Badger Fencing
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Badger Fencing and why it is needed.
Over the years Clear Roots Landscaping has helped repair and install badger fencing and badger gates to many areas surrounding bridleways and footpaths. As a result of damage caused it usually needed to mitigate future problems and protect the routes. Working with Ecologists, we have gained a lot of knowledge and information on how to repair the damage whilst minimising the impact on the badgers and their habitat. Badgers can unfortunately 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 these areas.
Badger Fencing near Roads
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.
What is Badger Fencing
Badger Fencing is a wire mesh fence, specially designed to prevent penetration by badgers. The wire mesh netting can be fixed above the ground to a timber post and rail fence, or buried underground, depending on the requirement. Where used in smaller applications or installations where the badger fence is installed for the short term, using a post system is best.
Badger Gates
Usually made of a steel construction, they are robust enough to withstand a badger’s destructive nature. Badger gates can be installed within badger 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. If needed a ‘lock-down bar’ can be fitted so that the badger gate can be closed in one direction, making it a one-way badger gate
Laws Surrounding Badger Fences
Why keep badgers out anyway?
They are a dangerous hazard on roads and are accused of spreading Bovine TB to cattle so their containment is essential in many circumstances.
What must you not do?
Intentionally capture kill or injure a badger. Damage, destroy or block access to their setts. Allow a dog into a sett. Bait or dig for badgers.
Why we use hand tools
Although a licence is usually needed, we try to work with hand tools when close to a sett. This allows us to clear vegetation near setts with minimal interruption.
Activities that can harm badgers.
Noise, Vibration, Pile driving, Quarry blasting, Lighting fires, Chemicals, Excavation, Ploughing and harvesting crops, Tree felling.
You could be sent to prison for up to 6 months and get an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty of any of these offences:
- Intentionally capture, kill or injure a badger
- Damage, destroy or block access to their setts
- Disturb badgers in setts
- Treat a badger cruelly
- Deliberately send or intentionally allow a dog into a sett
- Bait or dig for badgers
You’re breaking the law and could get an unlimited fine if you:
- Have or sell a badger, or offer a live badger for sale
- Have or possess a dead badger or parts of a badger (if you got it illegally)
- Mark or attach a marking device to a badger
Activities that can affect badgers include:
- Destroying or damaging their setts
- Noise, additional lighting or vibration
- Pile driving
- Quarry blasting
- Lighting fires
- Using chemicals
- Excavation
- Ploughing and harvesting crops
- Tree felling and timber extraction
- Construction or repair of flood defences or watercourses
In most cases you should be able to avoid disturbing badgers and damaging or blocking access to their sett.
If you can’t avoid this, you can apply for a licence to interfere with a sett from Natural England. You’ll need to show you’ve tried everything else possible to avoid affecting badgers.
You’ll need expert help with your licence application if it’s for a development project. Find out what type of survey and mitigation methods will be needed to support a planning application.
You usually won’t need a licence to do the following if it’s unlikely to disturb a badger in its sett or damage a sett:
- Work with hand tools or machinery above or below ground close to a sett
- Clear vegetation near setts, including felling small trees or shrubs, provided they are not uprooted and don’t block access to the sett
- Clear ditches and watercourses using hand tools or machinery
Natural England will consider the existing level of disturbance around a sett when deciding if you need a licence.
If you think badgers are causing damage to your property or land you may be able to solve the problem without getting a licence. For example you could:
- use fences (including electric fences) to stop badgers from entering your land, provided this doesn’t block access to the sett
- add two-way gates to fences so badgers don’t damage them
You may be able to get a licence to interfere with the sett if the damage caused by the sett is, or is likely to become, serious, eg subsidence, damage to roads or paths.