Lancashire and Somerset confirmed as pilot study sites for Badger Trust’s citizen science project

Volunteers encouraged to sign up to be ‘feet on the ground’ as State Of The Badger survey of badger population health begins.

State Of The Badger is Badger Trust’s first citizen-science project, as well as the first large-scale assessment of badger population health to be carried out since the mass culling of badgers began 10 years ago.

The project is about to begin its pilot stage, with Lancashire and Somerset confirmed as the first pilot study sites. These regions were chosen as they both support large and active existing networks of volunteers through local badger groups, as well as representing a non-cull zone, and 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 sites also contain broadly similar broad habitat distribution.

Led by Badger Trust, State Of The Badger (SOTB) will deliver the urgent action needed to assess the population health of badgers to better inform effective strategies for their protection and prevent their ongoing persecution.

Dr Hannah Trayford, Badger Trust Campaigns and Research Manager explained:

“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.”

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

Victoria Coulton, State of the Badger Research Coordinator 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 underrepresented 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.”

We need your help – get involved with State of the Badger

As a citizen science project, and for us to collect enough data to really understand the population health of badgers in Lancashire and Somerset, we will rely on enough volunteers signing up to be ‘our feet on the ground’ and doing sett surveys.

We would love to hear from you if you live in or near Lancashire or Somerset and can commit to surveying at least one 1km2 survey area over the 2023/24 autumn/winter months.

Yes, I can help!

If you would like to be involved in this exciting stage of the pilot project, please complete our Lancashire or Somerset SOTB pilot project form now.

FREE Badger Champions training programme.

We will provide all training free of charge to all Badger Champions who take part in this State Of The Badger Pilot Project. We anticipate training will commence towards the end of September 2023.

Thank you. By being part of the State of the Badger clan, you’ll be making a difference to badgers.

Unable to volunteer for this part of the project? Keep in touch.

If you are not local to either of these two areas or unable to volunteer at this moment, please keep in contact as we hope to expand the project soon. The project may include more locations or even desk-based volunteering opportunities.