Burnham and Berrow Golf Club has explained why fires and vegetation clearance have been seen on the southwest of the course over recent days, saying the work is part of a dunes management project approved by Natural England.
The club’s removal of sea-buckthorn, bramble and scrub vegetation started on 14th September and is intended to restore dunes habitat by clearing invasive and scrub vegetation from an existing artificial raised landfill area and adjacent foredune margins.
A spokesman says the work will restore areas of bare sand and dune slack habitat, while also creating a small golf practice facility on a previously modified section of the site.
“The project area extends from the existing man-made landfill feature to the foredune system and around the golf course-facing side of the foredune.”
”The majority of the site will be restored to open dune habitat, with a proportion of the area developed as a golf chipping area and driving range tee.”
“The project will deliver a substantial net gain in open dune habitat by restoring approximately 8,720 m² of currently unfavourable scrub-dominated land to favourable dune condition.”
”The removal of invasive sea buckthorn and scrub vegetation will improve habitat quality, increase the extent of bare sand, support natural dune processes and enhance the ecological value of the site.”
The club notes that sea-buckthorn is native to sand dunes along the east coast of England but has spread and become invasive on other UK dune systems after being planted to help stabilise them.
“Dense thickets can out-compete and shade out smaller species that would typically grow in areas of mobile dunes.”
