Badger Surveys: Technical Sett Analysis & Mitigation
Delivering licensed badger sett monitoring and walkover surveys to identify activity early, ensuring robust environmental legislative compliance for your site.
E3 Ecology.
Expert surveys for environmental legal standards.
Badgers are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992). The Act makes it an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage or destroy a badger sett or obstruct access to it and to disturb a badger whilst it is occupying a sett.
It is essential to assess potential development sites for the presence of badgers and to identify where setts are located to ensure that these are not damaged or badgers disturbed as a result of works.
What does a badger survey involve?
Badgers are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992). The Act makes it an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage or destroy a badger sett or obstruct access to it and to disturb a badger whilst it is occupying a sett.
It is essential to assess potential development sites for the presence of badgers and to identify where setts are located to ensure that these are not damaged or badgers disturbed as a result of works.
Badger Walkover Survey
In some cases, full sites cannot be assessed for badger at the time of the PEA/EcIA and a detailed badger walkover may be required to gather more detailed information.
The surveyor will conduct a walkover of the site, mapping any field signs and setts.
Badger Monitoring Survey
Where setts are present and may be affected by the proposals, additional monitoring with infra-red, motion-triggered cameras may be recommended, to assess the type of sett present and whether it is active.
Pre-commencement Checking Surveys
In some circumstances, due to the presence of suitable habitat, a pre-commencement checking survey may be required to identify whether any new setts have been created since the initial assessment.
Further mitigation measures can be provided at this stage if badger setts are recorded.
If a badger sett is present within 30m of the proposed development (or 100m for particularly disturbing activities such as piling or blasting) and is likely to be affected by the works, a licence may be required. E3 can advise when this is needed and assist with the production of a licence application, detailed mitigation, and compensation design.
When can badger surveys be carried out?
Badger surveys can be conducted year-round, although a peak of activity between February to April and again in October means surveys conducted during these periods may be most successful.
How Can E3 Ecology Help?
E3 has worked on numerous schemes involving badgers and has experience of a range of surveys to fully assess badger setts and territories. We also have a number of projects where we have supported clients with obtaining badger mitigation licences for development sites and can advise on this on a case-by-case basis.
If you think you require or have been asked for a badger survey, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help.