07/01/2026
Through our work at Rock Creek Park Golf, NLT is proud to partner with the Smithsonian's National Zoo and its animal nutrition program. As our sustainability team rehabilitates native habitat throughout Rock Creek Park Golf, they set aside vegetation that has been removed. Instead of chipping this material, the Zoo picks it up and uses it for "woody browse."
"Woody browse" refers to the fresh leaves, twigs, bark, and branches of woody plants that are essential diets for elephants, giraffes, primates, and beavers. Thanks to our continued work, our team has been preparing pick-ups of this material every two weeks since late 2025, feeding hundreds of animals in the process.
Last week, our team toured the Zoo to see how their animal nutrition program works and how the material from Rock Creek Park Golf is put to use. While touring the 33,000-square-foot commissary, they even recognized material that had been picked up the day before, as it was waiting to feed the elephants in the Elephant House.
“As we continue our stewardship of Rock Creek Park Golf, our goal is to create tangible benefits for the broader community,” says Mike McCartin, co-founder of National Links Trust. “Partnering with the National Zoo allows us to extend the positive impact of the property beyond golf, which is something of which we are incredibly proud.”
