| |
Summary of Services
We
are specialist consulting ecologists with expertise
in a broad range of habitats and species found
in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments
and a wide range of arboricultural services specialising in planning and health and safety inspections.
We are committed to working to the highest professional
and technical standards. To that end, our consultants
have River Habitat Survey (RHS) and GeoRHS accreditation
from the Environment Agency, a technique approved by SEPA.
We also have Personal Track Safety
certification to allow us to work on the rail network
and a range of licences permitting us to survey
protected species.
Our
aim is to offer an effective interface between
developers and industry on the one hand and legislation
and regulators on the other; in order to lighten
the burden of compliance. We do this by offering
the following services: >Arboricultural Services
>Ecological Surveys
>Enhancement, Mitigation and Compensation
>Interpretation and Assessments
>Monitoring and Management
>Public Inquiry
>Research and Training
Arboricultural Services
- Health and safety tree surveys and inspections
- Planning and development, BS: 5837 tree surveys
- Planning and TPO appeals
- Woodland management plans
- Tree planting schemes
- Expert witness
- Arboricultural monitoring
Ecological Surveys
- Phase 1 habitat and hedgerow surveys
- Phase 2
NVC surveys
- River corridor surveys
- Reptile and amphibian
surveys, including great crested newts
- Breeding
and wintering bird surveys
- Mammal surveys, including
bats, otters, water voles and badgers
- Use
of standard or appropriately modified survey
methodologies
- Biological water quality surveys
and aquatic invertebrate surveys
Enhancement, Mitigation and Compensation
- Ecological input to scheme design to minimise impacts
- Evaluation of site suitability for species translocations and habitat creation
- Design of habitat creation and restoration schemes
- Design of new habitats and artificial sites for protected species
- Design of on-site protected species mitigation, including species exclusion and translocation
- Supervision and assistance with the implementation of on-site ecological mitigation
Interpretation and Assessments
- Analysis of survey information and
data
- Evaluation of nature conservation value in
accordance with established criteria
- Assessments
of development and other impacts in accordance
with Institute of Ecology and Environmental
Management guidelines
- Comment on applicable
nature conservation legislation and policy
- Reviews
of Ecological Impact Assessments and other ecological
documents
- Ecological input to Environmental Scoping
Studies, Environmental Statements, Strategic
Environmental
Impact Assessments, etc
- Preparation of information
to inform Appropriate Assessments under the Habitats
Regulations
- COMAH assessments
Monitoring and Management
- Design of ecological monitoring protocols
- Provision of ecological clerk of works during construction works
- Pre- and post- project monitoring of habitat creation and restoration schemes
- Pre- and post- project monitoring of species populations affected by developments
- Design and supervision of ecological management regimes for all habitats
Public Inquiry
- Preparation of Proofs of Evidence
- Representation at public inquiries
Research and Training
- Design and implementation of ecological
research projects
- Statistical analysis of ecological
data
- Provision of short training courses and seminars
in ecological and arboricultural techniques
|
