As large expanses of green space, with anywhere between 30 and 70% of land being out of play, golf courses can support a wide range of different habitats. These can include woodlands, grasslands, heathlands, scrub, wetlands and water features. There is great potential to enhance the value of these habitats and the wildlife they support, so long as the appropriate management programmes are in place.
You can improve the value of your golf course for wildlife by:
- establishing a detailed understanding of what habitats and wildlife are present
- devising management plans to enhance their value and achieve the right balance of habitat type
- implementing management to restore, conserve or enhance the quality of habitats
- monitoring the impact of your work through reassessment of wildlife value
- reviewing and amending your management programmes to achieve your goal
- communicating what you are doing to your customers and your community.
To effectively establish the baseline of habitat and wildlife on your course, it is advisable to engage specialists to undertake surveys. Keeping records of this information will help you to assess the impact of your management programmes. Working from these records, and with environmental agencies, you can identify any areas on site that have a conservation designation. Knowing this is extremely important, since environmental legislation may dictate which management activities, if any, are permitted under such protection, notably the use of pesticides and fertilisers.
The R&A is committed to restoring, conserving, enhancing and protecting the habitats and wildlife found at our Open Championship venues. A publication is produced for The Open each year, to raise awareness of the environmental management programmes in place at the host course.
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If undertaking habitat management, keep golfers informed so that they appreciate the conservation value of your work.
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