THE BDS MIDLANDS, WALES AND THE MARCHES BRANCH

Branch Activities.

On Cannock Chase, there is a new Grazing for Conservation project using cattle to help manage and re-generate low-land heathland, Cannock Chase Rangers and committee members Rob Taylor and Baz Barrett have been instrumental in trialling mammal crossing points to help aid deer and other wildlife to move across areas of stock fencing.

These are post and rail fences with wide gapped rails at strategic points identified by an impact and activity survey conducted by the Cannock Chase deer predict before the fence line was planned. All medium to high use deer racks were identified and crossing points were installed on these racks.

Early indications have proved very positive with Fallow, Muntjac, badgers and fox regularly using the wildlife crossing points. Trail cam shots indicate the high level of usage by the deer. This especially helps fallow fawns move in family groups across the fence lines without hindrance and the dangers of injury by getting caught up in standard wire stock fencing. 

The plan is to roll these out to other areas of Cannock Chase in the near future as new fences are installed or old ones are renewed.

In October we held yet another very successful First Aid +F course in Stafford, demand is such that these are destined to become a regular feature of Branch activities.

On 11th November many branch members were to be found at ‘poaching’ at a best practice event at The Gainsborough House Hotel, Kidderminster which was organised by The Forestry Commission and Wyre Forest Deer Management Group. The event featured an enthralling and lively talk by Professor Naomi Sykes on the history and movement of Fallow Deer around the UK and Europe from prehistoric to present times based on archaeological research, genome typing and historical records. It was followed by a talk from author and eminent deer stalker John Thornley on modern fallow deer management.

Branch Chair, Ian Skelton, continues to meet regularly with The Staffordshire Wildlife and Rural Crime Prevention Team. He is also liaising and providing advice to The M.6 Toll road management team on reducing road traffic collisions on the motorway by preventing Red Deer from straying onto the motorway.

Vice-Chair, Alan Barrell, continues to sit on two firearms licensing liaison user groups in the area, these covering Warwickshire and West Mercia Areas where he represents The BDS and The NGO.

The Branch is liaising with regard to a planning application for a solar park in an area of Shropshire which has a high Fallow population likely to be adversely affected by the development.