Hazel Dormouse Surveys

NEED A DORMOUSE SURVEY? CONTACT AWARE ECOLOGY

NEED A DORMOUSE SURVEY? CONTACT AWARE ECOLOGY

Why is a survey required?

The Hazel dormouse is protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, meaning they cannot be intentionally killed, injured or disturbed in their nests, collected, trapped or sold. This protection is due to a dramatic decrease in population size and distribution.

It is a consideration of the Local Planning Authority (LPA) during the planning process that appropriate measures have been undertaken to consider the impacts on dormice when determining an application.

The survey aims to establish the presence or likely absence of dormice on the site, the population size and how dormice may be using the site. This information can allow us to determine the appropriate mitigation for the site.

If you, your architect, planning agent or the LPA consider there is a likelihood of dormice being present or there is suitable habitat then a survey must be carried out.

You can contact us for further advice.

Nut Search

This method is a quicker way of determining the likely presence of dormice and will be undertaken between September to December.

It involves searching for opened hazelnuts with the characteristic markings left by the dormice.

This method will usually suffice if only a small area of habitat is being removed.

Nest Tube/Box Surveys

Nest tubes or boxes should be installed in April/May and then should be checked at least once every two months across the whole season (April to November).

These artificial habitats provide somewhere for dormice to build nests which are distinctive in design.

Thoroughness Score

If the development will impact a larger area of suitable habitat then the survey effort is based upon a thoroughness score.

This is dependent on the number of tubes and how long they are deployed, with a score of at least 20 being required to determine the presence or likely absence.

What next after the survey is complete?

Once the appropriate survey effort has been completed for your project, a report must be written up to support your planning application. The report will detail information about the surveys, background data for the project area, findings from the surveys, what impact the development will have on these findings and recommendations to mitigate these impacts.

If it is found that dormice are present then a mitigation plan will have to be created, ideally, any suitable habitat should be retained if possible. If not, other mitigation measures should be undertaken to persuade the dormice to move on from the impacted area.

 FAQs

  • The Dormouse is on Schedule 5 of the ‘Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981’ (as amended), and receives full protection under Section 9. This species is also listed as European Protected Species on Schedule 2 of the ‘Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017’, which gives them full protection under Regulation 41. Protection was extended by the ‘CRoW Act’.

    Under the above legislation, it is an offence to:

    - kill, injure or take an individual of such a species,

    - possess any part of such species either alive or dead;

    - intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any place or structure used by such species for shelter, rest, protection or breeding;

    - intentionally or recklessly disturb such a species whilst using any place of shelter or protection; or

    - sell or attempt to sell any such species.

    The Dormouse is included as a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) and also as a species of principal importance for the conservation of biological diversity in England under Section 74 of the ‘CRoW Act’.

  • Dormice generally use areas of dense woody vegetation. They are most likely to be found where there is a wide diversity of woody species contributing to three-dimensional habitat complexity, several food sources, plants suitable for nest-building material and that have good connectivity to other areas of suitable habitat.

  • Ideally, plans should be looked at with an aim of retaining suitable habitat, if this isn’t possible then mitigation will be required. This includes:

    - Persuading the dormice to move from the habitat that will be affected. This method should only be used if the habitat loss is less than 100m and the remaining habitat is connected to a larger dormouse suitable habitat.

    o The removal of narrow strips of vegetation no larger than the dormouse home range of 50 m. This method is only appropriate if the land lost is part of a large, continuous area of habitat.

    o Clear the area carefully by hand.

    o Use nest boxes to make the adjacent area of habitat more attractive.

    o Clear trees and shrubs during the winter months (November – March), which will create a less favourable habitat when they come out of hibernation. Removal of ground-level vegetation can commence when they are expected to have emerged from hibernation (by the end of May).

    - If a strip of woodland is to be removed, it should be less than 50m wide and the remaining habitat is connected to a larger dormouse suitable habitat.

    - Dormouse bridges have been used for some sites to allow dormice to cross between habitats that have been fragmented. But the gap between habitats must be less than 100m.

    - Translocation, but only as a last resort if the project is too large for persuasion and there is no connected suitable habitat.

  • The cost will vary with factors such as location, project size and complexity and the number of surveys/surveyors required all playing their part in the total cost.

    Please contact us and we will be able to provide further advice and a quote.