Group History 1965 to 1987
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1965
On 21st June 1965 years of discussion
and complaint between naturalists
and the Forestry Commission and the
New Forest Hounds led to a meeting
between the protagonists to agree a
way forward that would offer some
protection to badgers and their setts without interfering too much
with the established practices of
the hunt. |
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At this
meeting were naturalist and wildlife
photographer/film maker, Eric Ashby;
the then Deputy Surveyor of the New
Forest, Arthur Cadnam; Oliver Hook;
Master of the New Forest Hounds, Sir
Newton Ryecroft and Bert Smith.
It was agreed to limit the methods
the hunt could use in stopping setts
during a fox hunt although Eric
Ashby remained unhappy about the use
of chemicals in stopping. |
Eric Ashby filming badgers |
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1971
On 1st June 1971 a letter was sent
to the then Deputy Surveyor, Don
Small, from Oliver Hook and Anthony
Kilburn expressing great concern
about the damage being done to the
badger population by hunt practices
and calling for another meeting with
themselves and Eric Ashby to discuss
the problem.
On 22nd June 1971 a meeting between
Head Forester, Fred Courtier; Oliver
Hook; Anthony Kilburn and Don Small
laid plans for a small group of
“...qualified badger watchers who
will be considered as a nucleus of a
“Badger Corps” to maintain an all
year round surveillance on a group
of setts.” (extract from letter D.
Small to O. Hook 23-7-71). Known
setts were to be marked on a map by
F. Courtier and O. Hook together
with details of occupation, stopping
etc. The aim was to “complete a 1971
census of all badger setts and will
be confidential.”
On 22nd December 1971 the New Forest
Badger Protection Group was formally
set up membership was by invitation.
In Progress Report No 1 (1971-73)
the objectives of the group were
listed as follows:
• To safeguard the New Forest
Badger.
• To study and record population
trends.
• To record badger deaths, including
those on the railway line.
• The membership was restricted to a
total of twenty four members
• A small advisory committee would
consider technical aspects of
management and conflicts that arose
which were in opposition to the
objectives and advise the group and
the Forestry Commission.
The Report then describes how a
complete survey of setts was done by
Forestry Commission employees and
members of the group and this map
formed the base for observations.
Each observer took responsibility
for recording setts near their home
using maps supplied by the Forestry
Commission and returning census
cards each year to the Head
Forester.
The Report describes how matters
such as sett stopping methods used
by the New Forest Hounds and
disturbance by forest operations had
been dealt with by the advisory
committee. “There remains some areas
of conflict which will be considered
by the Group and hopefully resolved
to the benefit of the badgers.” |
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The
Assistant District Officer had
produced a detailed report based on
the two years of census card returns
in the summary of which it was
stated:
“…there is a stable or slightly
increasing population of badgers in
the forest…”; “68% of setts […] are
active [and of those] 60% are
breeding setts. Approximately 120
cubs are produced each year…”
The conclusion of the Report
suggested ways that the information
could be made more useful to enable
more accurate estimation of the
population. |
In 1971, a
Forestry Commission and Badger Group survey estimated
the badger population. |
It laid down guidelines for
when and how often to visit setts. The conclusion of the
Report suggested ways that the information could be made
more useful to enable more accurate estimation of the
population and laid down guidelines for when and how
often to visit setts.
The Report was circulated as follows:
2 to the Deputy Surveyor; 30 to New Forest Staff; 30 to
the New Forest Badger Protection Group; 6 to Nature
Conservancy.
The Group meeting of 2nd March 1972, chaired by the
Deputy Surveyor, was much taken up with sett stopping by
the hunt.
• There was some discussion about the sett stopping
clause in the permission of the New Forest Hunt but the
Deputy Surveyor stated that he would not discuss policy
when challenged by Eric Ashby.
• The Advisory Body had suggested a stopping code for
the hunt earth stoppers and this would be issued to
group members and Forestry Commission keepers.
• Eric Ashby appealed for sett stopping to cease
altogether and drew on his experience over fifteen years
when he said badger sett stopping had increased to the
detriment of the badger. There was some argument around
this and the lines were drawn up roughly between hunt
staff or supporters and those who were not.
• The Deputy surveyor suggested to the Master of
Foxhounds that that there be no stopping after March.
The Master did not agree and expressed concern that no
stopping would result in damage to a sett by hounds
marking to ground.
• The Deputy Surveyor ruled that for the remainder of
the season active setts should only be stopped by paper
bags and asked for a list of active setts to be given to
the Master.
• It was agreed to circulate badger group members with a
list of hunt meets.
• Nine badgers had been found dead on the electrified
railway line in 1971 and three so far in 1972.
• AOB continued with the discussion of sett stopping
plus a short speech by the master on the necessity of
hunting foxes supported by one of the earth stoppers
present. There was some concern expressed about Forestry
Commission ground works interfering with setts.
• The next meeting was called for 9th November 1972
1972
During subsequent meetings sett stopping continued to be
a discussion topic along with difficulties in collecting
and collating data from sett record cards; danger from
forestry operations; statistics on badger deaths; length
of the foxhunting season. |
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In addition on 9th November
1972 there was much concern over the sale of badger cubs
by dealers and attempted digs in the Forest for both
badger and fox cubs. Discussion ensued about the value
or otherwise of publicising the group.
A decision was taken to lobby the local MP regarding
protection for badgers. |
1974
At a meeting on 7th March 1974 a silent tribute was made
to the late Oliver Hook whose efforts had led to the
early meetings of the group. The Chairman reported that
following four years of concern about stopping setts in
spring the Master of Hounds had proposed to stop
foxhunting after 2nd April. Also at this meeting the
translocation of badgers from Dibden Purlieu to a sett
in the Forest was discussed. There had been some adverse
publicity.
1977
In 1977 members were asked to increase their activities
to monitor the effect of public pressures on setts.
1979
In 1979 forestry operations versus badgers; sett
stopping versus badgers; the role of the sett record
cards and the role and constitution of the advisory body
were discussed.
1981
In 1981 a letter from the Deputy Surveyor, Don Small, on
the Ninth Report of the Badger Group suggesting that it
be wound up due to his impending retirement demonstrates
the extent to which the group was considered to be very
much part of the Forestry Commission and the members
voluntary workers. The Report in question also
demonstrates the comprehensive data documented over ten
years by the group the correlation of which was done by
Forestry Commission staff. Over that ten years some
changes to the original membership had occurred which
led the outgoing Deputy Surveyor to state on the Tenth
Report in 1982 that a distressing attitude had appeared
that he felt put the Badger Group “in danger of being a
platform for other activities”. |
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This reflects an earlier
statement from him in 1975 when Mr Kilburn raised the
subject of Ministry of Agriculture gassing setts in
Dorset and Somerset. Mr Small stated that “..it was
policy that the group should not become involved as a
protest or action group.” |
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He than states that it will
be Forestry Commission policy to ask for the resignation
of any member who uses the Group as a platform for any
other activity.
1986
In 1986 a formal constitution was drawn up and the word
Protection was dropped from the group name. The Aims and
Objectives of the Group were as follows:-
• to safeguard the New Forest Badgers
• to study and record populations, trends, and any other
matters relevant to the New Forest Badgers
• to record Badger deaths
• to become a full member of the National Federation of
Badger Groups
Membership of the group would initially comprise those
members of the New Forest Badger Protection Group as at
1st September 1986 plus the Deputy Surveyor, the
Recreation and Range Manager, the Head Keepers, New
Forest Keepers and the Head Forester (Conservation).
1987
The annual report of 1987 shows 40 members including
Forestry Commission employees and 24 of them were
watching 161 setts between them and reporting their
findings on the usual record cards. The data
extrapolated from these cards was compared with previous
years and provides a useful overview of the population
in the New Forest, which seems according to the figures
to have remained pretty stable overall. This year shows
a move away from the Deputy Surveyor being chairman
although both he and the Recreation Range manager were
Ex Officio members of the committee, the Keepers also
had a representative on the committee and the secretary
was also a Forestry Commission employee. The secretarial
costs were born by the Forestry Commission. Altogether
there were nine members on the committee.
to be continued…… |
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