Seabank Repairs/Scrub Removal Along Commissioners Bank, Tetney Marshes

If the project was designed to exclude badgers, it seems not to have worked. Sett-building has resumed with a vengeance. Crafty animals - badgers. I suspect almost a mile's length of hawthorn habitat for migrants may have been removed by the EA to no worthwhile purpose. Anyone no know how much the work cost?

Sadly, work resumed this morning on removal of hedgerow (mostly hawthorn ) along the seabank. I wrote to the EA, basically asking them to hold back, but to no avail. I didn’t even get a reply.
I’ll miss that hedgerow - good migration habitat for warblers chats, finches and buntings.

Thanks for that update, Ian. Those hawthorn bushes are important and ought to be retained. I’m surprised that the EA is not showing more sensitivity on this

The Environment Agency are about to begin repairs to the section of seabank, including badger sett, which was breached by/temporarily repaired after the December 2013 tidal surge. Plans to relocate the badger sett to adjacent farmland were apparently rebuffed by the landowners, so the sett will be reinforced during the seabank repairs. The seabank will be closed to public access from late Sept/early Oct until at least late December.A local birder has spoken to the EA project manager re this work. It transpires that in addition to the work in the short section of seabank noted above, EA intend to remove all large bushes for 2km south along the seabank " to prevent badgers from relocating". The EA attitude seems to be that the clearance of these large areas of seabank scrub/hedgerows is of no significant consequence as there are plenty of nearby farmland hedgerows to offset their removal. I suspect most, if not all, local birders would hold a different view. The seabank borders, but I understand is not within, RSPB Tetney Marshes reserve. I know not whether there were/are any RSPB/EA disccussions re this work. The contact details for EA re this matter are -
Sam Hooley, Project Manager, Environment Agency
033708 506 506
enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk