Woodland management company restores Handforth wildlife habitat after admitting liability for damage

A woodland management company has restored a wildlife habitat in Handforth after admitting liability for damaging it.

The firm carried out the restoration after admitting to the offence of ′disturbing nesting birds′ at a site earmarked for new development at ′The Race′, next to Caldy Road in Handforth.

Disturbing nesting birds is an offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

The incident occurred during February 2014 when an area of woodland was cut down by the company on behalf of a developer prior to an application for housing being submitted.

Cheshire Police Wildlife Crime Officer PC Jim Day, who works as part of the Knutsford Rural Watch Scheme, conducted a joint investigation with RSPCA Inspector Andy Harris.

The woodland management company was investigated and admitted liability for disturbing nesting birds at the site.

In the interest of all those concerned, police made a decision to take a Restorative Justice approach to repair the damage which had been caused.

Under Restorative Justice, the woodland management company produced an Ecology Enhancement Plan. This resulted in the company re-sustaining the wildlife habitat by placing six bat boxes, three open-fronted Robin boxes, three Blue Tit boxes and four hedgehog boxes around the site.

PC Jim Day said: “This type of incident shows that we take wildlife crime seriously in Cheshire.

“Through a joint police investigation with our partners at the RSPCA, the company acknowledged that they had done wrong and paid £1,500 to put the matter right by installing bird, bat and hedgehog boxes around the woodland site which we believe has put these wrongs right.”

RSCPA Inspector Andy Harris said: “When development of land is planned the wildlife in it is often not taken seriously enough. A comprehensive habit survey needs to be carried out for all animals that could live on the land before any work takes place.”

There is no suggestion that the developer of the site was involved or at fault in the matter.