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.