Reptile Fencing, Vegetation Clearance and Habitat Creation

Bath and North East Somerset Council

At competitive tender Keystone Habitats won a contract with Bath and North East Somerset Council to install reptile fencing and conduct receptor site enhancement works prior to reptile translocation, and thereafter conduct sensitive vegetation clearance to aid the translocation process.

What did we do?

• Cleared the proposed reptile fence alignment of tall grass and scrub.Installed 500m of rigid panel reptile fencing.
• Constructed 2 hibernacula and several brash piles within the proposed receptor site.
• Undertook selective vegetation clearance in the receptor site to enhance the carrying capacity for reptiles.
• Carried out phased grass clearance during the translocation exercise to increase the reptile capture rate.
• Conducted post translocation grass clearance and ongoing maintenance to ensure suitable reptile habitat does not regenerate.
• Implemented routine reptile fence inspections to ensure re-colonisation by reptiles does not take place prior to the commencement of construction.

How did we do it?

• A pre-commencement meeting with the client was held to define their expectations and discuss/agree our proposed working methods and timescales.
• All work was carried under the direction of a Habitats Contract Manager fully trained in the handling and capture of reptiles.
• Vegetation clearance was undertaken following an inspection for reptiles and using hand tools to eliminate the risk of killing or injury of reptiles.
• Grass in the receptor site and proposed development footprint was reduced in height in a 2-stage process to flush reptiles out of harms way.

What were the outcomes?

• The project was delivered to the approved tender price.Reptile translocation commenced on schedule and was completed to the desired programme.
• The mitigation strategy was delivered entirely in accordance with the reptile mitigation strategy document consented by the planning authority.