Dormouse Surveys

The hazel dormouse is one of several protected species in the UK. As an agile climber, they are predominantly nocturnal and also known for hibernating for seven months of the year. These small but mighty creatures are identified as flagship species because their conservation affects other species within the same habitat. It’s for this reason that, if you suspect they are present, you should conduct a hazel dormouse survey.

Whilst they are recognised to occupy variations of habitats, they are most likely to be found in places such as hedgerows, woodland, and shrubs.

What We Offer

LPAs require sufficient information to ensure wildlife obtains the highest protection against injury or disturbance during development. For your commercial or domestic development proposal, this usually means undertaking a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (“PEA”), and further dormouse surveys if the species is likely to be present.

If hazel dormice are present, it is likely that a European Protected Species (“EPS”) mitigation license and an appropriate mitigation strategy will be mandatory in order to proceed with the works. Greenlight can help with these requirements.

Dormouse Survey Legislation

Unfortunately, dormice have declined in both numbers and distribution by at least 50% over the last century and continue to deteriorate, making dormouse surveys vital when considering any potential works in their habitats. It is for this reason that hazel dormice are protected under UK and European Union (“EU”) laws, including:

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)
• The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010

Under these legislations dormice are protected from:

• Capturing, killing, injuring and disturbing;
• Damaging or destroying breeding/resting places;
• Obstructing access to resting places; and
• Possessing, advertising for sale, selling or transporting for sale, live or dead (part or derivative).

Hazel Dormouse Surveys

Dormouse Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (“PEA”)

For any kind of development, an initial site assessment is required to identify habitats present on site that may support protected species, like dormice. A Dormouse Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) is usually the first step to address ecological aspects of a planning application and can be conducted at any time of the year. This assessment can take place throughout the year and, after undertaking a site visit and desktop assessment, the PEA would recommend if further dormouse surveys were necessary and any appropriate mitigation and enhancements for the proposed development.

Depending on the land and time needed to conduct the survey, the cost of a Dormouse PEA will vary. If you’re looking to get a quote, please get in touch with our ecology surveyors who will provide you with a full quote.

Visual Searches & Nest Tube Dormouse Surveys

Visual searches seek gnawed hazel nuts within the grounds to determine the presence of dormice on a site. Nest tube surveys are also used to confirm the absence/presence of dormice in a woodland by using tubes. These nest tubes should be installed in March, in preparation for the beginning of dormouse surveys, and the surveys can only be conducted between April and November when they are out of hibernation.

The nest tubes should be checked during the summer months at fortnightly intervals. Both surveys should be installed and conducted by a licensed dormouse ecologist. A score of 20 or over is needed for the survey to be considered sufficiently robust and give confidence that a false negative result has not been obtained.

European Protected Species (“EPS”) Mitigation Licences

An EPS mitigation licence is issued by Natural England under the Conservation of Species and Habitats Regulations 2010 (as amended). It is issued in order to capture or disturb individual dormice and to obstruct, modify, or destroy their breeding/resting places.

Mitigation & Enhancements

Mitigation measures are a way of reducing the unavoidable negative impacts on hazel dormice a development will have. Some examples include:

• Progressively clearing narrow strips of habitat: If only a relatively small part of a hedgerow or woodland strip is to be removed, and the remaining habitat is linked to a larger dormouse habitat, dormice can be persuaded to leave the area by progressively clearing narrow strips of habitat
• Create habitat bridges

If no other mitigation designs are achievable, dormice may also be translocated to a suitable receptor site.

Compensation and enhancement measures may include:

• Creating new dormouse habitat (hedgerow, scrub, woodland or boxes)
• Improving retained habitat (through thinning, coppicing or new planting)

Overseeing & Translocation Works

Overseeing works, including toolbox talks, consist of a watching brief during construction to ensure installation and works are kept outside a buffer zone to protect any dormouse. Translocation works see individual dormice caught and translocated to a suitable receptor site that is conducted under an EPS mitigation licence. The reason for these measures is to avoid killing or injuring individual dormice. Find out how else we can provide construction support.