Conservation & Ecology Conservation & Ecology


Empowering the members


John O’Gaunt greenkeeper, Steve Thompson, suggests there are some simple ways to get the members involved in conservation and ecology, and all will bring benefits to the club


I


have always been interested in birdwatching from an early age so, after I left school, the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) seemed like a most suitable choice for somewhere to


work. I joined on a YTS scheme for a year (1989-1990), but left to try somewhere different and thought I would try John O’Gaunt Golf Club, just five minutes up the road. I never thought, back then, that It would be such an enjoyable place to work, and be such an amazing place for wildlife. With twenty-five years experience of being


a greenkeeper, I have come to realise just what a special place a golf course can be. It’s not a bit of nature on a golf course, but a bit of golf on a nature reserve. The question is how do you relay this to the members?


112 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016


Golfers are seen every day walking and


carrying their clubs, hitting a small white ball around the course, but they don’t realise what they are missing. Looking after a golf course involves looking after a wide range of habitats which, in turn, means a wide range of wildlife.


But where do you start?


A good idea to start with is to put some bird feeders up, possibly outside the clubhouse or somewhere where golfers can see them easily. Bird feeders and food can be purchased from a wide variety of shops, such as your local garden centre, country store or RSPB shop, plus numerous online retailers. You don’t have to spend a fortune and, once in place, the members can get to see a wide variety of birds without even having to leave the clubhouse.


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