With last week’s summer solstice (21st June) as our longest day, we are now officially celebrating the start of our English summer. For many groundsmen and greenkeepers, this means one of the busiest times of the year.

Long daylight hours, coupled with warm air and soil temperatures often reaching well into double figures, means that grass growth will be vigorous and needs cutting regularly - often daily at some sporting venues. This workload is also compounded by the fact that we tend to have many summer sporting events. This year is exceptionally busy for the county cricket groundsmen, with the ECB currently hosting the Cricket World Cup, soon followed by the Ashes Tour and then a round of domestic county championship matches. We also have a plethora of tennis events up and down the country, proceeding this year’s Wimbledon Championships that get underway in July (1-14th). No doubt Neil Stubley and his team of groundstaff will be very busy during the championship fortnight, ensuring that the courts play as consistently as they have done for many years.

We also mustn’t forget the hundreds of greenkeepers who are busy preparing their courses for the onslaught of many golf tournaments, including this year’s British Open that is being held at Royal Portrush. Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, 19-22 July 2019.

As for football, many club groundsmen have been busy completing their end of season renovations and working hard to prepare their pitches for the start of the new football season - which generally starts in earnest with pre-season matches at the back end of July.

However, one of the biggest talking points recently has been the weather. A few weeks ago I wrote about the optimisation of water resources, based on the fact that at the time we were facing another long spell of dry weather.

Not surprisingly our Great British weather soon decided to change this with a deluge of rain, meaning many parts of the country received unprecedented levels of rainfall in June - with over 75mm of rain recorded in many parts of the country.

Spare a thought for Tim Packwood at Worcester CCC, whose ground was flooded out, with flood water egressing onto his square.

It’s something he is quite used to in February and March time, but rarely has he ever had this problem in the midst of his playing season. I am sure he is now hoping for a spell of hot and dry weather to help dry his wickets out.

That band of wet weather has in fact been a god send for many farmers and turf professionals. A lot of natural grass areas were still trying to recover from last year’s drought conditions. Coupled with the fact that we had had such a dry winter, many water sources, lakes, rivers, pools and soils were deficient of water. In fact, we probably still need a lot more rain to top up our water deficiencies.

It has also been a very busy month for hundreds of Green Flag judges who volunteer their services every year to help complete the Annual Green Flag Awards. I myself have judged six sites and it has been very rewarding to see the commitment and dedication of many people who ensure our parks and public open spaces are fit for purpose, enabling many thousands of people to access these wonderful facilities.

Green Flag has been running for well over twenty years. The Green Flag Award scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

I do find it rewarding to be able to give something back to the industry and where possible promote these priceless assets. This year I was honoured to judge Coventry University and Castle Ring two very distinct different sites. One being a University campus in the centre of Coventry that provided some excellent public realm open spaces filled with attractive green space and horticulture excellence. They even had an Edible garden right in the centre of the city next to the famous Coventry Cathedral. A well laid out garden full of edible vegetables and fruits that were being grown for the consumption of the students and general public, who can help themselves when harvested.

Equally the other site, Castle Ring, a large multivallate Iron Age Hill Fort around 2,500 years old, is one of seven large Multivallate Hill Forts in Staffordshire and is also the most complete, situated at the south eastern edge of Cannock Chase, in the West Midlands.

I have written an article about Castle Ring that can be read in today’s edition of the TurfPro Weekly Briefing. Both sites were very well maintained and a credit to those who are responsible for their upkeep and management.

As for machinery, we have an excellent dealership network here in the UK, who are always on hand to serve our industry and provide turf professionals the opportunity to try out new machines and equipment.

It goes without saying, we are now spoilt for choice in terms of the supply of mowers, renovation and maintenance equipment. Since I joined TurfPro as editor I have had the chance to meet many dealership owners.

Their remit is to source and sell the best quality machinery to their customers and more importantly offer a very good aftersales service – which is something that I see as important when buying expensive machinery and equipment. Having a good backup, parts and service in my opinion is essential for the longevity of the product. And more importantly it does not let you down and delivers the performance you require. Most dealers are very happy to demonstrate their products and ensure you get the right information and guidance when choosing and buying new equipment.

Our industry is constantly changing with plenty of challenges for us to face in an ever demanding landscape. So make the most of this summer weather and as the old saying goes, make hay while the sun shines.

The IOG say they are planning for the launch of what they describe as a "bold new communications programme", designed to educate the public and media about the important role groundstaff play in improving user experiences and making sport possible across the country.

Responding to the findings of recent independent research commissioned by themselves into the views of the sector, the IOG say the three-year programme will also give natural turf a much needed boost by highlighting what is possible with the right expertise and tools in place.

The Institute hope the campaign will inspire a new generation of trained professional and volunteer groundspeople, demonstrate the difference groundstaff make raising the profile and status of the sector, and raise funds to invest into the maintenance and provision of natural turf grounds.

Working with behaviour-change and communication experts, Stand Agency, the IOG is currently developing the first phase of the campaign which will see a range of groundstaff featured in the national and regional media to educate new audiences about the role. At the same time, a consultation will be held to inform the second phase of work which will address out of date perceptions of groundstaff and the IOG itself.

Commenting on the campaign, Geoff Webb, IOG CEO, said, "The IOG’s upcoming campaign will give natural turf sports provision the reboot it needs and address out of date perceptions about our sector. It is time to build on what members have told us and ensure those outside our industry understand what we do and why it is so vital. Not only will this drive investment in natural turf provision and encourage more people to play sport, but it will also attract new talent to join the sector.”

Laura Oliphant, founder and managing director at Stand Agency said, “Encouraging active communities is one of the most important ways to address our health and obesity crisis, but we are not investing in our local grounds to make this possible. By using the skills and experience of IOG members, we want to challenge perceptions around the cost and maintenance of turf, whilst encouraging new talent to consider this rewarding career.”

As Rigby Taylor this year celebrates its centenary anniversary executive chairman Chris Clark says that all customers – at facilities of every size and of every kind - will continue to benefit from the company’s ethos of continual improvement.

Chris Clark

“We will not be resting on our laurels as the company enters the next 100 years,” he says. “We will always seek to offer effective turf solutions based on value-for-money products that are supported by a team of turf professionals who offer unrivalled turf care technical knowledge and expertise – all underpinned by superb levels of delivery and customer service.”

He continues: “Irrelevant of the volume and frequency of the orders placed, every customer will always be treated similarly. Every customer is important, whether it’s a volunteer cricket groundsman who orders a few bags of grass seed each year or an elite stadium where, for example, we work together on integrated turf maintenance programmes with all the products and expertise that will entail.

“Going forwards, the end result has always to be the same – first-class products offered at the most cost-effective rates, delivered on time and backed up by a highly-experienced, professional team.”

Grass Seed breeding trials at Les Alleuds research faclity

In the eight years since Chris picked up the company reins and instigated a number of strategic, across-the-board improvements – “not least by addressing the historical view that Rigby Taylor is a company that deals only with the ‘top-end’ of the market” – he reflects that the ‘hearts and minds’ process of the company ‘re-inventing’ itself included a complete appraisal of the product range.

“The industry [customers] have diverse needs; the demands of a village bowls club are different to those of, say, a Premier League ground. They will all have differing agronomic requirements and, of course, different budgets. What we had to do was to ensure we could provide highly effective solutions for all possible situations that would continually exceed our customers’ expectations - a one-stop shop for turf solutions, if you like.

“Indeed, while our product development – and brand/product additions via acquisitions or commercial partnerships – is an ongoing process, sustainability is increasingly to the fore. With certain products/chemicals being withdrawn, it is vital that sports turf is fitter and stronger to fend off the problems. Prevention is always better than cure, and this is where our product development and applications expertise come in. The demand for these attributes will only increase and we are ensuring that we are best placed to meet that now and in the future.”

Rigby Taylor's Derek Cunliffe (left) with Andy Gray of Southampton FC

Importantly, too, he says, customer expectations are increasingly growing: “Gone are the days of across-the-board advance ordering; many users now request products on a weekly basis, partly to enable them to respond to the weather (with an application of wetting agent or fertiliser, perhaps) and to enable them to better manage their budgets. So, we must always be in a position to satisfy users’ needs.”

Chris concluded, “Throughout our 100-year history Rigby Taylor has never stood still and especially during recent times has moved forward in strides. My ongoing quest is to guarantee that we’ll continue to do just that!”

Iseki UK & Ireland last week staged a launch of an out-front mower featuring a new Stage V compliant 22.5hp diesel engine.

Speaking to the trade press at a special event on Tuesday June 18th, the company said they believe that with new features and market positioning, they see this new launch as a potential game changer for the brand to explore further avenues.

Iseki UK & Ireland md David Withers with the new SF224

Managing director, David Withers explained, "With the engine regulations coming into place shortly we wanted to offer the customer a competitively priced out-front mower with the same Iseki quality and reliability alongside a new Stage V compliant 22.5hp diesel engine.

“The new SF224 mower offers the most economical way to cut grass commercially with high productivity plus the added benefit of the new 22.5hp engine enabling customers to save on fuel costs and initial purchasing costs of their machinery."

David continued, “Offering a range of decks to suit the various customer sites and cutting cycles, customers can choose from the Wessex, Iseki and Muthing flail decks, or the new Iseki out-front rotary deck. These options allow the machine to be highly versatile in this competitive market.

The new Iseki 60” out-front rotary deck features three blades. The cutting height can be adjusted from 25mm to 125mm in 12.5mm increments as required. A mulching kit is also available to order.

The company were also keen to stress the storage capabilities which the new machine offers users. Product manager, Richard Tyrrell said, "When developing the product we studied how people use their mowers, quickly realising storage was a key issue when out cutting for long periods of time.

"People were either bringing trailers with them, another vehicle, additional members of staff or tying containers onto the machines in order to carry strimmers, bin bags and other tools. With the SF224 operators can be more effective and productive with their time, taking all the equipment with them in the large storage bed on the back of the mower."

The mowers are equipped with two-pedal hydrostatic transmission and automatic or selectable 4WD. There is also a lockable differential for use when conditions demand. To ensure efficient engine cooling the radiator is fitted with an automatic reversing fan, so preventing the blockage of the grill.

Gary Barnfield, head greenkeeper at Oswestry Golf Club in Shropshire, has praised his Sisis Flexibrush as an effective solution for controlling worm casts.

Gary Barnfield, head greenkeeper

Oswestry Golf Club is a mature parkland 18 hole course set in the glorious Shropshire countryside and Gary has been working at the club for 31 years after joining as an apprentice. Over the years he has worked his way up through the ranks and six years ago he was promoted to the position of head greenkeeper.

Since taking over as head greenkeeper Gary has implemented a number of changes to the maintenance regimes. However, over recent years Gary claims that he has faced arguably his biggest challenge after a number of chemicals were removed from the turfcare market.

“With the ban of certain chemicals we have not been able to use what was once in our armoury,” he said. “This proved to be problematic, as it no doubt did for every other greenkeeper, but the biggest loss was Carbendazim. Unfortunately the worms came out and more and more casts were appearing so we had to come up with a solution.

“An STRI advisor came to visit us and recommended that we apply some sand to top dress to the areas and also to brush the worm casts and level them off before we cut. We needed to find ourselves a reliable machine that would give the worm casts a rigorous brush and we trialled four brushes from four different brands. The Sisis Flexibrush was the stand out machine.

“It’s not only great for brushing the worm casts but it also stands the grass up before we cut - which improves the quality of the cut and gives us better presentation,” said Gary. “In fact, the Flexibrush has got multiple uses because we use it for knocking dew off in the mornings and also in the winter months when the turf is not growing so much we will brush instead of cutting to keep the presentation to a high standard.

“Ultimately, we had to do something about the worm casts and the Flexibrush has done a brilliant job. I think it is a great alternative to spraying the worms and I think more greenkeepers will go down this route."

A Verti-Quake and Rink Topdresser have become the latest additions to the machinery fleet of Oldham Council.

The redevelopment of a number of sports pitches has seen the purchase of machinery necessary to meet the maintenance specifications. For district supervisor David Barlow, the latest investment compliments his existing stable of Redexim Charterhouse equipment.

Charterhouse’s Richard Lucas (centre) with Jason Waterfield (left) and John Henderson (right), two of Oldham Council’s machine operators

“We’re very fortunate as a council to be investing not only in our facilities, but in the machinery needed to keep them at their best,” explains David, who together with another supervisor, head up a maintenance team of 40.

“Over the last 10 years, 13 pitches mainly used for football, have been redeveloped and converted from soil to sand-based surfaces. This has changed the maintenance programme required to keep the pitches performing to a certain specification, and the machinery we had was struggling to do the job.

“When funds became available, top of my list was equipment to assist with the tasks of slitting and topdressing the pitches, which we should be conducting at least once a year. I spoke with Richard Lucas of Charterhouse and Steve Massey at our local dealer Sharrocks and following impressive demonstrations, and ruling out other machines, we purchased a Rink DS3800 topdresser and Verti-Quake 3825 earlier this year.”

“The Rink gives us a fantastic, even spread across the pitches, making the job much quicker and easier than it was with our previous spreader. It is also fitted with an agitator which prevents material sticking, ensuring a good flow of sand. This machine is already coming into its own as we undertake our football pitch renovations, helping us to fulfil the requirement of applying 50 tonnes of rootzone to each pitch, each year. The Verti-Quake meanwhile will become a key tool to help improve aeration not only of our new sand-based pitches, but across a range of surfaces under our remit.”

Ian Lucas, Head of Grounds at AFC Bournemouth, says he is pleased with the choice of grass seed across both the Vitality Stadium and two pitches at King’s Park training ground which he inherited when he joined the club 18 months ago.

Johnsons J Premier Pitch mixture was the seed of choice across the two first-team facilities when he joined, and having delivered reliable coverage, colour and wear tolerance, it looks to be a decision that’s set to stay.

Supported by a grounds team of seven, Ian is now into his third season of using J Premier Pitch. “I had obviously heard of the mixture but had not used it previously so when I inherited the seeding programme of my predecessor, it was my first real experience of the Johnsons Sports Seed mixture and it hasn’t disappointed.”

Ian oversows with J Premier Pitch at a rate of 45g/m2 during renovations in April and at a lower rate of 15g/m2 in October, depending on the weather conditions and how the pitch is wearing.

Through the season, they adopt a ‘pre-germinated seed’ strategy for ongoing recovery and repair of high wear areas. “It’s a well-known-tactic but not one that seems to be frequently employed in the industry,” he explains. “We fill a bucket ¾ full of Premier Pitch, then top it up with water and place it in a heated container for three to four days until it pops, before applying it to areas such as goal mouths and corner spots. This method shaves up to two weeks off germination, giving us a real advantage especially during the colder months.

“We’ve achieved good wear tolerance, disease resistance and the germination we need throughout the year. The colour is one of the main things for us, and the J Premier Pitch is unbeatable for this, backed up by the respective cultivar ratings in the STRI listings.”

Ian will discuss requirements with his local DLF technical support advisor Ian Barnett, who keeps him up to date on new developments and provides guidance on seed selection. “He’ll always pop in at key times, such as renovations, and advise us on current supply to ensure we get delivery in time - vital to keeping us on track.”

New Holland has announced the appointment of David Evans Agricultural Ltd to cover the vacant territory around Bridgend in south Wales.

David Evans is welcomed to New Holland by George Mills, New Holland area sales manager

Located in the heart of The Vale of Glamorgan in Llancarfan near Cardiff, the company covers the M4 corridor from Chepstow to The Gower. Founded by David Evans in 1993, the company has been established for over 25 years and has built its reputation on service and quality brands which offer a good resale and part-ex value.

The dealership will supply the full range of New Holland products including tractors, harvest machinery, telescopic handlers and construction equipment and say they will bring to customers in the area a great level of agricultural equipment knowledge and customer assistance.

David Evans, managing director at DEAL commented, “We have built our business with one mission in mind, to supply quality, reliable and efficient new and used machinery whilst backing this up with an excellent service. We are excited with this latest move to grow our business in the area.”

Pat Smith, New Holland business director UK & ROI, added, “We are delighted to have David and his team at DEAL joining our strong dealer network in Wales. The Cardiff-Bridgend area has been without a dealer for some months, so we are pleased to be able to advise our customers in the area that we are back. We look forward to working with David Evans Agricultural to grow their business with our full range of equipment. Together with our strong line up and their excellent reputation, we anticipate a prosperous partnership.”

Following on from its public showing at IOG Saltex 2018, the new Profihopper PH1500 SmartLine is now out in the field.

The Profihopper concept incorporates a clean-cutting, out-front, horizontal SmartCut flail which mows, shreds the grass stalks into manageable pieces, before depositing them into a mechanical auger transfer sys-tem. This cut material is then compacted and force fed into the high-tip collection hopper. This well-proven de-sign gives 50% more loading capacity than a conventional mower/collector meaning more mowing time and less time running around emptying.

With the Profihopper concept having been around now for over 20 years, all that end users wanted was that same principle but with a wider cutting width, higher cutting speeds and faster travelling time between jobs - thus making the machine more efficient but still keeping that flexibility of 5 machines in 1: mowing, mulching, scarifying, collecting, rolling: So bring on the new PH1500 SmartLine.

Under the bonnet is a 2.2 litre, 4-cylinder 45.6 hp Yanmar diesel engine which conforms to Stage V exhaust emissions legislation without the need for any Diesel Exhaust Fluid - increasing convenience and decreasing running costs. The system works by power on demand; increasing engine revs only where necessary thus re-ducing fuel consumption and keeping noise levels down. The new hydrostatic 4-wheel drive system is con-trolled by a fly-by-wire pedal propelling the vehicle forwards and giving maximum manoeuvrability with its 0-turning circle. The armrest mounted joystick gives finger-tip control of all the machine functions, such as deck lift and hopper emptying, etc.

The 44 pairs of free-hanging H77 cutting blades, arranged in a V-shape on the rotor for a constant material flow, will handle long or short grass, wet or dry as well as leaves, light scrub and litter. The unique blade mount-ing system gives tool-less change and the standard mowing blades can be interchanged with the H88 fine turf cut option or the H60 blades with the scarifying knives in between. The flexible blade configuration means that the machine can be used year-round from spring bulb clearance, wild flower meadow maintenance, litter col-lection, horse droppings – in fact, you name it, a Profihopper will take it away.

To see this impressive piece of kit in action and consider how the Profihopper PH1500 can influence your business then give us a call on 01302 751200.

TAKING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
What does it all mean in managing turf surfaces?

UNDER PRESSURE
Dry weather conditions continue to keep turf managers focused on moisture management

EDDIE SEAWARD
Death of Wimbledon’s influential grounds manager

MAJOR NEW IRRIGATION PROJECT
At Top 100 classic Berkhamsted Golf Club

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE HATTERS
Investment paying off at Kenilworth Road

ELIZABETHAN RESTORATION
At Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

WHAT IS BIOPHILIA?
The vital impact of parks and green spaces on health and well-being

WORM CONTROL
Without carbendazim

THE TRUE COST OF PETROL
Battery-powered outdoor power tools are now turning the heads of professionals

SANDS OF TIME
Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports

WHY DO WE DO THE RIGHT THING?
We must maintain industry standards

CHASING GRASS PERFECTION?
11 things you need to know . . .

MAINTAINING STANDARDS
Q&A with BASIS ceo, Stephen Jacobs

STRI RESEARCH DAY 2018
Hosted at research trial grounds in Bingley

THE MECHANIC
Leicester City FC invest in new role

LORD'S 'GRASS-GUVNOR' TO RETIRE
Mick Hunt bows out after 49 years

HOLLOW CORING & DEEP SCARIFICATION
Is it really necessary?

BERNHARD LAUNCH TRAINING ACADEMY
Educating the next generation

THE NEXT GENERATION
We must inspire and recruit a new generation of turf professionals

OPTIMISATION OF WATER RESOURCES
Better understand the soil / water relationship

HARD WORK & DEDICATION
Ever changing playing surfaces

OBESITY MEASURES
Turf professionals have a vital role

TIMELY ADVICE
Rugby renovations

PLANNING AHEAD
Renovating grass surfaces

FROM WINTER TO SUMMER SPORTS
April is a busy period

THE VALUE OF TREES
Trees bring real benefits to our cities, health and well being

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Choice of fertiliser products will be influenced by many factors

A WONDERFUL INDUSTRY
But we need to be encouraging the next generation

THE VALUE OF PARKS
Facilities must not be taken for granted

A VERY BUSY MARCH
Plenty of work for turf professionals to be getting on with

SHARING KNOWLEDGE
At the Dennis & Sisis groundcare seminar

INSECT DECLINE
A cause for concern

HELP IS AT HAND
Seek advice from industry bodies

SPRING RENOVATIONS
February is a good time to start planning

BTME 2019 REPORT
Great start to the year

BTME WEEK IS HERE!
Harrogate time again

THE VALUE OF PLANNING
Benefits for pitch sustainability

HAPPY NEW YEAR
Opportunities & challenges in 2019

View all of 2018's blogs here

In recent weeks I and 500 plus other Green Flag judges, have been busy judging over 2000 parks, open spaces and heritage sites in the UK and abroad. I personally find it very rewarding and satisfying to know, we the judges are an integral cog in the Green Flag Awards programme.

This remarkable awards scheme has now been running for twenty-two years and in that time has helped preserve, protect and enhance many hundreds of parks and public open spaces.

In 1997, when the first Green Flags were awarded, the green space sector in the United Kingdom was in a parlous state. Decades of underfunding had left many once proud and beautiful historic city centre parks derelict, dangerous no-go areas and many other green spaces were neglected or barely maintained. Experts with a shared interest in promoting natural spaces from a range of backgrounds came together in response to this decline.

Their intention was to establish agreed standards of good management, to help justify and evaluate funding and to bring people back into the parks. And it worked. As the standard became established, other green spaces began to apply for the Award, and now Green Flags fly over parks, cemeteries and crematoria, recreation grounds, canals, reservoirs, educational campuses, hospital grounds, housing estates, nature reserves and allotments. There is no limit on the size of the site; they currently range from less than one hectare to thousands of hectares.

This year I was tasked with a fellow judge to go and judge Castle Ring, a large multivallate Iron Age Hill Fort around 2,500 years old. It is one of seven large Multivallate Hill Forts in Staffordshire and is also the most complete, situated at the south eastern edge of Cannock Chase, in the West Midlands.

Castle Ring occupies the summit of a small hill which forms the highest point on Cannock Chase. The hillfort is an irregular pentagon in plan and its multiple defences enclose an area of c.3.6ha. For most of their circuit these defences included a sequence of banks and ditches.

Castle Ring is a popular walk, for locals who enjoy the amazing views they have over Cannock Chase and surrounding areas. These paths, one running across the hillfort interior and the other skirting the northern defences, are believed to be contemporary with this walk and were laid out as carriage rides from the lodge of Beaudesert Hall, the 16th century home of the Paget family, which is situated approximately 1km to the north east of Castle Ring.

The management of the site is the responsibility of Cannock Chase Council and managed by the Councils Parks and Open Spaces department under the supervision of Tom Walsh, parks and open spaces manager and Steven Barnes landscape ecologist from their Countryside Services.

Cannock Urban District Council, now Cannock Council, purchased Castle Ring for the sum of £200 following a public sale at the Swan Hotel, Lichfield on 13 October 1932 of “Extensive Residential and Sporting Beau Desert Estate Land” comprising 2,010 Acres belonging to the 6th Marquis of Anglesey. The actual land purchased covered 18 Acres, 3 Rods and 16 Perches. This was the beginning of the Council’s ownership, management and improvement of Castle Ring.

The partnerships involved in Castle Ring are the Beaudesert Trust and Parks & Countryside Services. Issues have been debated between these key partners resulting in the development and production of a comprehensive management plan that will guide the development, management and maintenance of the site over the next ten years.

There are a number of policies and legal constraints to managing Castle Ring such as its designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, its legal status as common land, its management under the Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Environmental Stewardship (ES) scheme and its designation as a Site of Biological Importance.

Castle Ring is a Green Flag Award site having been successful in being awarded a Green Flag since 2009/10. Officers in both Countryside Services and the Parks and Open Spaces Division are members of professional institutes and associations, including two Green Flag Judges with the key agenda of driving continuous improvement, sustainability and excellence in all green spaces throughout the district.

On a fine May sunny day, I and my fellow judge Adrian Spray, met up with Tom and Steven to judge this precious public open space. We met in the car park and introduced ourselves and then were given a two-hour conducted tour of the site. During our walk around, both Tom and Steven explained their maintenance and management practises being undertaken and some of the constraints of the site.

Controlling wear from foot traffic at key entrances and exposed areas of the ditches, has been a priority with the council developing a tactic of reinforcing the ground with plastic netting and overseeding / turfing to re-establish some vegetation cover.

The centre of Castle Ring is almost entirely of a single habitat type, namely acidic grassland and smaller areas of associated habitats, which can be managed in similar ways. Steven said, “Most of the area is managed to improve the ecological quality of the acid grassland habitat as well as encouraging an increase in reptile populations.”

The council also have a policy of felling any young tree saplings that encroach the acid grassland every two or three years, thus keeping the centre of the ring clear.

Castle Ring is an important landscape feature for its archaeological and historical interest. It provides a sense of ancientness and an air of mystery and tranquillity for the visitor.

The Hill Fort topography and rural seclusion of the site are largely responsible for its character and popularity, culminating with more than 100,000 people a year visiting Castle Ring.

I would like to thank both Tom and Steven for showing us around this very special site and their keenness to maintain Green Flag status. It is very pleasing to see sites of this importance being maintained to a national standard, that in turn safeguards the integrity and importance of this site for future generations to come.

Finally on a personal note, I find the role of being a Green Flag judge very rewarding. It offers me insight into the management of these priceless public land assets.

You can find out more on how to become a Green Flag judge on their website