This summer we have had the pleasure of combining our Nature Links Sussex golf initiative with our Nature Action Hub expert volunteering platform, to great effect.

Highwoods Golf Club near Bexhill is part of TSF’s Nature Links network of Sussex golf clubs working together to make great strides for nature recovery. Highwoods General Manager Andrew Smedley contacted us to see if one of our environmental expert volunteers could offer some advice on the club’s hopes to rehome reptiles from a local development site while furthering their aim of developing a sustainable water management system.

Nature Action Hub expert volunteer John Newton was able to advise the club on the measures needed and issues to consider, providing examples of similar projects to help inform the decisions.

Highwoods Golf Club has received slowworms and common lizards following some modifications to the area carried out by specialists. They have built a couple of hibernacula and several wood piles alongside committing to only cutting part of the grassland each year and keeping some woodland and scrub for cover, to make the area previously unused for golf into a haven for the species. They are also implementing their water management plan, in addition to conserving their existing pond.

Andrew said, “At Highwoods, we are proud to be more than just a golf course – we are caretakers of a beautiful landscape that’s home to all sorts of wildlife. By giving these reptiles a safe, managed habitat, we’re helping to protect local species and keep the natural balance of our course and the surrounding area.

With this help, we are meeting our environmental responsibilities, and funding something that will benefit every member. It is a great example of how golf and nature can work hand in hand – and something we can all feel proud of”.