Category: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

Wick Farm Solar Project near Melksham

Posted on by Debbie Newman

Work started in mid-December 2024 to erect 13,000m of fencing around the farm site.  So far, we’re up to about 10,000m.

We are using our Evo 3 post driver/creosote timber posts with Solonet deer wire unrolled /tensioner with Tornado 450m rolls of deer netting.  The timber we are using is supplied and treated in the UK and we are using UK-manufactured wire netting.

These 450m rolls have been specially ordered for this project instead of the standard 100m, to reduce the amount of joining.  

The site consists of 16 separate compartments of solar panels. We have installed gates along with the fences and ED & W Bodman have installed all tracks.

It was nice to see the sun one-day last week!

Here Tristan and Toby are flying along with the fencing.

Solar Farm Project fencing

 

Mulching, fencing and then protection for ground nesting birds

Posted on by Debbie Newman

Not the most exciting pictures…

However, after mulching this site,  it has been fenced to provide a protective haven for ground-nesting birds from people walking their dogs at Castle Hill in Salisbury.

6th February 2025

after mulching this site,  it has been fenced to provide a protective haven for ground-nesting birds

Scrape completed in Pewsey

Posted on by Debbie Newman

Another scrape was completed this week as part of the species recovery project “Conservation from the ground up”.

We scraped off the topsoil to create a bare patch of chalk which will be colonised by wild and site-specific species of plants, which will not be outcompeted by the stronger grasses, and which will also be good for butterflies. By doing this, we have also established a chalk bank which also creates other habitats especially on the sheltered side, out of the wind.

See our blog on early scapes for Pewsey Downs Farmers Group         One more next week

20th September

scape completed in Pewsey

Ash clearance checking for bat roosts

Posted on by Debbie Newman

Last one for this week.

As part of an ash clearance, we had surveyed all the trees in the woodland last year.

Those with potential bat habitat were recorded and numbered. These were then checked again from a MEWP with an ecologist prior to felling.

Following that, 4 trees of the 143 trees surveyed,  were found to have bats within them so were left untouched.

See our new BNG page here. 

ash clearance - checking for bat roosts

Conservation from the ground up

Posted on by Debbie Newman

This week we have started work up on the Pewsey Downs as part of a species recovery project creating scrapes and banks on chalk grassland to help provide habitats for a variety of butterflies and insects Pewsey Downs Farmers Group

See too our newly focussed webpage on BNG – Biodiversity Net Gain

And here’s Alex on another sctape – a bit more of a task on this bank.