Beside a restored creek in San Geronimo, California, birds soar where birdies once were scored. Formerly home to an 18-hole golf course, the 157-acre property has been rewilded into a thriving nature preserve. The fairway, once groomed to unnatural perfection, is now overgrown with tall grass and wildflowers. … Vitally, the creek that runs through the course’s front nine – no longer impeded by a dam – is seeing a slow return of the endangered coho salmon. … With the number of golf course closures outweighing openings every year since 2006, some are rethinking the best use of these open spaces. In states such as Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, and California, nature is now being allowed to run its course to protect wildlife and protect against storms.