ArborLinks Home Course Will Bring Championship Golf, Enhanced Environmental Stewardship to Nebraska City

12/21/00
Nebraska City, Neb. — The ArborLinks Home Course, a national model of environmental quality, is now under construction at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City through the cooperation of The National Arbor Day Foundation, Landscapes Unlimited, and the Palmer Course Design Company. The 18-hole championship course is set to open to the public in June of 2002.

The course, built over approximately 300 acres northwest of Arbor Day Farm, will be built and operated by Landscapes Unlimited, designed by the Palmer Course Design Company, and operated in cooperation with The National Arbor Day Foundation.

“Each of us must be aware of the role we play in the future of golf and environmental stewardship,” said famed golfer Arnold Palmer, founder of the Palmer Course Design Company. “The ArborLinks project will allow us to take a proactive step to contribute sound business and environmental principles to the world of golf course design. We look forward to working with Landscapes Unlimited and The National Arbor Day Foundation.” The Palmer Course Design Company is contributing its design fee to help advance the positive environmental role of golf.

“Because the game of golf represents growing land use, and is how millions of golfers interact with the land, it presents a huge education and demonstration opportunity,” John Rosenow, president of the Arbor Day Foundation, said. “The ArborLinks Home Course will provide a world-class model of tree planting, the use of conservation buffers, and the implementation of other environmental practices. Its impact will include enhanced biodiversity, high water quality, and effective afforestation demonstrations.”

“We’re pleased to bring two leaders of the golf industry, Landscapes Unlimited and the Palmer Course Design Company, together with The National Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree-planting environmental organization,” said Bill Kubly, owner and chief executive officer of Landscapes Unlimited. “The time is right to join forces to show that golf and the environment can not only co-exist, but also complement each other. We also hope to bring quality, affordable golf to Nebraska City while raising the level of environmental understanding among golfers and the general public.

“Being sensitive to the environment has been a priority on every one of the more than 300 golf course projects we have completed since 1976,” Kubly added. “The ArborLinks course will showcase practical construction methods that both complement and add to the environmental qualities of the entire 300 acres.”

“Building on the commitment of Landscapes Unlimited and the Palmer Course Design Company, the Arbor Day Foundation will develop a national ArborLinks golf and the environment program, which over time will have many components to teach the golfing world and the public how the game of golf can be an environmental enhancement,” said Foundation President John Rosenow. “The first element of our program will be a national conference at Arbor Day Farm’s Lied Conference Center, to be held while the course is still under construction.”

Palmer Course Design Company is a complete worldwide golf course planning and design organization with over 250 active projects and open golf courses in 30 states and 20 countries. Landscapes Unlimited is the largest full service golf course development company in America, with more than 330 completed golf course projects, and services including golf course construction, irrigation, renovation, ownership and construction management. The National Arbor Day Foundation is a million-member nonprofit education organization dedicated to tree planting and environmental stewardship.
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