The Club’s golf course resides on a parcel of land which before European settlement was part of a vast prairie. More specifically, the type of prairie upon which the Club developed is considered an oak savanna. An oak savanna is sparsely wooded grassland, where oaks (Quercus spp.) are the dominant trees. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning or Native Americans, grazing, and/or poor soil. Fire ensured that the savanna areas did not transition into forests. Only trees with a high tolerance for fire, principally certain oak species, were able to survive. The savannas provided habitat for many animals including elk, and white-tailed deer so these systems were important food sources for the native residents. European settlers cleared much of the savanna for agricultural use. In addition, they suppressed the fire cycle. Thus surviving pockets of savanna typically became less like savannas and more like forests or thickets. Today, the Northwest’s native prairies are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States. What was once over 150,000 acres of prairie has been reduced by nearly 90 percent. As a result, many of the oak savanna plant and animal species have become extinct or rare. The few remaining prairies face many continued threats, such as conversion for agriculture or land development, invasive weeds, overgrazing, and a lack of the periodic fires that once held back the invasive forests. Since these threats are still causing loss of oak woodlands, the state of Washington has deemed Oregon White Oak Woodlands as Priority Habitats. With only a fragment of the original prairie and oak woodland habitats protected in parks or reserves, private landowners like the Tacoma Country and Golf Club hold the key to maintaining this important natural legacy. In the interest of conservation and as good stewards of the environment, the Tacoma Country and Golf Club in cooperation with the State of Washington and the City of Lakewood, is committed to the protection and preservation of its oak savanna golf course property. Doing so will guarantee the Club’s property maintains its viability for providing world class golf for which the Club has a national reputation.
VISION: The playing field at Tacoma Country and Golf Club is one of the oldest in the United States and of considerable historical significance. The Club’s founding members were Scots and graduates from the University of St. Andrews. It is at the “Home of Golf” where they learned the game and acquired a deep fondness for its attributes. As recorded in the history books, the Club’s first course was built upon a cow pasture, and today’s course was built upon an oak savanna prairie. It is no surprise that the founding members selected these open spaces for golf development as these lands closely resembled the “links land” that they were accustomed to. “Links land” is comprised of sandy, gravelly soils which connects coast to farm or forest. The Club’s prairie land is also comprised of sandy, gravelly soils and adjacent to farm or forest. It was then, and as is now, that this type of land is considered most suitable for golf. It is in the spirit of the “early days” of golf development and in the interest of being good environmental stewards that the Club will protect and preserve the native oak trees and the sparsely wooded characteristic of the property. This means the golf course routing should feel like it meanders through and around clusters of trees and at no time should it appear as if it was carved through a forest. For the golfer, it may appear that the course is “tree lined” yet upon closer inspection one should recognize that the grounds are littered randomly with open spaces allowing light and air to pass through effortlessly. The Club will make every effort to maintain the total canopy coverage from trees at <25% with the oak component of the total tree canopy at a minimum of 50%. Retaining this canopy ratio will safeguard the savanna, and aid in providing the playing field receives the necessary growing conditions to nurture turf and the space required which is suitable for golfing.
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