The replacement toad fencing at Saxon Gate has now been installed in spite of the rain, wind and generally discouraging weather. Richard Lawrence of Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity and the Ivel Valley Volunteers spent Tuesday 11th February fixing the ACO sections together and backfilling with soil. This new fencing extends both sides of the tunnel entrance ... You may think that is obvious, but when the tunnel was put in by the developers they considered their responsibility was to install fencing on the north-west side of the entrance, but not the south-west. It is really great to have proper fencing at last.

The results look splendid (see Photo Gallery) and we look forward to the new season. It will be very instructive to see how the fencing affects the number of toads etc. we find on the road.

Thanks again to Froglife, BRCC, Central Bedfordshire Council and ACO for funding the replacement of the fencing, and especially to Richard Lawrence.

I've heard from Sivi Sivanesan at Froglife that, though there definitely was a toad patrol at Brogborough, it is currently unmanned. Could anyone my side of Bedfordshire (Milton Keynes, Woburn, Lidlington areas) let me know any reports of toad movements. Once I know toads are on the move I'll go over there to see if toads are still present and try to set up a patrol if it's needed. If you want to see where the crossing is go to Froglife’s very useful interactive map: http://www.froglife.org/what-we-do/toads-on-roads/TORmap/ and type in ‘Brogborough’.
If you have any information or are interested in helping at Brogborough please contact me: sinead@uncle-beast.com

The toad fencing at Saxon Gate has been in a bad state of repair for many years. Earlier this year BRAG member Richard Lawrence of Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity organised a work party of the Ivel Valley Volunteers who did a great job repairing the fencing on the east side of Saxon Drive. We were very pleased when Silviu Petrovan of Froglife became involved in the project and offered to help fund the replacement of the fencing on the west side of the road.

On Tuesday 28th January Richard organised another work party. The weather was kind to us (no rain!) and the old sections of broken ACO fencing were removed and the ground dug out and levelled ready for the new sections to be installed. Hopefully this will be completed in the next week or two.

Thanks to Froglife, BRCC, Central Bedfordshire Council and ACO for funding the replacement of the fencing.

See Photo Gallery

Five BRAG members attended this conference, held near Ledbury and organised by HART, on Sunday 17th November 2013. The theme was captive breeding and re-introduction. After a survey of the general principles to be considered when making a re-introduction we heard about two successful projects - Sand Lizards (of course!) and the Pool Frog - but also about an Adder captive breeding project which had run into bureaucratic obstructions. Later there was a very interesting account of a telemetry project. A number of Adders in the Malvern Hills were fitted with devices which allowed them to be tracked. Not only were they tracked down small mammal burrows but they were also found in surprisingly shady areas under trees. One unfortunate Adder was tracked making a direct flight – to a Buzzards’ nest! It was a long drive for us (in a car which we later discovered had worn wheel bearings) but well worth while.

More jargon! At the Heathland Forum we learned that the whole Greensand Ridge had been designated a Nature Improvement Area (NIA). Twelve initial NIAs have already been designated, starting from 1st April 2012.

According to Natural England: ‘Local Nature Partnerships and local planning authorities can now identify and agree where locally determined NIAs can take shape. These are distinct from the 12 initial NIAs who were awarded NIA status and a share of the £7.5 million funding. ... Resources and support [for NIAs such as the Greensand Ridge] to be identified and addressed locally.’

Even so this new designation should mean the area will be awarded some money from the Enterprise Partnerships. The Greensand Ridge has been chosen for its acid grassland and heathland. Hopefully this will, in the long term, mean habitat for adders and lizards especially will improve.

We tend to concentrate on surveying with a bit of conservation work thrown in. Herpy desk work and jargon is not for us! It is good though that some people take a more general view – and some, though not enough, even a political view.

(See http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/biodiversity/funding/nia/default.aspx for more information about NIAs.)