As a SSSI, we work together with Natural England, the statutory service responsible for looking after England’s wide variety of wild plants and animals, its biodiversity and natural features, to ensure the preservation of the Hotchkin’s heathland character.
The management programme is an ongoing project with restoration work scheduled over many years.
From the golfing perspective, this is an extremely positive programme, as by restoring the heathland and gradually minimising the course of unfavourable species, the course is slowly returning to its orignial heathland state.
Through managing non-playing areas, we are creating views and vistas not seen for many years and uncovering bunkers and mounding previously disguised by bracken and gorse.
This ensures that the Hotchkin course is preserved as the original architects intended and continues to support the specialised fauna and flora, some of which depend on this habitat to survive.
Through becoming GEO Certified, we have achieved the most widely regarded and credible sustainability distinction in golf. The international certification was earned after successfully meeting the industry-standard best practices and demonstrating our commitment to make sustainability of central importance to our golf facility. We’re proud of our social and environmental value, and looking forward to doing even more on our sustainability journey.
We find that being a SSSI, a lot of the ecology and the GEO work goes hand in hand, and this latest mark of recognition is also further proof of the club’s progressive attitude towards projects aimed at dealing with modern-day challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity and tighter regulations.
