Kingsdown planting trees
Anyone who watched a recent edition of Countryfile would have seen a whole programme devoted to the work of the Woodland Trust in providing young trees free of charge to groups or organisations that are willing to plant them to create much additional woodland for the future. With their target of 750,000 trees to be planted last year, Countryfile exceeded this in conjunction with the Children in Need charity.
At Kingsdown Golf Club, they are facing a different sort of challenge, as the trees on their course have been badly affected by the ash dieback disease affecting ash trees throughout the country.
Club chairman Jamie Kyd said: “Many locals would have experienced road closures as ash trees were felled by local councils to prevent further risk of trees falling on to public roads. The loss of ash trees on our land was dramatic and expensive and we have had no alternative other than to remove affected trees within a strictly limited time frame. We plan to plant semi-mature trees in areas where the ash trees have left large open spaces.”
Steve Kelley, who has been leading the Friends of the Green Staff project, added: “To offset the significant financial burden that the felling and replanting of trees entails, we applied to the Woodland Trust early in the year and were granted 400 saplings, all of which were indigenous native varisouth eties. With the help of a volunteer group of club members, these were planted in the spring in an area which could be left unmown to enable the new trees to establish with minimal risk of damage.
“We applied for a further grant of trees and another batch of 400 saplings were delivered in the last month.
“Again, the same volunteer group arranged two planting sessions, which were completed before the end of November. These 800 new trees will take several years to mature enough to be used to replace lost trees around the course, with those remaining forming a new ‘mini’ forest in an area that was not an integral part of the golf course.”
■ BATH ladies took part in an odds and evens Stableford. The winners, with a fine score of 40 points, were Helen Oliver & Polly Andrews. They were a point clear of Louise Blake & Alison Gardener, with Ann Tonge & Janet Scilly third on 36.
The elected captains for 2023, Chris Parkin and Samantha Robinson, held their joint drive-in last Saturday. The format was a fourball betterball Stableford, open to all.
The scoring was excellent, with the winners Steve Francis & Ben Laite managing a fine 44. They were one ahead of Richard Longhurst & Stuart Ratcliffe, who beat Gary Mcardle & Philip Walker on countback.