A new project designed to reverse the desperate plight of bumblebees in the UK, by restoring valuable new habitats on golf courses, is being pioneered by Syngenta and STRI.

The initial pilot project of Operation Bumblebee is now running on four selected courses, to provide valuable information on the best management techniques. Operation Bumblebee aims to demonstrate that golf and the environment can co-exist.

Simon Elsworth, Syngenta Turf Manager, believes golf courses could provide essential sanctuaries for bumblebees and other beneficial insect species. “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.”

Golf courses cover 150,000 hectares of UK land area, and creating specialist habitat on less than 0.5% of the area would still make a hugely significant impact on bumblebee numbers, according to Mr Elsworth. “Golf courses provide ideal locations because they are stable, little disturbed and normally support significant tracts of land out of play. With the right management these areas could provide ideal habitat for bumblebees and other invertebrates.”

Four golf clubs have initially agreed to take part in a three year trial programme – Haggs Castle in Scotland; Worsley Golf Club in the North West; Fulford Heath in the Midlands and Bearwood Lakes in the South East.

Enviromental features could help golf course management, as well as bumblebees, reports Simon Elsworth.

“We want to demonstrate that golf courses can continue to be managed to give the very best of playing conditions, alongside habitat areas managed to give the best opportunities for wildlife. With this approach, the overall environmental contribution of a golf course can be a net gain in biodiversity, whilst maintaining the level of inputs required to produce top quality playing surfaces.

He believes that even the most intensively of played golf courses can find space for environmental habitat creation. For some clubs this may incorporate rough management, but in most instances will be out of play areas which are undisturbed by players. The experiences of those clubs involved in the trial and the involvement of STRI will give the reassurance it can be integrated onto other courses.

Management regimes being evaluated in the Operation Bumblebee research include:

·   Cut; scarify; sow wildflowers

·   Cut, scarify; sow wildflowers and treat with Primo MAXX

·   Apply selective grass weed herbicide; cut; scarify; sow with wildflowers

·   Strip turf and reseed with grass and wildflower mix

Results 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 believes 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 Bumblebee trials 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.

Operation Bumblebee hits the shelves

Supermarket retailer Sainsbury’s has already recognised the value of Operation Bumblebee and the attraction of the project for its customers. Over 300 UK farmers and growers supplying its shops with potatoes and fresh vegetables will be establishing new Operation Bumblebee habitat on their farms – with safe havens of pollen and nectar rich habitat where bees can thrive.

Supermarket shelves will soon feature the familiar logo, with plans for customers to have the opportunity to establish their own Operation Bumblebee habitats in their garden at home. Links with projects on the golf course will be further welcomed.