UES have recently completed a dormouse survey of a site in Oxfordshire. The proposed development involves the removal of a number of trees along a woodland edge to form encampments.
UES completed an Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey of the site in May 2011. The survey highlighted areas of low coppiced hazel, coppiced silver birch, blackthorn and honeysuckle within the woodland which have some potential for use by dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius).
UES completed a desk study of the site, which found records of dormice in a SSSI woodland near to the proposed site, as such dormouse presence / absence surveys were completed, which involved searching the site for hazelnuts that had been characteristically gnawed by dormice.