Audubon names new director for ACSP for Golf

Marcus Gray has been named the director of Audubon International’s Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf (ACSP), the internationally recognized program that advances and highlights voluntary environmental stewardship activities on the world’s golf courses. Gray will  give specific attention to building the program’s membership base, forging partnerships, enhancing development efforts, and conducting outreach to promote science-based conservation of wildlife, water and soil. 

Gray brings extensive experience with butterflies and pollinators, large mammal management, bird monitoring projects, water resource protection, and certification programs. He most recently served as the inaugural executive director at the North American Butterfly Association, with previous positions at USDA APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services) and resource conservation and development councils in New Jersey and Virginia.

Audubon International is a nonprofit organization that works with nearly 2,500 golf courses, businesses and other organizations to encourage ecological management of natural resources. Its mission is to deliver high-quality environmental education and facilitate the sustainable management of land, water, wildlife and other natural resources in all places people live, work and play. In addition to golf courses, which constitute the largest membership base of Audubon International, the organization works with cemeteries, hotels and resorts, residential communities, and industrial facilities.

“Marcus is well versed in rare species management and brings a great combination of field work and administrative experience,” says Audubon International Executive Director Christine Kane. “We’re very happy that he’s joined our staff.”

Raised in central Virginia, Gray holds a master’s in Wildlife Science from South Dakota State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation from Maine’s Unity College. 

Gray is excited to collaborate with stakeholders globally to address complex natural resources concerns to benefit communities, the golf industry and the habitats on which they depend, stating, “Audubon International’s programs foster real change on the ground. Activities underway to scale up conservation efforts to the landscape level, working with golf courses and other partners worldwide, were very appealing to me.”