Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

These two golf courses, close to Ruislip Woods National Nature Reserve, contain numerous small areas of valuable wildlife habitat. As with many pay-and-play golf courses, the 'roughs' have been largely removed with the aim of speeding up the game. Nevertheless, small woods and areas of species-rich grassland occur at the edges and as 'islands' interspersed among the close-mown fairways. Small areas of acid grassland occur on both courses. The woodlands include silver birch, downy birch, pedunculate and sessile oaks, Scots pine and a range of exotic trees such as Pride-of-India. Bracken is locally common in these areas. Several small streams cross the golf courses. Their banks are home to fool's water-cress, water mint, water chickweed and male fern. These streams enter the National Nature Reserve to the west and it is of particular importance that they remain free of pollution arising from herbicides or other chemical applications. The site supports a varied fauna. Hornets occur at the site, and there is a range of good standing dead wood, which is particularly valuable for invertebrates and birds such as woodpeckers. The area is also important for reptiles.

Facilities

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