Wildlife Management

Why manage wildlife?

Although most native species and their habitats require some management, it is sometimes necessary to introduce specialist wildlife management control measures to preserve the natural environment and ensure non-native and invasive species do not have a negative impact:

Wildlife and habitat management measures vary depending on the location of the site, the aims and objectives outlined within the site Management Plan and external factors such as constraints and finance.

Our advisors will be able to determine which measures will be most suitable for you.

The 5 main reasons for wildlife management are:

• To improve
• To maintain
• To exclude
• To reduce
• To remove

To improve

Usually undertaken to improve and maximise opportunities for key species, to ensure that the population densities do not decline and every possibility is provided to allow the population levels to increase. Improvements can often include a number of other wildlife management and control measures to ensure every opportunity is maximised. An example of the need for improvement measures is associated with the management of Water voles and their habitat. Our section on population control will provide you with more detailed information.

To maintain

Undertaken to maintain species populations at determined or agreed levels. This may be in conjunction with the size of available habitat or because of other ecological or financial constraints. An example of maintaining wildlife populations at an agreed level is the management of amenity or parkland deer.

To exclude

Wildlife can be excluded from certain areas in a number of ways including, walls, fencing, dry-stone walls, natural barriers such as hedges or watercourses and is undertaken for a number of reasons, including:

• Regeneration – In woodlands deer or other grazing livestock may have to be excluded to allow the woodland to regenerate naturally.
  
• Conservation – Regeneration Agencies and Property Developers may have to provide exclusion fencing as part of their mitigation measures to prevent newts from re-entering an area to be disturbed. Depending on the circumstances this newt fencing could be temporary, ‘permanent’ or one-way and should be selected according to the task required.
  
• Commercial – Landowners and farmers will exclude rabbits and other grazing animals from crops by erecting rabbit proof fencing or stock netting. Recently it has been estimated that the national cost of cereal loss due to rabbits can reach £ 40 million/year.
  
• Amenity – Owners of amenity and recreation facilities such as, golf courses, sports pitches or bowling greens will exclude rabbits, deer and other grazing livestock to reduce or prevent damage to the playing surface.

To reduce

Sometimes wildlife populations can exceed the sustainability of their habitat which can lead to associated problems such as, overcrowding, starvation, direct affects on other species and even mortality. Therefore, species density needs to be monitored and when it exceeds an acceptable level control measures need to be introduced.

Many landowners and local authorities are introducing control measures on non-native species such as Canada geese, especially where large populations of geese are having detrimental effects such as; grazing or trampling nesting sites of other bird species, destruction of waterside habitat, such as reed beds, leading to erosion of river banks and fouling with droppings.

The droppings contain bacteria that may be harmful if faecal matter is inadvertently swallowed and they also make grassed areas unattractive and paths slippery. If the droppings are passed into water bodies they may cause increased nutrient loadings leading to possible toxic algal blooms and low oxygen levels in the water.

Natural England Technical Information Note TIN009 - The management of problems caused by Canada geese: a guide to best practice

To remove

“Invasive non-native plant and animal species are the second greatest threat to biodiversity worldwide (after habitat destruction). They can negatively impact on native species, can transform habitats and threaten whole ecosystems causing serious problems to the environment and the economy”. – Reference: The Non-native Species Secretariat.

“There is a significant body of legislation relating to non-native species in Great Britain. Most importantly, it is illegal to release non-native animal species into the wild under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)”. – Reference: The Non-native Species Secretariat.

Our services:

All control measures are site specific and will vary according to species, relevant legislation and the location of your site.

BlueSky Environmental Solutions are experts in all aspects of wildlife management, utilising a range of traditional and modern methods. Our advisors are on hand to discuss your personal requirements and to offer advice on the necessary control measures to allow native species to flourish. Our section on population control and the control of invasive species will be able to provide further information with regard to specific species.