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Newt Fencing |
Badger Fencing |
Water Vole Fencing |
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A badger proof fence may be installed for several reasons.
Development works may result in badger habitat loss or cause the loss of badger territory or feeding areas. Whilst any developer should take actions to prevent this, badger proof fencing can be erected to encourage the badgers to feed, forage or find new suitable territory under the guidance of a qualified ecology consultant. Where loss of a badger sett is unavoidable due to development works or destabilisation of ground such as railway embankments, a combination of badger fencing and specially designed one-way badger gates can be used to allow badgers out of the sett area but not return. Only when it is known that all badgers have left and suitably re-housed, for example; in an artificial badger sett, can the works proceed.
Badgers can also be very destructive, where this is an issue and does not actually result in the loss of badger habitat, badger fencing can be erected to exclude badgers from areas where damage is an issue. The ever expanding road network in the UK has presented a significant danger to badgers. Hundreds of badgers are killed every year on roads. Badger fencing can be installed at known points where a road dissects a badger track and used to encourage the badgers to a use purpose built badger underpass or badger road crossing.
Badger Fencing is a wire mesh fence, specifically designed to prevent penetration by badgers. The wire mesh netting is usually fixed to a timber post and rail fence but can be also be tensioned between strainer posts, with intermediate posts for extra supports, where used in smaller applications or installations where the badger fence is installed for the short term. Attaching badger netting to a post and rail fence is the method favoured by the Highways Agency, one of the largest customers for badger fencing and as such is the unofficial gold standard in badger fencing.
The badger fencing wire mesh is designed to be installed vertically at least 1metre high with a buried vertical section, at least 300mm and a horizontal return underground of at least 300mm, on the badgers side, so that badgers cannot penetrate the badger fence by burrowing. It may be necessary to install a taller badger fence where the fence is overlooked by raised ground, or a larger underground return may be created where the threat of burrowing is increased. A variety of netting sizes are available to meet these needs. Steel pegs should be used to hold the horizontal return in place and make it more difficult for badgers to destroy this element of the badger fence by digging.
Badger gates are of an all steel construction, robust enough to withstand a badger’s destructive nature. Badger gates can be installed within a badger fence, or other type of fence, such as stock fencing, or can be installed in badger sett entrance holes as part of a badger sett closure project. It consists of a two-way gate, or flap that can be pushed open by the badger and a steel frame work with legs to hold it firm in the ground. Drilled holes are provided in the frame of the badger gate so that it can be attached to wire mesh badger fencing. A ‘lock-down bar’ is fitted so that the badger gate can be closed in one direction, making it a one-way badger gate.