Anyone who doubts the importance of golf courses in the fight to preserve our natural heritage should consider the plight of one plant.
This article was first published in the spring of 2009 and highlights the work of Weed Free in the control of grasses in Heather on Heathland Golf Courses.
Heather, home of some of our most vulnerable and endangered species, the Smooth Snake, Slow Worm, Sand Lizard, Wood Lark and Night Jar, in the south, and both the Red and Black Grouse in the north, was, 100 years ago, so prolific on these islands, that we hosted two thirds of the total European resource. Nowadays, according to Bob Taylor, Senior Ecologist to the Sports Turf Research Institute, the plant’s presence has become severely fragmented, especially in the south.
“Although we have considerably more heather in the North of England and upland areas throughout the U.K. generally, in the south the species is confined to a few fragmented patches in Dorset, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire. Obviously, our southern heathlands have been under threat during the last century by a variety of factors including, industry, agriculture, housing and quarrying, which have not effected the northern uplands to the same extent.”
According to Mr. Taylor, this north/south difference is reflected in the urgency with which conservation is viewed. “In the South of England, proper heathland management is seen as important, whereas in the Northern Uplands, where the biggest threat is from sheep overgrazing, the heather is managed as it has always been, but conservation is not perceived as vital.”
Following a recent survey, the STRI estimates that of our 2,800 U.K and Irish golf clubs, 440 are heathland courses, and approx. 140 of these are situated in the vulnerable south. With an average heather coverage of six point two hectares per course, these southern golf clubs would appear to be responsible for an approximate 868 hectares of heather between them. Although a small percentage of our total national resource, the STRI are keen to point out that considering the rate of the plant’s decline, the fact that a golf course is a stable land use, will render the heather on these areas increasingly more important as time goes by.
Interestingly, 80 per cent of the golf clubs included in the survey wanted to extend and increase their heather coverage, although only 55 per cent believed that the plant was declining. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that 63 per cent believed heather to be important to the playing character of the course and 75 per cent believed heather enhanced member’s enjoyment of the game.
Bob Taylor, who has written two important books relating to heather conservation on golf courses, “Studies In Golf Course Management, Number Seven, Heath land.” and “A Practical Guide To Ecological Management On The Golf Course”, lists the following reasons for heather decline in order of importance: -
1) Trampling, which leads directly to grass encroachment.
2) No management, which leads to tree and other scrub, plus bracken encroachment.
3) The influence of past management. (In the 60s and 70s Parkland golf courses were in vogue, and many Heathland courses were limed, in a bid to get rid of the heather all together!).
Blackmoor Golf Course, the 18 hole Harry Colt designed “Open” qualifier, situated on the edge of Bordon, Nr Farnham on the Surrey and Hampshire borders. Heathland, (or sandy heathland soil) in Hampshire, is committed to the rejuvenation of its original 3-4 hectares of heather that’s in play, as part of a 12 year project to restore the course to its original design. Harry Davies, Course Manager for the last 4 years cites the following areas of maintenance, which he feels necessary to achieve this goal: -
1) The removal of weeds and grass
2) The removal of saplings
3) Bracken control
4) Golf traffic management
5) Tree clearance
6) The collection of leaves
7) The removal of turf to allow dormant seed to germinate in conjunction with overseeding
“Last year the club committed its self financially, freeing the resources to begin this major project,” he says. “As a starting point we felt that tackling the grass/weed control would be most beneficial, and due to the undulating terrain, the nature of the work, and the specialist equipment needed, we decided to contract the work out. Weed Free, the Berkshire based specialist sprayers were known to be experienced in this field, and we felt we could confidently put this part of the programme into their hands.”
Mark Mason (Contracts Manager for Weed Free) spent 3 days in January and 3 days in June conducting semi trials on both the heather and bracken at Blackmoor. Products used were Asulox herbicide for the bracken control used at 1/100 dose rate applied with knapsacks and ATVs treating all tree felled areas that had become infested by bracken, also all areas that are wooded, the bracken was pushed back into the tree lines where there is less light, other areas included all heather areas that had bracken present. This process is also time specific as the Bracken plant needs to be growing actively but not to tall as treatment becomes difficult and a health and safety issue arises. As some areas treated were 4 to 6 feet tall, telescopic lances were used for these areas. Conclusion, a clearer cleaner seeding area is now available for dormant and regenerating sprigs also the whole site is now more aesthetically pleasing and easier to control future applications.
Weed Free returned in January this year and applied one application of Kerb Flowable at the full product label recommended dose rate spraying the heather from ATVs with specially adapted small booms, to compensate for the terrain. Mark says that the turf tyres, which were fitted for this particular job proved ideal.
“Although wider than standard they give light ground pressure, and the plant just springs back upright with no damage done. The vehicles themselves cope well on undulating surfaces, and in this case they were important for our own safety. Heather is notorious for covering hollows.”
Mark found that in many places the company were treating relatively small patches of heather, which were surrounded by grass.
“In this situation, when applying a powerful herbicide, it is important for the operator to choose all routes to ensure that neither he, she or the ATV comes into direct contact with the desirable grass. Once the operation is complete, it is essential that all golfers keep away from the area, a request which was honoured at Blackmoor.”
Having treated bracken during the semi trials of 2001, the company found that the plant had taken advantage of the extra light afforded by a substantial tree (mainly pine and silver birch and gorse clearance undertaken by the club as part of the heathland conservation programme. Weed Frees’ brief was to control this influx, pushing the bracken into the woodland. The company applied Asulox at the label recommended dose rate of 1in 100 using ATVs fitted with small booms. The bracken area treated was circa 3ha.
Returning in May, Mark Mason was gratified to find that the company’s February heather application had done its job. “All the weeds, mainly Cats ear, Sheep sorrell, Thistles, and Rose bay willow herb had gone, leaving voids for new growth,” he remembers. “Grass removal was almost as good, with the exception of the purple moor grass which was still present, but less dense.” By August, the heather was responding to treatment, producing new growth, formerly blocked by weeds and grasses.
“Inspection revealed a denser plant, which confirmed our theories and answered any questions I might have had about the effectiveness of the process. Everything was as it should be,” says Mason, “but much better.”
Meanwhile, Harry Davies had been continuing to implement other aspects of his heathland rejuvenating programme –sapling pulling by members and greenstaff selective tree felling scrub clearance scarifying, reseeding, and turf striping back to the original seed beds allowing for regeneration and in conjunction with Golf traffic management are just crucial for success ,a special thanks goes to Mr Clive Osgood, Course Manager at Walton Heath Golf Course for his valuable technical input passed on to Harry and Blackmoor Golf Club
Bob Taylor warns of the pressures on golf courses of golfers trampling over the plant, which is a slow grower and takes years to establish. “Footpaths across heather, even in upland areas soon revert to grass,” he says. “Purple moor grass is the main culprit, but on golf courses bents and fescues can put up strong competition. Not only can they tolerate trampling, which the heather can’t, but they also produce thatch. Once the heather disappears, this leaves the ground open to tree regeneration and the whole area reverts to woodland. Even Ilkley Moor (of “Ilkley Moor Bar Tat” fame) has experienced this threat to some degree, with an influx of Silver Birch, Pine and Oak. It must be remembered that heather has a life cycle of 20 to 30 years, and new growth must be given space to develop.”
Following progress at Blackmoor, last reviewed in October by Harry Davies, Mark Mason and Michael Cave, Chairman of greens, the club would appear to be heeding these warnings, and winning the battle to preserve their heathland against considerable odds.
Michael Cave reports compliments on the heather from the club’s membership, stating that in his opinion the heather has been better this year than in the last 20, Harry Davies, aware that this is the beginning of a long process, professes to be delighted with the immediate improvements, and Weed Free have had their efforts rewarded, with a booking for more treatment this winter.
But perhaps the strongest confirmation that this particular fragment of vulnerable southern heathland has a firm future comes from the measured reassurance of the Sports Turf Research Institute. Neil Squires, Regional Agronomist for the South East who visited Blackmoor on behalf of the R & A. to ensure the standard of the course reached “open qualifier” requirements, (it did,) reports that the club are “approaching the management to heather in a professional manner.”
Could it be, that in the south at least, the safest place for our endangered heather is in the rough?
The text above is an extract from a PR article Weed Free released in 2002 relating to heather management on golf courses. Copies of the article which appeared in The BIGGA Magazine were circulated to all Heathland Golf Courses.
Since this article was published, Weed Free have continued to apply cold soil acting weed killers to control the grasses in the heatland areas. Each year, Weed Free have sprayed a greater area of heathland on golf courses in and around the Surrey area and surrouning counties ranging from just one day on a single course to over 5 days on others. The results from our work at Blackmoor like the other clubs in our Heathland Golf Course database list have continued to benefit the course and the heather is now thriving in once grass infested areas where the heather was sparse. The legacy of work we have completed at Blackmoor Golf Club is now under the watchfull eye of the new Course Manager - James Norris.
We are going for the long term view towards heather preservation on golf courses that are well over 100 years old. We are currently working our way through the many heathland grass spraying contracts in January 2013.
If you would like to receive information on the work that we are able to offer, please email The Weed Free Team
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