Vegetation Clearance - Northern Quarter Cinderford

Descriptions

As part of the progression of the Homes and Communities Agency's plans for the regeneration of the Cinderford Northern Quarter in Gloucestershire, a package of vegetation clearance is to be undertaken at the site. The site comprises a mixture of dense forest, open grassland and vegetated high ground. Due to the presence of Great Crested Newts (GCN) and a variety of other reptiles at the site, a trapping and translocation programme has been undertaken to facilitate the vegetation clearance works. As part of this initial trapping and translocation contract external semi-permanent perimeter GCN exclusion fence, internal compartment GCN exclusion fence, pitfall traps, refugia tiles and steel access channels, in accordance with defined licensing agreements, have been established to facilitate the vegetation clearance works. The work comprises the felling and clearance of mature trees and scrub vegetation over an area of approximately 8.9 Hectares, construction of 4No. mitigation ponds and the creation of log piles and hibernacula and basking bank areas on site. All works areas will require advanced detailed scrutiny by the Employer’s ecologist team to ensure the areas to be felled and cleared are free of protected species insofar as possible before the works commences. The checks will be undertaken daily. All vegetation clearance works will be undertaken within the area cleared of protected species, and access will be through defined access points only. All work will be undertaken under the auspices of European Protected Species licences (EPSL) for GCN and Dormouse. The Contractor will be required to provide suitably qualified persons, with examples of working under the requirements of EPSL for GCN and Dormouse, to carry out the works for the duration of the contract. The Contractor will be required to provide evidence of their proposed personnel’s qualifications to the Employer for acceptance prior to the commencement of the contract.