Bare sand habitat for lizards and bees

Royal St David's Golf Club

Wales

Written by: Rhys Butler

It is essential that the open links character of the course is maintained, with minimal impact from natural succession, artificial inclusions or inappropriate management. This is a vital habitat and one that is important for the ecological functioning of the links.

As gorse and scrub is removed, clean sand is exposed and birds use such areas to dust down, sand lizards use them to bask and bees and wasps burrow into them. Bare sand also allows more sensitive plant species to colonise, providing colour and interest. It is important within the links environment and is of benefit to include patches of bare ground where possible, particularly on southern and eastern facing slopes, for sand lizard interest.

Mining wasps and solitary bees will also benefit from this habitat type. This work over the last couple of years, and the other aspects of producing a sustainable site, won us the Golf Environment Awards Golf Course of the Year 2015.

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