Rebuilding Bridges

A pilot to study to understand wildlife movement across 2 structures over the M27 in Hampshire, UK

The Problem

Fragmentation is where elements such as roads and other linear infrastructure divide the landscape into separate patches of land. These patches of land act like islands in the greater landscape and some provide appropriate habitat for wildlife whereas, others will be so degraded that very little can survive there.

Across the world, we have exisiting structures that go over or under roads and they could be better suited to provide connectivity for native wildlife.

We have identified numerous structures on the highway near our international headquarters in the UK and have begun monitoring 2 on the site of the Bursledon Brickworks.

Our aim is to understand how they are currently used by wildlife and then design ecological enhancements to increase the diversity of species that will use the structure.

What’s moving across?

Since summer 2022 we have been monitoring the 2 bridges using trail cameras.

The cameras have been positioned at the end of each structure and the animals observed to use them most are:

  • European badger Meles meles

  • Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

  • Red fox Vulpes vulpes

  • European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

Although we are still monitoring the bridges and have more data to process we have identified that the bridges are not currently being used significantly by birds, dormice, invertebrates, bats, reptiles and amphibians.

We have therefore been considering what enhancements could be made to increase biodiversity and wildlife connectivity across these structures.

Enhancements

The design of our enhancements has been influenced by the following key factors:

  • Low cost

  • Multi-species suitability

  • Easy installation & removal

  • Low maintenance

  • Biodiversity net gain

  • Highways compliant

As part of this process, we have come to develop the first iteration of the Animex Habitat Highway.

We are currently awaiting feedback from the highways technical team to inform us when we can deploy this. Once the pilot enhancements are installed we will continue to monitor the structures and compare the use of them by wildlife with our current data.

Keep your eyes peeled for future updates on this page and on our social media.

If you would like to find out more please get in touch.

Conceptual before an after images of a concrete footpath being enhanced with the Animex Habitat Highway to create native scrub and wildflower corridors.