VOLUNTEERS from the Wellington area are being encouraged to join the first citizen-science project assessing the health of badger populations since Government-ordered mass culling began 10 years ago.

The Badger Trust wants people to be its ‘feet on the ground’ for a ‘State Of The Badger’ (SOTB) survey, the first large-scale assessment of badger health since culling started. 

The trust has selected Somerset, and also Lancashire, for a pilot stage of the project because they both already support large and active networks of volunteers through local badger groups.

Lancashire represents a non-cull zone while Somerset is an area where badger populations have been culled as part of a Government effort to reduce transmission of mycobacterium bovis in cattle (bTB).

The two counties also contain similar broad habitat distribution.

The SOTB project is intended to deliver urgent action to assess the population health of badgers to better inform effective strategies for their protection and prevent their ongoing persecution.

Badger Trust campaigns and research manager Dr Hannah Trayford said: “Badger Trust is a small charity aiming to make a big impact.

“This is why we have partnered with other charities and universities to undertake a project of this scale and with the invaluable support of local groups and communities across the country.”

The ambitious project’s pilot stage has been funded by the John Spedan Lewis Foundation, with additional financial support from LUSH, along with a number of other supporting organisations and individuals.

Victoria Coulton, SOTB research co-ordinator for Badger Trust, said: “State of the Badger is for the benefit of people as much as it is for badgers.

“We believe strongly that we protect what we love, and we believe that people will love badgers once they get to know them.

“We are reaching out to under-represented groups and those not currently engaged in badger or nature conservation through our badger champions training programme.

“We hope that this pilot will be the first in a series of studies to address gaps in our knowledge and help us better conserve Britain’s most iconic native mammal.”

Volunteers will be asked to survey setts in small areas during the 2023-24 autumn and winter months to help collect enough data for Badger Trust to understand the population health of badgers.

Training will be provided free of charge for all badger champions taking part in the pilot, starting toward the end of September.

An application form for anybody who wants to join the project can be found here.