CLUB NEWS

Biodiversity at Tenterden Golf Club – May 2024

We are starting to make real progress in our endeavors to improve the biodiversity on our golf course.

Last year we planted a lot of aquatic and marginal plants and they are doing well in our ponds. They had to endure drying up of the ponds in the late summer but they have certainly been well watered in since. They seems to be doing well and will be monitored and more planted if necessary.

Some of the bird boxes we installed last year have been occupied and more will be installed shortly to encourage robins in particular, and two barn owl boxes will be erected. We are very grateful to Tenterden Wildlife for accessing funding for this from Sussex Lund Fund. Two bug hotels have also been put up.

Bat surveys have been carried out and amazingly 5 species have been found including Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle, Grey Long-eared Bat, and Dauberons and Noctule Bats. A future survey will use more sophisticated detectors as more species are suspected to be present.

Reptile mats will be put out again to detect these animals.

The most recent venture has been to set aside an area, alongside the 6^th fairway , for wildflowers. Michael Wigston and the greenkeeper team have been very busy preparing and scarifying this area. A very enthusiastic volunteer team from Tenterden Wildlife came recently to seed the area  and plant wildflower plugs. A video of their efforts can be seen below. Without their help and expertise, this project would not have been possible.

A minimum of 10 species were in the mix including general purpose, cornfield mix and wildflowers for bees. Now it’s up to nature and we hope to see some results this season but it make take a year or two for the meadow to be fully established. We hope that the flower species we have introduced will increase the number and range of pollinating insects which are so threatened.

Last year our activities contributed to the submission by Tenterden for the Wilder Towns Kent Award. Tenterden was awarded a silver medal. We shall shortly be participating in the 2024 award and and are aiming to help Tenterden go for gold this time.