In the first part of a series on ecology and the golf course, Dr Mark Hampton MIEEM, gives an overview of the laws governing wildlife, and how golf courses can help to create havens for all types of flora and fauna
Golf courses and wildlife T
he nature conservation community, in general, sees golf courses in much the same way as agricultural landscapes i.e. lacking in substantial wildlife potential because they comprise a large expanse of intensively managed grass. However, it is becoming more widely accepted that golf courses represent a significant wildlife resource in an increasingly developed country like Britain.
In many parts of the UK, green belt land, often including some valuable habitat, is increasingly under pressure from the need for more housing and industry, making recreational areas and gardens more important for our wildlife that is under ever more pressure. Golf courses also have a contribution to make and, with their large open spaces and areas of rough, water and out-of-play areas, have been described as ‘a green lung’ and ‘a haven for wildlife’. Plants and animals continue to amaze us with their ability to make the most of whatever is available. There are many examples, such as peregrine falcons nesting on cathedrals, foxes and badgers becoming urbanised and dragonflies in garden ponds - wildlife will utilise golf courses as they will urban areas. Having said that, it is true that large
areas of golf courses will always be poor in wildlife terms, however, it is the areas away from the greens and fairways that provide opportunities. It is these areas where, if managed appropriately, that really can contribute to biodiversity. As the green belt gets slowly eaten
away, and the importance of golf courses becomes recognised, more information is
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being published on the wildlife value of golf courses. Good advice on management has been produced by bodies such as the Scottish Golf Environment Group (2002, 2009), Tanner and Gange (2005), Tew (2004) and, not least, golf ’s governing body, the Royal & Ancient, in conjunction with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2009).
The R&A have a key objective that golf course management is “... optimising the playing quality of the golf course in harmony with the conservation of its natural environment under economically sound and socially responsible management”.
So, change is afoot, with golf courses becoming places where wildlife should be able to thrive alongside men and women playing a game they love. An important fact with regard to golf courses and ecology is that they are based on a landscape scale (not just a field amongst a sea of arable crops) and have the potential to be home to mosaic of habitats and an array of species. In terms of addressing wildlife and conservation on a golf course, there are two key issues that come into play:
• Protected habitats and species - these may be found on a golf course and could have legal implications for management and development.
• General biodiversity value - there is potential to manage golf courses such that they maintain and increase the wildlife they support.
The Law
There are several pieces of both UK and European legislation that protect wildlife. The Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (WCA), represents the major legal instrument for wildlife protection in Britain. It has been amended several times and other legislation has been passed since its first inception, which has added further legal weight to wildlife legislation. In short, if protected species are present on a golf course, then there are potential implications for the course owners and managers. The legislation also created a framework within which sites could be designated as protected areas; these are known as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). SSSI status affords a site protection from development, and a requirement for management to maintain the habitats and species found. In England, around one hundred golf courses have all or part of the course designated as SSSI, and in Scotland around thirty courses have the same designation. European legislation is, in many ways, similar to the UK legislation, taking many of the same species and protected sites and giving them an enhanced status in the eyes of the law. There is a list of protected species and designated sites known as Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. In short, many species and our important habitats are legally protected by UK and/or European law, and work that impacts on them may be an offence.
In addition to the legal aspect is the Biodiversity Action Planning process.
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