Golf golf equipment throughout England’s South Downs Nationwide Park and past are coming collectively to assist combat biodiversity loss.
With golf programs overlaying two per cent of England and a major variety of golf equipment within the South Downs, there’s great potential for programs to turn into havens for wildlife, notably bees and butterflies, in addition to golfers.
A community of golf golf equipment has now been fashioned, with greenkeepers and membership managers from throughout the area coming collectively to share information and sensible assist.
A complete of 14 golf golf equipment from throughout Sussex just lately took half in a seminar at Pyecombe Golf Membership, close to Brighton, which is now top-of-the-line programs within the UK for chalk grassland flowers and butterflies.
It comes after the group’s inaugural assembly was held final yr at Lewes Golf Membership, which can also be main the best way with biodiversity restoration on its course.
The conferences have included reside demonstrations on new grassland administration strategies that may assist wildlife, skilled recommendation on conservation measures and particulars of funding obtainable to golf equipment taking motion for nature.
The initiative is being co-ordinated by Sussex-based charity, the Southwood Basis, working with the South Downs Nationwide Park Authority and a variety of companions, together with RSPB, England Golf, the Weald to Waves initiative, Buglife and the South Downs Belief.
Caroline Croft, Operations Supervisor for the Southwood Basis, mentioned: “There’s a formidable variety of golf golf equipment in Sussex doing actually nice work for nature restoration. We had been struck that golf equipment had been taking these nature restoration measures in relative isolation from one another and thought it could possibly be helpful to deliver greenkeepers and membership administration collectively to share information, concepts and greatest apply.
“A few of the golf equipment are at the start of the journey and others are additional alongside reminiscent of Lewes, Pyecombe and Brighton & Hove Golf Membership. All of them have been open and collaborative and there’s a nice sense of neighborhood and customary goal.
She added: “Biodiversity within the UK is struggling, and we’d like nature corridors for wildlife to have the ability to thrive. I believe there’s potential for golf golf equipment to play a major position. Their curiosity in being a part of the 100-mile ‘Weald to Waves’ wildlife hall by means of Sussex exhibits their enthusiasm. It’s inspiring to see these golf equipment working collectively to create glorious nature restoration tasks.
“Extending the roughs the place attainable is one actually impactful step they will take. Golf equipment doing this are seeing important will increase in pollinators, reminiscent of butterflies with out impeding the sport, the truth is enhancing the expertise for gamers.
“It’s additionally about saving assets for golf equipment, working with nature to manage pests as an alternative of utilizing costly chemical substances, as an example, having the ability to scale back water use, or spending much less time and gas on reducing again the roughs – so it’s a win-win for nature and other people which makes it actually thrilling.”
Pyecombe and Lewes have been working with rangers from the South Downs Nationwide Park to develop a extra wildlife-friendly mowing regime. Historically, grassy areas are mown and the cuttings are left on the bottom to decompose, enriching the soil which then encourages coarser grasses to dominate and outcompete wildflowers. With the ‘lower and acquire’ system, the soil just isn’t enriched with vitamins because the grass cuttings are collected.
With out the soil enrichment, the uncommon chalk grassland is maintained and a wide range of wildflowers are in a position to develop and supply habitat for bees, butterflies and different bugs.
Over the previous two years the South Downs Belief, the official charity for the Nationwide Park, has offered grants to Lewes Golf Membership, East Brighton Golf Course and West Hove Golf Membership to assist with nature-friendly mowing gear.
Caroline added: “The possession of this sits very a lot inside the golf sector – it’s greenkeepers seeing the potential and what they will do. It’s been actually rewarding working with a neighborhood that hasn’t all the time been a part of nature conservation discussions, seeing what nature restoration means to them and the numerous distinction they will make.”
Tim Brewster, Course Supervisor at Lewes Golf Membership, which obtained a grant from the South Downs Nationwide Park to purchase a ‘lower and acquire’ machine, mentioned: “After the primary yr, I’ve began to note a bigger quantity of yellow rattle spreading to completely different areas of the course, which already appears to be like to start out scaling down the areas, which is nice for golfers to seek out their ball but in addition a constructive for wildflowers.
“The saving we now have made are large, we now have lower down the time to finish this work to a month and a half. In order that’s almost lower the time in half, so saved a lot of cash on diesel and man hours. A rise of birds of prey has been observed, with extra kestrels, purple kites, and buzzards. We proceed to see the peregrine falcons which can be nesting on the cliff, looking, and taking part in on the fairways.”
Mandy Fast, Membership Secretary of Lewes Golf Membership, added: “We consider that by nurturing nature, we’re making our golf course a extra lovely and gratifying place for our members, visiting golfers and walkers. We additionally consider that we’re serving to to guard the surroundings for future generations.”
Final yr an ecological survey at Pyecombe Golf Membership found 34 species of butterfly, together with uncommon species such because the Adonis Blue, Brown Hairstreak and Grizzled Skipper.
Jan Knowlson, Biodiversity Officer for the Nationwide Park, added: “Our ReNature marketing campaign is tackling biodiversity loss head-on by creating new areas for wildlife and likewise enhancing current websites. The very nature of golf programs implies that new habitat will be pretty simply created to assist grassland species and Pyecombe and Lewes are proof that biodiversity and {golfing} can fortunately co-exist. It’s fantastic to see the golf neighborhood embracing nature restoration and I’m enthusiastic about what will be achieved in future.”
To seek out out extra concerning the group contact Caroline Croft at caroline.croft@southwoodfoundation.org.
Golf golf equipment within the Nationwide Park, or on the city fringes of the Nationwide Park, which can be involved in making use of for funding for nature restoration can go to southdownstrust.org.uk/grants/ or electronic mail grants@southdowns.gov.uk.
