Features Profiles
St. George’s partners with neighbouring schools to help promote environmental awareness

St. George’s Golf and Country Club, annually ranked among the top 10
golf courses in Canada, has begun a new environmental awareness
partnership with three neighbourhood schools in the Toronto area.

Fifteen students from each of the schools—St. George’s Public School (Grade 5), Humber Valley Middle School (Grade 8), and Richview Collegiate (Grade 12)—as well as their teachers planted 60 trees and 40 shrubs adjacent to the 10th tee at the golf course which will host the 2010 RBC Canadian Open in July.

All three schools are within a 10-minute walk of the club, located on Islington Avenue.
 Last November, the students heard from guest speaker Scott Morrison from Out on a Limb who discussed wildlife and habitats as it relates to urban environments and golf courses.

 “Environmental protection and education are key components to golf course operations and maintenance at St. George’s,” said superintendent Keith Bartlett. “I think it’s important for students to understand that even in an urban environment there are important green spaces like St. George’s and other golf courses where wildlife and plant life flourish.”

All trees and shrubs planted were donated by NGF Golf Limited (Bill Searle), a golf course constructor, and Putzer Nursery—a value of $6,500. They are all native to the area and selected by Philip van Wassenaer of Urban Forest Innovations which consults with the club on long-range tree planning and maintenance. Shovels for planting and lunch were provided by the City of Toronto’s Live Green program.

Other supplies and volunteer support were provided by Live Green Toronto which is the city’s program to help residents and businesses live more environmentally-friendly lifestyles.

 The students’ visit is the first step in developing a partnership with the schools which will see students participate in future projects including birdhouse building this winter and a spring 2010 tour with additional activities. The golf club is also committed to supplying the schools with excess flowers, bushes and trees that can be planted and used for educational purposes at the schools.

 St. George’s Golf & Country Club is currently working with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses to receive certification in 2010. The program helps protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf.

 “It’s a terrific program,” Bartlett said. “It’s a reasonable commitment to improving our relationship with the natural environment and it challenges us to keep coming up with better plans to do things in an environmentally-responsible manner.”

 Endorsed by the Royal Canadian Golf Association, the United States Golf Association and the PGA of America, the program emphasizes maximizing efficiency and minimizing the potentially harmful effects golf operations can have. Nearly 800 golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, have achieved certification in the program, including more than 80 in Canada.

Designed by legendary Canadian golf course architect Stanley Thompson and opened in 1929, St. George’s Golf and Country is regularly rated among the top 100 courses around the world and among the top three in Canada. The club has been host to four Canadian Opens, five LPGA events, and most recently the du Maurier Champions, Canadian Senior Open. It will once again play host to the world’s best players as the PGA Tour and RBC Canadian Open come to St. George’s in July.