East Cambridgeshire District Council

Who looks after the interests of wildlife if tree work may affect them?

Often where trees are concerned there is also a wildlife issue to be taken into account. The Council endeavours wherever possible to ensure that developers, tree surgeons and contractors take due care to conform with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

Therefore trees are inspected for the presence of bird nests and bat roosts and if any are found or suspected then non-emergency tree work may be scheduled to take place at an appropriate time of year.

If anyone undertaking or is contemplating undertaking tree work that may disturb or destroy a bird nest that is in use or being built, or disturbs or destroys a bat roost or is close to an active badger sett then the Police should be informed.

Most Constabularies have a dedicated Wildlife Liaison Officer who should be able to advise further. English Nature can offer expert advice where bats are concerned and if bats need to be moved then they may be able to provide contact details for a local Licensed Bat Handler.

A local farmer is grubbing out a hedgerow and disturbing birds, does this need permission?

Probably yes. In the first instance, if the birds are nesting then contact the Police as it is an offence (under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981) to disturb them.

Also contact the Trees Officer at the Council (use email link on this page or telephone 01353-665555) to check whether an application was made under the Hedgerow Regulations.

If no application was made then the farmer may have committed an offence. The Trees Officer will require details of the location of the hedgerow so that further investigations may be undertaken.