LOS ANGELES, CA – The Hollywood Bowl has achieved designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP), an Audubon International program. Bob Ginn, Grounds Maintenance Supervisor, has led the effort to obtain sanctuary designation on the property and is being recognized for Environmental Stewardship by Audubon International. Hollywood Bowl is the first amphitheatre in California and the 58th property in the world to be certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.

"Hollywood Bowl has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on their property," said Jim Sluiter, Staff Ecologist for the ACSP. “By taking action to implement indoor and outdoor conservation projects, the management and staff at Hollywood Bowl have demonstrated their commitment to the sustainable management of their natural resources.”

“It is a great honor to be recognized as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. We are constantly striving to find new and better ways to conserve energy, limit water usage, and to protect and promote the preservation and growth of native plant and wildlife,” said Arvind Manocha, Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

"To reach certification, a property must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas," explained Sluiter. These categories include: Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Water Quality and Conservation, Resource Management, and Outreach and Education. Properties go through a recertification process every two years.

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program provides information and guidance to help businesses and organizations preserve and enhance wildlife habitat, and protect natural resources. Businesses, schools, parks, and other properties from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, and Southeast Asia have also achieved certification in the program.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and is home to the best and brightest in all genres of music. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 42nd season. In January 2009, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the fifth year in a row at the 20th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

In addition to businesses, Audubon International also includes programs for golf courses, schools, communities, and new developments. For more information, contact Audubon International, 46 Rarick Road, Selkirk, NY 12158, (518) 767-9051, acsp@auduboninternational.org or visit their website at www.auduboninternational.org.

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