FG14: Badger gate

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the badger gate item.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
7 November 2023 — See all updates
Grant type:
Capital item
Land use:
Biodiversity, Livestock management, Uplands and Woodland
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier, Mid Tier and Standalone capital items
Funding (per unit per year):
Up to £100

How much will be paid

£61.81 per gate.

Where to use this item

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier Capital Grants and Woodland Tree Health Grants but only on badger routes that are in use at the moment, and are restricted by a new fence line which is being funded through Countryside Stewardship.

Where this item cannot be used

  • In existing fence lines
  • In newly erected fences supporting wet grasslands for breeding waders

How this item will benefit the environment

As badgers can pass freely through the fence this item reduces the damage they cause to fence lines (which were themselves installed to benefit habitats through appropriate grazing, and so on).

Requirements

You must:

  • construct the badger gate to the following dimensions:

    • flap - 250 millimetres (mm) by 200mm by 40mm
    • lintel - 285mm by 40mm by 40mm
    • floor block - 205mm by 40mm by 40mm
    • two uprights - 450mm by 40mm by 40mm
  • use wood treated with a non-toxic, low odour, preservative product
  • make sure no nails or rough sawn edges are left exposed
  • fit the gate frame and floor block into the fence, stapling the wire to the wooden frame
  • sink the frame into the ground until the floor block sits at ground level
  • allow a period for the badgers to use the open gate, and then fit the wooden flap, holding it at the top on a pivot, so it can open and close freely both ways, or
  • fit the flap with the rest of the gate and hold it open with wire until the badgers start using the gate regularly
  • only use materials that meet the relevant British Standards - see copies of the most up-to-date standards for guidance

Keeping records

You must keep the following records and supply them with your payment claim:

  • photographs of the completed work.

You must keep the following records and supply them on request:

  • any consents or permissions connected with the work
  • receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • photographs of the existing site before work starts
  • item specification, if required

Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the relevant Mid Tier, Higher Tier or Capital Grants guidance for more detail. You can find the latest guidance at Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage.

You can only use this item on the same area and in conjunction with one or more of the following items and supplements:

Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this item

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

How to choose a site

Before putting up a fence, check the proposed fence line carefully for badger runs or paths. Runs will be most clearly visible during the spring, when badger activity is high and vegetation is not at full height. Well-used paths will often be distinct and relatively clear of vegetation because of repeated trampling.

Before installing the gate

  • cut a gap in the netting approximately 200mm wide by 300mm high where the fence crosses a badger run
  • leave the gap open until badgers are regularly using it
  • cut extra holes in any places along the fence where damage occurs (for extra gates to be installed)

You should install the gate(s) in the gap(s) once badgers have become used to the fence.

How to maintain the gate

Check the gate regularly to make sure it does not become blocked or fall into disrepair.

Biodiversity

This item has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holding’s situation and potential.

The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.

Further information

Find out how to avoid harming badgers and whether a licence is needed.

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Capital Grants including how to apply.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 7 November 2023 + show all updates

  1. Removal of text confirming FG14 Badger gate availability under Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot), as the SFI Capital offer is no longer available.

  2. 'Where to use this item' section updated to include detail on SFI pilot.

  3. Page updated to show latest record keeping

  4. Capital item now includes woodland.

  5. Updated for 2017 applications.

  6. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  7. First published.

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