Brimscombe Port
W ild Service has been advising Stroud District Council on ecological matters relating to the Brimscombe Port redevelopment project, which includes reinstating the former inland port and associated canal sections. As lesser horseshoe bats had taken up residence in a disused industrial unit (which lay in the path of the reinstated canal), Wild Service Ecologists undertook bat activity surveys to confirm the type of roost and to inform a European Protected Species licence from Natural England. A dedicated bat house was constructed by Wild Service's land management team to enable the lesser horseshoe bats to have a more secure roost near to their current one. In addition to bats, there have been various ecological features (including reptiles, badgers, otters and water voles) for which mitigation and enhancement measures are being devised. Wild Service and Stroud District Council are working together to ensure that the development will result in a net gain for biodiversity and incorporate green infrastructure becoming an attractive place not only for wildlife but also as a natural recreation area for local people.
Image courtesy Philip Precey
