How can the Wildlife Trust help me?
The Wildlife Trust can provide advice on how to integrate nature conservation into golf course management including golf course development and management, raising awareness of the contribution of golf clubs and their courses to a Living Landscape. They have expertise and experience in integrating wildlife habitats into golf courses – wetlands, chalk rivers, grasslands, woodlands, built infrastructure, along with project management expertise in creating and managing habitats.
They have significant experience, and a proven track record, of working in partnership with golf clubs in Hertfordshire and Middlesex to increase biodiversity. They have written management plans and provided guidance for a range of golf clubs including Mid-Herts, The Grove, Berkhamsted Common, Bishops Stortford, Harrow School, Stevenage Golf Centre, Harpenden Common and Aldwickbury Park. They have also managed habitat creation and enhancement projects for golf clubs.
Golf clubs can get involved with creating spaces for wildlife to live in, with the following support from the Wildlife Trust;
How to Build a Living Landscape
By their very nature golf courses are relatviely large areas of countryside, much of which is made up of rougher, less intensively-managed land. Managed sympathetically, these areas have huge potential to contribute to a Living Landscape. This doesn’t need to impact on the existing land use – it actually enhances it. Wildlife and natural surroundings can make golf more enjoyable, which is outlined within this guidance.
The Wildlife Trust has worked in partnership with golf clubs to run public events highlighting how wildlife habitats can be integrated into courses. It has also facilitated coverage of wildlife habitat management and creation on golf courses on BBC’s Countryfile.