My Master's project examined the effectiveness of building stone piles for stoats in intensively managed fruit-tree cultures in Valais, Switzerland. Agricultural intensification and the clearance of natural landscapes have led to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. To address this, it is essential to implement measures that support species impacted by these changes. Installing stone piles and other small structures in agricultural areas is believed to provide shelter, breeding sites, and food resources for wildlife.
To monitor the presence and activity of stoats and other small mammals, camera trapping was conducted in fall 2023 and spring 2024. Additionally, I mapped the characteristics of the stone piles and surrounding landscape features and evaluated the relative abundance of voles, the primary prey species for stoats.
The ultimate goal of this research is to provide evidence-based recommendations on how to design and strategically place stone piles in the environment to improve conditions for stoats and their populations in intensively managed agricultural landscapes.
