BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The St. Kitts Tourism Authority today announces that the island’s Royal St. Kitts Golf Course, operated by Marriott Golf, continues to function in keeping with the island’s principles for sustainable tourism development, having implemented a variety of programs that led to the course becoming the first golf course in the entire Caribbean region to achieve certification through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.
“I congratulate Marriott Golf for demonstrating their commitment to preserving the natural assets and environment of St. Kitts,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture. “The company’s efforts to achieve Audubon certification have been exemplary and it is my hope that other businesses on St. Kitts follow their lead in creating and executing environmentally friendly programs of the highest quality. Our government has also established stringent standards for new tourism developments, so that they will serve to preserve and protect the island’s abundant natural assets and pristine environment for future generations of tourists and residents alike.”
Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries enables golf facilities to protect the environment by enhancing precious natural areas and wildlife habitats. In order to achieve Audubon Certification, a golf facility is required to demonstrate that it is maintaining the highest degree of environmental quality in several areas including Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management.
As part of the property’s overall green efforts, one of the programs the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club implemented to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship was the installation of Seashore Paspalum during golf course construction. Seashore Paspalum, a specialized turfgrass that utilizes alternative water sources, enables the Club to use a combination of storm, recycled, and seawater to irrigate the golf course, therefore conserving natural water supplies.
