Supplemental Features For Wildlife

As I have mentioned several times in past postings it is critical that golf courses become somewhat of a wildlife refuge for animals that live in and around the property. The typical golf course consists of 150 acres of property of which only about 80 acres are actually used for golf.

This means that for the average golf course there is approximately 70 acres of property that can be used for wildlife to inhabit. Drawing wildlife to your property is an excellent way to demonstrate not only your concern for the environment but also show that the golf industry and golf courses in general are environmentally friendly places for animals and not the environmental wastelands that they are perceived to be.

Aside from allowing for naturalized wildlife habitats you can also create supplemental features that will act as habitats. Placing bird houses or nesting boxes throughout the golf course will attract different species of birds.

The type of bird that will be attracted will depend on the type of bird house you put up. Different species of birds like different styles of nesting boxes with items such as size of box, size and shape of entrance hole, location of box playing key roles in which species of bird will inhabit the box.

In out of play areas you should create brush piles for small mammals to inhabit. Any branches that may fall or trees that comes down in a windstorm create excellent materials to use to create brush piles. These brush piles should be built in out-of-play areas where they will not be disturbed by golfers or maintenance practices.

Some superintendents have gone as far as to create osprey pads. These wildlife structures can be as simple as a pallet (from fertilizer or sod) or some other type of floor structure. The pallet is placed high atop a (usually) dead tree and left up there for ospreys to use. The tricky part is getting the pallet up to the top of the tree and it usually requires the use of a crane although it can be done using a boom truck.

Another way to attract wildlife to your property is by installing bird feeders throughout the property. This can be quite successful as you will almost be guarenteed some visitors once food has been placed out.

During the winter months you can continue to attract wildlife to your property by placing salt licks that deer will be certain to enjoy. Suet is another food favourite among different species of wildlife.

Any trees that die or fall over in out-of-play areas should be left for wildlife. Dead trees create excellent habitat for many different types of wildlife from birds to insects to small mammals. It is important that these trees are not going to cause a safety concern for golfers or maintenance staff.

Trees that fall over in out-of-play areas also create excellent wildlife habitats. As long as they are not going to interfere with play or maintenance of the golf course, trees that are lying on the ground should be left for wildlife to use as habitat and protection.

There are countless ideas that can be used for creating supplemental habitats for wildlife on the golf course. Checking out different golf course websites or the Audubon International website are just a couple of ways to get ideas about how to attract permanent wildlife residents to your facility.