ENVIRONMENTAL and wildlife students at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) are working on a conservation project in partnership with Cirencester Golf Club.
The Club site plays host to a small colony of the nationally scarce Duke of Burgundy butterfly which occupy the rough areas of grass between the fairways.
Dr Ian Grange, RAU lecturer, said: “It’s great to see that a small population, of this once common butterfly, is still present at this site. The areas of unimproved limestone grassland are key to the butterfly’s survival here.”
The Duke of Burgundy is a fussy butterfly, needing just the right combination of a well-structured grassland, which includes its key food plant cowslip, along with the occasional hawthorn scrub used by males to perch on whilst defending their territory.
Providing the right balance of these factors can be quite a management challenge. Students have established a field experiment aimed at identifying improved management approaches.
Richard Collishaw, Club Manager, said: “We’re really proud of our wildlife and are keen to enhance it where possible. Developing community partnerships, such as the one with the RAU, will help us better achieve these aims.”
For more information about the environmental and wildlife courses on offer at the RAU visit the foundation degrees webpage.
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