Trip to Sharpham Trust Outdoor Project

01st November 2013

Sharpham Outdoors Project strives to build closer links between the human and natural world. It provides opportunities for reconnecting people with themselves, each other, and to the land through developing practical skills to help create a more sustainable future.
http://www.sharphamtrust.org/Outdoors-Project.

I had the opportunity to visit Sharpham and observe a project they are undertaking to 
 trap & inoculate the Badgers on the estate against TB rather than to cull them.  During this time we  were hoping to learn more about the Badger and his habitat, and see the tracks and signs of Badgers.

  To gain the most benefit from my visit to Sharpham Estate I am hoping to take images and notes to improve my knowledge and understanding of the opportunities offered at the estate and to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the flora and fauna, and how best to play a part in creating a more sustainable future.

Four graduates from Hungary are working at the project for 3 months to learn more about the work and environmental issues we face in this country. Fig. 1 shows them getting the traps ready to place out in the field.

The first Badger trap was set a few miles from the project base; fig 2 shows the group starting the steep climb up the hill to where signs of a Badger set had been seen. 








Jack has found evidence of fresh Badger waste. We were given the opportunity to experience this first hand.

The traps were placed near to the set with food close by covered with stones to prevent 

other animals feeding on it. The traps were checked and once the food had started to be taken the food supply was moved closer to the traps. The process was repeated over time with the food supply being moved eventually into the traps and then to the back of the trap, once this stage was reached the traps would be set and the badger caught ready for inoculating.  Whilst we were there the traps were at various stages of the process with some having got to the stage where the food was being placed inside the trap.