Category The Tufa Field Ecology
3rd August 2026 Today sees the start of clearance work at the Tufa Field SNCI. In what seems to have become an annual event, once again, contractors are destroying a significant Butterfly and Moth breeding and feeding ground, at the… Continue Reading →
Ecology July is the main month for Butterfly and Moth activity, and this year is no different. Hundreds of Gatekeeper butterflies have been observed, together with Red Admiral, Brimstone, Large White, and an increasingly rare Silver Studded Blue. The… Continue Reading →
June 9th, 2026 Today the first development contract for the Supported Housing scheme has been published. This was awarded 6 months ago in a closed single bidder event, but has only now been published on the UK Government Contracts finder… Continue Reading →
Early risers may have noticed the return of the Dawn Chorus. At the Tufa Field, this phenomenon is particularly vibrant and, sadly, the last year we will hear it. You can listen live to the sounds of birds preparing for… Continue Reading →
Bath and North-East Somerset Council has passed it’s budget for the financial year 2026/27, commencing April 2026. Changes to central government funding, plus overspends from the 25/26 financial year mean that the budget includes both savings by reducing services, and… Continue Reading →
Unsurprisingly with the wettest winter since 2013, all 3 streams in the Tufa Field are now running freely. The East stream is in full flow, and creating significant marsh areas south of the reptile fence. The Main (Central) stream is… Continue Reading →
We are all familiar with birds nesting and their choice of nesting sites, but what about everyday living? Where do birds roost, and how important is it to know about these places? A new study from the University of Gloucester… Continue Reading →
Today, work started at the Tufa Field in preparation for building works to start next year. Workers are installing ( for the 3rd time) a reptile fence to allow large reptiles and amphibians within the curtelage to be relocated outside… Continue Reading →
Yesterday’s (11/09/25) Cabinet meeting approved expenditure for the Supported Housing scheme unanimously. The cost of this scheme, and consequent business case were not revealed, remaining a secret despite the commitment of public money. It remains to be seen whether the… Continue Reading →
While the Supported Housing Scheme at the Tufa Field is set to go ahead, the timescales for delivery remain in doubt. Leaving aside any delays due to funding, slow contractor bidding, and construction difficulties encountered as work progresses, there remain… Continue Reading →
2 responses to “Badgers and Balsam – why the Tufa Field scheme may suffer further delays.”
Undoubtedly there will be rare invertebrates breeding in your tufa springs (they are in our Oxfordshire examples) this site should not be developed. No surveys for tufa-breeding soldierflies done?
All surveys have been controlled by BANES, so only minimal input and no specialisms for Tufa flushes were included.