Duran Golf Club built and erected a 20-foot osprey pole and platform to attract and protect additional wildlife on property.
In a bid to lessen its environmental footprint, Duran Golf Club in Viera, Fla., has stepped up efforts to attract more wildlife.
At the end of October 2021, the property, which has been certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program since February 2020, put up a 20-foot osprey pole and platform, as part of its quest to improve its water quality, environmental impact, and wildlife protection.
The pole and platform were erected alongside a lake that borders No. 10 on Duran’s 18-hole golf course, where osprey can hunt for fish and food and be safe from wayward golf shots. The location also borders a wetlands area, so there is little chance of humans interfering with the nesting spot.
“As an added bonus, it isn’t very far from the road, so travelers could also view it as the osprey nest becomes inhabited,” says Golf Course Superintendent Andrew Norman.
The pole is constructed from pressure-treated timber, and the 3-foot-by-3-foot platform that sits atop the timber has wire-mesh flooring. A predator guard—an aluminum flashing that stretches around the pole—prevents potential predators from getting any kind of grip if they were to attempt to climb the pole.
“There hasn’t been an osprey to take over the platform yet,” Norman says. “Typically, their mating season is from December to July.”
The idea for the project arose during Duran’s bi-annual Resource Advisory Group meeting, where committee members brainstorm various projects and improvement plans to enhance the property. Along with Norman, the group included Dr. Jim Papritan, a retired Ohio State University professor; Anne Hicks, a community advocate; General Manager Jeff Von Eschen; and Brenda Pannell, a staff member and Florida Certified Master Naturalist.
The location of the pole was determined by consultation between Norman, Von Eschen, and Pannell, and the execution of the project fell to the Duran turfgrass staff. Norman constructed the pole, and crew members Adam Futato, Steven Kurjack, Dr. Carlos Woodward, Andre Wicks, Mike Smith, and Tim McClaskey helped to transport and install the structure.
The most difficult aspect of the project was transporting the pole and platform to the installation site, Norman says. The crew used a truck to hold the perch and a front-end loader tractor to lift the base.
“The two vehicles had to move in tandem to not push or pull the other,” Norman says. “That process took about 30 minutes, then another two hours to install and fortify the pole.”
Leveling the pole was a challenge as well, he says. The staff members had to anchor it to the front-end loader and use a level to attempt to get it as straight as possible. Once the pole was installed by the lake, an issue also surfaced with groundwater in the hole. “We just had to make sure our base was sturdy enough to have longevity,” adds Norman.
The club has installed multiple birdhouses throughout the course in recent years. “I know for a fact two different, red-bellied woodpeckers have inhabited them and created nests,” Norman says.
Other environmentally friendly projects at the property include construction of a pollinator garden, to attract butterflies and various pollinators, adjacent to the putting green.
“We have installed smaller versions of this in a couple of spots on the golf course as well,” Norman says. “A few years back, we took an area that was ugly and hard to maintain and created a wetlands habitat for birds and smaller mammals. In the near future we will be constructing a monarch butterfly garden near our ninth tee box.”
Duran GC’s membership has had a positive reaction to the osprey pole project, Norman says, commending the staff for its efforts. The superintendent has also been surprised by how much attention the project has garnered outside the property. “Different news sources have inquired about it, and local Boy Scout troops have contacted us in an effort to get involved with future projects,” he says.
No doubt, the recognition is a well-deserved point of pride for the Duran GC staff. After all, Norman says, community education and outreach is “one of the pillars that the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary certification stands on.”
Papritan was instrumental in helping Duran GC achieve Audubon certification, says Norman. It also has been a passion of the superintendents who came before him, including Von Eschen, who was acting superintendent when the club was awarded the designation.
“If we don’t protect our waterways and wildlife, who will?” Norman asks. “Golf courses as a whole get a bad rep as being entities that destroy the environment, when in real life, it’s quite the opposite.
“Most golf course superintendents take training on how to be environmental stewards,” he adds. “Aside from being able to provide shelter for wildlife, the golfers appreciate the aesthetics of having them on the course.”
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