New bridge for dormice on A361

Link Road upgrade to include a bridge... for dormice!

As the second year of the multi million pound work to upgrade the A361 draws to a close, ecologists have discovered that rare dormice are thriving alongside the busy road.

Now, a special bridge is to be created at West Buckland to help the tiny mammals cross safely, and 150 new dormouse nest boxes are being put up - 45 are already being lived in!

Photo courtesy Devon Dormouse Rescue

Ecologist Frances Vallely, from environmental consultancy TACP, believes that North Devon’s landscape is helping the species to thrive in the area near the Link Road. “The mix of habitats next to the A361 have proved to be optimal for dormice, and our work here will be helping towards national guidance on where you’re most likely to find them,” said Frances.

“It’s unusual to find so many in an area like this, but it’s because the hedgerows and connectivity in North Devon are so good. Many traditional hedgerows have been left undisturbed as fields haven’t been widened in the way they have in other counties.”

The dormouse crossing will be built into the new bridge being constructed at the West Buckland junction. It will make it possible for the dormouse population to expand to suitable habitats in the local area. Dormice don’t usually go far when foraging at night, however they are known to travel up to 5km with seasonal changes.

Although the majority of work has been creating new habitats for dormice, there has also been work with otters, reptiles and bats. Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said, “Every effort is being made to ensure that the environmental impact is reduced as much as possible. Even before work started, we made sure that new hedgerows and 20,000 trees were planted, and a huge amount of work is going into protecting wildlife and creating habitats for them.” See page 50 for A361 roadworks scheme update

One of the dormouse nest boxes along the A361