ecology habitats marine

Artificial Badger Sett Creation

Housebuilder Consortium

At a large scale residential development scheme in Berryfields, Aylesbury a consortium of housebuilders instructed Keystone Habitats to create an artificial main Badger sett and close the existing main sett.

What did we do?

  • Constructed and installed an 11 chamber, 6 entrance artificial main Badger sett.
  • Planted the surrounding area with thorn scrub mix and fruit plant mix as well as grass seeding to provide suitable habitat around the new sett.
  • Installed stock fencing in the surrounding area to deter public access to the sett.
  • Installed in excess of 40 Badger exclusion gates on the existing sett proposed for closure and then excavated/closed the existing sett following completion of licensed Badger monitoring.

How did we do it?

  • Ecologically trained in-house Habitats staff designed the artificial Badger sett and pre-fabricated the chambers at our yard for efficient sett assembly on site.
  • We worked closely with our client and in particular their team of ecologists to ensure all methods, specifications and timescales contained within the Badger licence for the site were adhered to.
  • Metal one-way gates combined with chain link mesh were installed in the existing main sett to exclude Badgers and successfully prevent their return prior to sett destruction.
  • The existing sett was closed using a tracked excavator under a watching brief by one of our ecologically trained Habitats Contract Managers.

What were the outcomes?

  • The project was delivered to the brief, on time and on budget with no complications.
  • Video footage was obtained of the Badgers occupying the new sett and taking advantage of the bedding provided within only a few weeks of sett construction enabling destruction of the existing sett by the required deadline.
This entry was posted in Case Studies, Habitats, Residential and Commercial Development. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.