Thomson Habitats - Habitat creation and wildlife fencing in preparation for new homes

Habitat creation and wildlife fencing in preparation for new homes

10th November 2011

We have helped one of the UK’s leading house builders by installing temporary amphibian fencing and creating wildlife habitat on a site in Wootton, Bedfordshire, where new housing is soon to be built.

Previous surveys had revealed a great crested newt population in the area to be developed. Temporary amphibian fencing was installed to encircle and ‘trap-out’ an area of the site which is to become the entrance road and roundabout of the new development. The 1300m fenceline included pitfall traps every 10m and refugia between each pitfall trap. The traps and refugia were checked every day for great crested newts and any that were found were translocated to an already established pond in an adjacent field.

To compensate for the loss of habitat, we enhanced a 0.25 hectare area around the existing receptor pond. This included building log piles, hibernacula and scrapes, and seeding the whole area with wildflower species.

We will return to the site in the future to undertake maintenance works when needed.