Category: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

Tristan and Toby getting there with the Solar Farm project

Posted on by Debbie Newman

Some dry weather has made all the difference for everyone, and we are now nearing completion.   A Job well done by everyone

Timber by Batsford, Warminster, Wiltshire                       https://www.batsfordtimber.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

Wire and gates by Tornado Wire, Bidford-on-Avon         https://www.tornadowire.com/

Tracks by E D & W Bodman, Melksham, Wiltshire           https://www.edwbodman.co.uk/

In our earlier posts, we touched on the timber and wiring aspects of the project.   As groundworks contractors, Bodmans have to strip the topsoil, lay a membrane and then supply and level a layer of clean stone. This is then topped off with a final smaller stone and compacted, leaving a camber to avoid any water settling on the surface.

28 March 2025

Tristan and Toby getting there with the solar farm project

Fencing to protect several thousand metres of new hedge planting in Wiltshire

Posted on by Debbie Newman

This is a continuation of the tree planting program we featured earlier in the year, with all the tree tubes set out by GPS.

Now, we have just completed fencing to protect several thousand metres of new hedge planting as part of a species recovery project.

We used traditional native hedging planted to create new hedges and infill older hedges where gaps were present

Conservation Contractors BNG department putting something back!

fencing to protect several thousand metres of new hedge planting in Wiltshire

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