Written by: Rowan Rumball
2021
The greenstaff at Royal Porthcawl has been very proactive in creating and restoring habitats for the European protected species, Great Crested Newt. The club liaised with the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Group in order to improve conditions of the existing ponds located on the course. This involved the vast removal of encroached willows, reeds and the re-profiling of the ponds.
In addition, two other ponds were built by the club in out-of-play areas in order to improve the connectivity of habitats throughout the course. These ponds are managed on an annual basis with the help of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Group and are left to fluctuate naturally throughout the seasons. The ponds are all between 15-40m away from cut lines, meaning that there is very little chance of pollution or eutrophication.