The South Pembrokeshire Ranges Recording Advisory Group at the Brownslade Barrow Project 2004-06 at Castlemartin Range has won top prize in the MOD's annual conservation awards.
The project unearthed an archaeological monument on a Bronze Age burial mound, as well as human bones. The large badger population in the area and the disturbance being caused by them to the site led to the initiation of a resettlement project involving the construction of a new badger sett, working with specialist ecologists to move the badgers and then arranging for archaeologists to carry out excavation of the site.
More than 1,000 bone fragments were found which are being analysed by specialists at the University of Lampeter, Ceredigion.
Lt. Col. Johnny Rogers, chairman of the South Pembrokeshire Range Recording and Advisory Group, said: "On behalf of everyone who has been involved in this project, I am really delighted to receive this award. The project was very well planned and executed. It was particularly exciting to learn what the excavation revealed, gratifying to be able to protect this important monument and satisfying to know that the badgers are safely settled into their new home."
Work on the site continues and badger proof fences have been erected around the site to safeguard the undamaged areas and preserve this nationally important monument.