The famous British Open Royal St George's golf club has been involved in a research informed study undertaken by Dr Graham Earl since 2011.
The intensive study undertaken between 2011 - 2015 at Sandwich Bay, incorporated all three links golf courses located at Sandwich Bay, including Royal Cinque Ports golf club and Princes golf club. These courses were involved in a Eco-hydrological study, focusing upon the chemical composition of the groundwater, historical analysis of vegetation composition and management trials looking at site-specific management regime's which encourage native sward development.
Management trials indicated that burning as a management regime promoted an increase in native swards. A combination of the research informed outcomes and enthusiasm for the study by Head Greenkeeper Paul Larsen, has helped to revert in a positive way the SSSI status at Royal St Georges golf club, in an unprecedented three-year period.
This burning management regime provides a fast quick burn, therefore not affecting the rooting zone, (in particular the rare orchids which resides predominantly at Sandwich Bay), but does remove the thatch layer removing generalist competitive plant/grass species.
Full publication details of the study can be viewed via the following link: create.canterbu...
Video credit to Stephen Chidley
16 окт 2024
