Vegetation Clearance and Herptile Fencing

Mouchel

Keystone Habitats were commissioned to undertake the vegetation clearance and installation of herptile  fencing and capture apparatus to create a working footprint for two phases of the widening of an 8km stretch of the A13 in Essex in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

What Did We Do?

• Keystone was engaged to deliver a strategy for clearing all the necessary vegetation and installing the fencing and capture apparatus along an 8km stretch whilst not impeding traffic on a very busy route.
• The work needed to be undertaken sensitively to avoid killing or injury of newts, reptiles and nesting birds present along the fence alignment. Return visits were carried out to clear vegetation and install fencing in areas where nesting birds had been encountered during the original vegetation clearance and once checks had been carried out to ensure the chicks had fledged.
• The strategy needed to consider the working environment and the restricted access due to working along the roadside. This meant that the fence alignment was critical as there was no room for deviations.
• Routine vegetation maintenance along the fence alignment to maintain the effectiveness of the barrier to newts and reptiles.

How Did We Do It?

• Vegetation clearance of the fence alignment was programmed to be completed in 2 months to start before the main bird nesting season was underway and to be completed during the nesting season. Checks for nesting birds were carried out by Keystone and a 5m buffer zone set up to protect any nests that were discovered. Vegetation was sensitively cleared along the full 8km alignment using only hand tools, such as brush cutters and chain saws.  All brash was chipped on site.
• Vegetation to be cleared was predominantly dense blackthorn which had to be cut to ground level and chipped. All access was limited to the narrow working alignment, ensuring full protection to the verge where reptiles and amphibians could be present.
• 8km of herptile fencing was installed using a pedestrian trencher and following the Natural England specification for installation and materials. This fencing was installed in a 4 week period and access was restricted to the cleared alignment. Due to the restricted working area, the fencing had to be installed in all manner of terrain and environmental conditions along the roadside.
• Where machinery and contractors were required to work in close proximity to the highway, banksmen were used to protect all parties during works, which prevented the need for lane closures on this busy main route.
• Two different types of newt proof fencing materials were used on site, taking into account the requirements in each zone and the likelihood of damage by third parties. Also both vertical and angled fencing were installed on site.
• Once the fencing was installed, newt capture apparatus in the form of pit fall traps and carpet refugia were installed at 5m intervals along the fence alignment.
• Vegetation maintenance was carried out using pedestrian strimmers during the summer growing season to prevent the vegetation growing above 200mm in height and ensuring the fence remained effective as a barrier.

What were the Outcomes?

• The project was delivered to the brief, on budget and within the required very tight timeframe to permit species capture to commence.
• The fencing was QA’d to a high standard with no alterations required and is still in place now, allowing the construction work to continue.
• The advice from Keystone to use the heavy grade membrane for the perimeter fencing on site has meant reduced maintenance, repairs and therefore costs for the client.
• During the vegetation clearance and fencing installation, there was no necessity to close the very busy A13, meaning a great cost saving for the client and minimum impact on the passing road users.