Conservation & Ecology “
Gorse is a wonderful addition to any sand based golf course. The majority of the UK’s smaller birds are attracted to gorse as it offers a safe haven from the larger raptor types
Roe deer using gorse as a hide
and have the correct certificates to hand and that more than two people are on hand to remove any limbs which are deemed dangerous to the saw operator. You could always use a machine dedicated
Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
to gorse removal, such as an Orsi forestry flail mower, which fits onto the front of a large tractor. However, if you are to undertake such an operation, you have to remember that these machines are designed to make short work of woody stemmed plants and, as a consequence, will not cut to an exact height. These will occasionally dig into the top soil, resulting in almost total removal of any aerial parts of the plant it comes into contact with - if total removal is required, then that’s fine, but be aware that weeds and grasses will often grow faster than gorse and, as a result, could out- compete any new shoots which develop.
What do you do with the arisings?
Now onto my favourite part of gorse management - the recycling part! If your golf club or sports ground does not have access to a woodchipper, then the only other option is to burn the limbs on-site, but to do this you need to contact your local fire brigade who will send out an assessor to give guidance on where is suitable, if suitable at all that is. In some areas of the UK, or in particular councils, you may require a license from the authorities to burn or compost gorse.
Chippers can be hired on a daily basis and,
Close-up of flower clearly shows Gorse’s relationship to the pea family
not too dissimilar to a chainsaw, may require training before any usage from the greenkeepers, labourers etc. Modern chippers can munch their way through a gorse limb with ease, but I have to point out that gorse wood is reasonably soft compared to beech or oak.
Once the machine has done its work, you
now have the problem of what to do with all the arisings. In a woodland environment, they can be spread out and left to decompose naturally, but this practice is not always doable in a Links environment, therefore composting is the only logical option. I talked about composting in the previous issue of Pitchcare, therefore I will not waste words on
102 I PC JUNE/JULY 2015
how it is developed and its uses at this time. Any larger limbs can be cut to a manageable size and stacked as eco piles, which are fantastic for our native wood dwelling creatures, such as beetles and centipedes. Depending on the size of the pile, you may be lucky enough to have a pair of ground nesting birds set up residence in the gaps created when the wood begins to decompose.
Any good for the environment?
If managed correctly, gorse is a wonderful addition to any sand (and sometimes clay and soil) based golf course. As already mentioned, the majority of the UK’s smaller birds are attracted to gorse as it offers a safe haven from the larger raptor types, such as sparrowhawks and merlins, whereas the corvids - crows, rooks, magpies and the like - cannot reach the small bird’s chicks, which are guarded by the thorns. This is all very good, but is gorse a good
addition to a golf course or sportsground or not? The short answer is a definite yes, however, you need to take into account that gorse will out-compete almost all other vegetation to a point where the area it is growing in may become a monoculture. Monocultures are rarely advisable in terms of environmental management, as you run the risk of pest and pathogen attack. Polycultures (more than one type of vegetation in a field or wildflower meadow) are much more sought after simply because of the diversity they offer. Gorse plants extract and retain plant
nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium and sodium, which changes nutrient dynamics and can weaken the soil. You also need to take into account that gorse, when coppiced, will release the nitrogen back into the sand/ soil, thus acidifying the area it is growing in. This could potentially attract the ‘undesirable’ grasses us turf managers are doing our best to avoid, so be aware! Another issue you need to be conscious of
is the fact that gorse can possibly loosen an area by the fact no other stabilising vegetation grows underneath its canopy! The underlying sand or soil becomes bare and, as a result, increases erosion on steep slopes.
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