Page 9 - 2022 Annual Report

FOCUS ON CREATIVITY:
Creating Solutions Through Innovation
BREC is close to completing the first phase of the largest construction project in its history – a complete reimagination of the Baton Rouge Zoo and Greenwood Community Park, where the Zoo is located. Internal leadership determined that the collection plan should change from taxon-focused model to
a zoogeographic display model. The plan is broken into sections of the world and the species of animal found in these regions. In 2022, the Zoo managed five different tiger moves into, and out of
the Zoo. Two shipments will result a breeding opportunity for Malayan tigers and the other three shipments were to hold Sumatran tiger. The most notable shipment safely transferred a tiger to the Honolulu Zoo.
While the golf industry continues to struggle in many areas of the country, BREC golf courses are setting attendance records that shatter pre-COVID heights. This comes after several initiatives to improve the customer experience including the commissioning of a National Golf Foundation audit that recommended repurposing two courses, the implementation
of an online software system for tee time reservations, a complete overhaul of course management standards and allowing golfers to utilize courses throughout the pandemic. In 2022. BREC golf courses collected a record $4,708,000 in revenue, an increase of $492,000 from 2021 and served 164,643 golfers. The national trend was a decrease in golf rounds played at public courses of 2.5%. In 2022, BREC golf courses produced an increase in rounds played of 10.5%.
BREC’s Natural Resources Management team created a permitting process to promote and track research projects in parks. In 2022, there were a total of 25 active permits, nine of which were new. These projects include nine new ones for projects ranging from studying long-term effects of Chinese Privet removal, Arborvirus surveillance for mosquito borne viruses, an LSU Capstone Class and bird, amphibian, reptile and mammal inventories.
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