Golf Courses

Salmon-Safe Golf seeks to inspire a new level of environmental innovation in golf course design and management with respect to the protection of urban water quality and the preservation of imperiled West Coast salmon. The project is a collaboration between Salmon-Safe and our Seattle-based implementation partner Stewardship Partners, with significant input from the Northwest golf industry.

Salmon-Safe’s new golf standards are adapted from our peer reviewed residential development and park & natural area standards, and are currently being reviewed by technical experts and piloted at multiple sites in Oregon and Washington. The standards focus on operation and ongoing management golf courses, but also provide guidance for new facility upgrades within existing golf courses.

Download the Salmon-Safe Golf Course Pilot Standards 

Like our other urban certification programs, the Salmon-Safe process for golf courses begins with a day-long site assessment of management issues including irrigation efficiency, stormwater management, pesticide reduction and stream and wetlands area management. The assessment is conducted by a 3-member team that typically includes an expert in golf course design and operation as well as a university IPM professional and a salmon biologist or other restoration ecologist. The team also reviews management policies and documents related to environmental management of facilities and grounds.

Interested in Applying for Certification?

To learn more about Salmon-Safe assessment for your golf course, please contact:

• For Puget Sound inquiries, contact Stewardship Partners
• For Oregon and California inquiries, and any other questions about certification, contact Salmon-Safe

Read more about Salmon-Safe golf course certification

Visit the blog and read about our pilot golf course assessments and the Northwest golf industry's efforts to transition to greater ecological sustainability. Read more