Newt fencing
Encyclopedia
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
s, other amphibians or reptiles. It can also be called drift fencing or temporary amphibian fencing (TAF). It consists of a low fence of plastic sheeting, buried a short way into the ground and supported by lightweight posts usually made of wood or plastic. It is used to keep animals out of working areas, to keep them inside safe areas of their habitat, to intercept migration routes, or to control their movement to help their capture for translocation
Translocation (Wildlife conservation)
Translocation in wildlife conservation means capture, transport and release or introduction of species, habitats or other ecological material from one location to another...
. It may be used in conjunction with pitfall trap
Pitfall trap
A pitfall trap is a trapping pit for small animals, such as insects, amphibians and reptiles. Pitfall traps are mainly used for ecology studies and ecologic pest control. Animals that enter a pitfall trap are unable to escape, and may either be killed by the trap or remain unharmed...
s placed at the foot of the fence. It is most commonly used in connection with building projects, to minimise harm to protected species.
Legislation
The great crested newtGreat Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
Triturus cristatus is an amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
native to the UK but also widespread across Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. Whilst it is relatively widespread in the UK (in fact the UK hosts one of the great crested newt
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
's most significant populations), it is rare on a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an wide basis. The great crested newt is listed as a "strictly protected fauna species" under appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats 1979, also known as the Bern Convention , came into force on June 1, 1982....
:
and consequently is protected under UK legislation through the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Conservation (Natural Habitat) regulations 1994. Under these regulations it is an offence to intentionally disturb, injure or kill any great crested newt, or disturb or destroy its habitat.
Habitat
The great crested newtGreat Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
’s natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
requirements are standing fresh water for breeding purposes, but the majority of its time is spent on dry land. They favour semi-natural habitats such as rough grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, hedgerows and scrub woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
. An individual newt
Newt
A newt is an aquatic amphibian of the family Salamandridae, although not all aquatic salamanders are considered newts. Newts are classified in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae, and are found in North America, Europe and Asia...
tends to have a range centred upon its breeding pool. The breeding stage of the life cycle takes place in spring, from February through to April. After this it spends much of its time on land, usually within 200 metres (218.7 yd) from the breeding pond, but sometimes ranging up to 500 metres (546.8 yd). Unfortunately this life cycle and the use of both terrestrial and aquatic habitas may put the newts into conflict with humans. Brownfield sites often contain very good terrestrial habitat for great crested newt
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
s, and land within 500 metres (546.8 yd) from newt breeding ponds includes a significant proportion of the UK.
Planning
As part of the planning process for any development, an environmental impact assessmentEnvironmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
should include an ecological survey, which should in turn identify the potential for loss of habitat and the impact on the local population of great crested newt
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
s. If the assessment identifies possible loss of habitat or the potential to kill or disturb individual newts, it will be necessary for the developer to apply to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
for a licence. The licence application should set out what measures will be taken to ensure that the local population is not threatened, and how potential loss of habitat can be mitigated.
Fencing and trapping
To ensure that individual newts are not injured or killed by development activities, it may be necessary to enclose the site in a newtNewt
A newt is an aquatic amphibian of the family Salamandridae, although not all aquatic salamanders are considered newts. Newts are classified in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae, and are found in North America, Europe and Asia...
proof fence, trap the individuals within the site and/or remove them to a suitable release site. As the great crested newt is a European strictly protected fauna species, erection of newt fencing or any capture of the animals requires a licence.
Construction
The newt fence usually consists of a plasticPlastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
membrane partially buried in the ground (usually to about 200 mm (7.9 in)) The above ground portion being supported by timber stakes placed at regular intervals along the line of the fence. The fence normally has a below ground horizontal return facing out of the site to minimise the risk of newts re-entering the site through the disturbed soil layer. It usually has some form of overhang along the top edge to reduce the possibility of newts climbing over the fence. In recent years timber-and-plastic newt-proof fencing has become less frequently used due to the fact that materials are sent to landfill post project completion. There are now dedicated systems designed to be reusable and recyclable as well as vandal-resistant and fire-retardant.
Newt fencing types
Fences tend to fall into two basic categories, temporary (less than two years' lifespan), and permanent (greater than two years' lifespan). The materials used to construct them tend to vary with the length of time the fence is to remain operable. A temporary fence is normally constructed from UV-stabilisedUV Stabilizers in plastics
UV light stabilizers are used frequently in plastics, including cosmetics and films. The primary function is to protect the substance from the long-term degradation effects from light, most frequently ultraviolet light...
polythene sheet or woven geotextile
Geotextile
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain...
. Permanent fences are usually constructed from rigid plastic or galvanised steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
panels. In the case of temporary fencing materials, the underground return is created by folding the material at a angle along the base of the trench, and the top overhang by rolling the top edge of the membrane over a number of times to create a roll. For permanent fencing, the underground return is often omitted and instead the fence is buried deeper (usually 300 mm (11.8 in)). The top overhang is created by making a fold in the material at the manufacturing stage.
Newt collection and trapping
Trapping is undertaken through the use of buried buckets (pitfall trapPitfall trap
A pitfall trap is a trapping pit for small animals, such as insects, amphibians and reptiles. Pitfall traps are mainly used for ecology studies and ecologic pest control. Animals that enter a pitfall trap are unable to escape, and may either be killed by the trap or remain unharmed...
s) placed alongside the fence material. The idea being that the newts follow the fence along until they fall into the open bucket. Carpet tiles (terrestrial refuges) may be used in conjunction with or instead of pitfall traps. Again theses are placed alongside the fence and provide ideal shelter for newts whilst they are resting (daytime and during dry or cold periods).
Once an ecologist is satisfied that all of the newts have been trapped from the site and that the terms of the licence have been met, construction work can begin.
Further reading
- Chris Blandford Associates (CBA), Wildlife Fencing Design Guide. CIRIA, 2006. ISBN 0-86017-646-0
- Gent, A.H., & Gibson, S.D., Herpetofauna Workers' Manual. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation CommitteeJoint Nature Conservation CommitteeThe Joint Nature Conservation Committee is the statutory adviser to the UK Government on national and international nature conservation. Its work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems...
, 1998 (revised edition 2003). ISBN 1-86107-450-6