Launched at BTME in January, Operation Pollinator is set to
rescue the fortunes of the humble bumblebee across UK golf courses.
Up to 500 golf courses are being sought to join the new national
scheme over the next three years, with each committed to
establishing at least a half a hectare (5000 sq m) of specific
Operation Pollinator seed mix, rich in pollen and nectar food
sources especially designed to encourage bumblebees and pollinating
insects.
Syngenta Turf & Landscape Manager, Simon Elsworth (below),
believes golf courses could provide essential sanctuaries for
bumblebees and other beneficial insect species. Speaking at the
launch of Operation Pollinator he said: "Bumblebees play a crucial
role as natures' pollinator, but they are in serious decline and
need our help now. Helping to resurrect bumblebee populations will
help to prove that golf courses can be managed in harmony with the
environment and give both the players and managers immense pride in
their club."
Golf courses cover 150,000 hectares of UK land area, and creating
specialist habitat on less than 0.25% of the area would still make
a hugely significant impact on bumblebee numbers, according to Mr
Elsworth. "Golf courses provide ideal locations for habitat
creation. With the right management these areas could provide ideal
habitat for bumblebees and other pollinating insects."
He highlights that involvement in Operation Pollinator will
bring significant benefits to golf courses. In addition to the
immense pride generated in the course, Operation Pollinator
enhances the overall playing experience. The wildflower areas
improve visual appearance and it creates valuable positive
publicity for the club.
"Importantly in today's cost conscious times for golf course
management, the Operation Pollinator programme it has been shown to
produce beneficial results up to 60% faster than conventional
management and can provide important cost savings in rough
improvement programmes."
Click here to go direct to the
Operation Pollinator for golf website.
The summer-flowering Operation Pollinator seed mixes created
especially for different golf course situations can be expected to
attract:
- Up to 40 different bee species during a season
- Up to 12 different bumblebees - over half of all the UK
bumblebee species
Operation Pollinator is the culmination of more than 10 years
research by Syngenta Crop Protection into the environmental
management of habitats for bumblebees, butterflies, spiders,
beetles and other insects. Syngenta has invested over £500,000 in
Operation Pollinator and The Buzz Project - a five-year scientific
evaluation of environmental habitats that highlighted the pollen
& nectar mix as the best practical option to restore bumblebee
and pollinating insect numbers. To develop a proven golf specific
programme this has been backed by a four years of trials by the
STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute) at its Yorkshire research
centre and on commercial golf courses across the UK.
Mr Elsworth added: "The STRI trials and working with leading UK
ecologists has developed the knowledge, experience and expertise in
the practical management techniques to successfully establish and
develop wildflower areas in out of play rough. With this approach,
golf courses can deliver a net gain in biodiversity in out of play
areas, whilst maintaining the level of inputs required to
consistently produce top quality playing surfaces."
He believes that even the most intensively of played golf
courses can find space for environmental habitat creation,
including out of play rough, behind tees and greens, on rough
carries and alongside woodland or water features, for example.
Results from the Operation Pollinator trials should prove extremely
valuable to help other courses establish and manage wildlife rich
habitats, according to Bob Taylor, Head of Ecology and Environment
at STRI. He reports the management practices developed to deliver
pollen and nectar rich habitat for bumblebees will be hugely
beneficial for other flora and fauna on the golf course.
"Improving habitat conditions for bumblebees will represent an
important environmental gain with little or no detriment to the
playing of the game. It is hoped that this work will generate
a wider acceptance and awareness of golf's positive environmental
role within the wider landscape.
"The Operation Pollinator programme will provide information and
practical expertise on how best to create, improve and manage
quality habitats for bumblebees in out of play areas on the golf
course," he added.
Further Operation Pollinator training, development and ongoing
support for UK greenkeepers and club managers will be provided by
the STRI and Syngenta at training events at locations around the
UK.
Support that is available free to help clubs and greenkeepers to
get the most from Operation Pollinator includes:
- Training
- Topical updates and in-season advice
- Telephone help line
- On-line support
- Downloadable presentations
- Press release templates
- Meetings
To get involved with Operation Pollinator greenkeepers and club
managers can sign up for more information and details of local
training initiatives at www.operationpollinator.com/golf
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