Artificial Badger Sett Creation

Taylor Wimpey

Keystone Habitats were awarded a contract to construct an artificial main Badger sett and two outlier setts as mitigation for loss of setts due to residential development.

What did we do?

• Designed, fabricated and constructed a 15 chamber main sett with 8 entrance holes.
• Designed, fabricated and constructed 2 outlying setts, each comprising 2 chambers and a single entrance hole.
• Installed one-way gates at the entrances to the existing main and outlying setts to be closed under licence and linked these to vertical Badger proof fencing.
• Closed the existing main and outlying setts once the client’s ecologist confirmed the required monitoring period was complete.

How did we do It?

• Produced a sett layout plan prior to commencement of the contract for approval by the client’s ecologist.
• Pre-fabricated the sett chambers and tunnels in our workshop so that they could be easily transported to and assembled on site.
• Used a mechanical excavator to create a depression into which the setts could be installed.
• Assembled the pre-fabricated chambers and tunnels by hand, placing hay in the chambers as bedding material.
• Reinstated the soil layers over the artificial chambers and tunnels in the order they were removed, completing the process by the reinstatement of turf.
• Used metal exclusion gates instead of wood to minimise the risk of re-entry to setts by excluded Badgers.

What were the outcomes?

• The artificial sett was occupied by Badgers within 2 weeks of sett creation.
• The project was delivered ahead of the required timeframe and on budget.
• Mitigation measures delivered on site were signed off first time by the licensed ecologist.