swamp in Riddells Bay, Warwick.

The swamp, near Riddells Bay Golf Club, has been zoned nature reserve in the 1992 Bermuda Plan.

But the golf club has objected to the zoning and is seeking the nature reserve to be reduced to allow for future improvements to and expansion of the golf course.

At the Objections Tribunal into the 1992 Bermuda Plan, in the Cabinet Office on Friday, planner Mr. Peter Adwick and National Trust environmental officer Miss Toby Butterfield both spoke out against erosion of the swamp.

The area was low lying and had historically been mangrove swamp, they noted.

Despite some dumping and infilling, mature mangrove was still the predominant cover and it had been designated a nature reserve to protect the ecological importance of the area.

Golf club representatives, however, called for a change of the boundary to make the Plan more flexible.

Mr. Adwick said: "The mangroves were there before the golf course. Riddells Bay Golf Club is trying to squeeze them into a smaller space. It is not just a case of where they grow but the general vicinity of where they are.'' He added that there was a need to restore the area and keep it in order, with some replanting.

"It is of critical ecological importance to Bermuda,'' added Mr. Adwick.

"The Tribunal is doing no favours to Bermuda by agreeing to the diminution of the area.'' Miss Butterfield agreed. "The National Trust would be very much opposed to any reduction,'' she said.

"We feel that mangroves are the most important eco-system in Bermuda, a natural resource.'' She found it strange that the golf club was looking to rezone areas for recreation use when they had a perfectly good golf course there already. The golf club put in 10 separate objections to the Bermuda Plan. Five had not been resolved before Friday's meeting.

The club had objected to various woodland and open space zonings in different areas around the course.

Representatives asked for flexibility in all cases to help them with their plans for the future.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Mr. Jack Lightbourn said he could not understand why the club had put in 10 objections instead of submitting their "masterplan'' for the whole site.

Mr. Lightbourn said: "You are asking us to free up everything so that you can develop a plan.

"I think the important thing is to develop the plan and then see how it is going to affect these areas.

"You are talking about mangroves and talking about a trade off. You are going to have to put up a pretty good case to get anybody to remove the mangroves.'' A decision is expected in April, a year after the first tribunals were held.