification. The great care Moraine demonstrates to the environment extends beyond the staff's careful management of its resources and grounds, though. A members of the club formed a Bluebird Committee, installing 40 Bluebird boxes.

Currently there are 40 boxes which volunteers monitor weekly from April to September to track the species of bird, the number of eggs laid, the number of chicks hatches, and how many chicks fledged. They also remove the nests and eggs of the invasive nonnative house sparrow because both bluebirds and tree swallows are welcome nesters. The birding committee has helped fledge over 2000 birds since 2011. Thanks to their effort and Moraine's pledge to the environment stewardship, our golf course is healthy for both wildlife and our golfers.