Ecology

We work alongside leading ecologists to provide timely site information so that ecological matters can be managed from the start of any project and managed correctly during the construction.  

We offer a wide range of ecological solutions from wildlife fencing to sensitive tree removal and have worked on many protected sites. Nationally throughout the UK we can offer the following ecological services:

• Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (Phase 1 habitat study, desktop study, walkover survey to scope the site)

• Ecological Impact Assessments

• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)

• Phase 2 Vegetation Surveys

• Protected Species Surveys

• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) GIS Maps - Mandatory for most planning applications in England “To ensure that developments leave biodiversity in a better state than it was found.”

• BNG Area Calculations hectares / m2 for pre-development and post development, clear concise maps. DWG to GIS Conversion.

• Constraints and Opportunity GIS Mapping - we translate survey information into clear maps to help inform the design and as part of planning applications.

• Ecological Clerk of Works

• Photographic monitoring linked to maps

• Geographic Information System (GIS) Consultancy for Ecology

• Producing site location maps and aerial photograph interpretation

• Setting up an easy to use web mapping sites to show ecological information.

Click on our ecological survey calendar to help Project Managers to plan for ecology surveys.

 

For some protected species such as great crested newts, bats, dormice, and some bird species, specific licences are required for surveys. The timings given should be viewed as indicators only and are based on an average year. We always recommend that you consult an experienced Ecologist before undertaking any site work.

ABOVE : A more unusual photo of a slow worm (Anguis fragilis), that often get mistaken for snakes.

 

Ecology & GIS Mapping

We work with ecological data of all types, analysing, co-ordinating and digitising, to create meaningful GIS maps of our clients sites. We produce maps in a wide range of formats, helping them to understand the bigger ecological picture and to see how sites are changing over time. Our clients use this data to support planning applications, licence obligations and wider biodiversity objectives, as an aid to decision making, costing and ecological project management.  

We frequently get asked to analyse ecological survey data. For example we can create distance buffers from identified Great crested newt populations or around badger setts for exclusions zones. We produce high quality thematic maps that show clearly the ecological data from surveys in different colours so that any constraints and opportunities can be easily understood.

We utilise lots of different GIS/CAD software and can cater for virtually any file type. We frequently convert AutoCAD .DWG files to Shape files .SHP or MapINFO Tab or MIF/MID files.

We have expertise in GIS analysis, relational database design, spatial analysis, thematic cartography for Environmental Impact Assessments and producing web mapping portals to show ecology information alongside others such as tree surveys.

 

Mobile GIS for Ecology

We have created Phase 1 & 2 mobile data capture forms for a variety of Ecologists, bespoke to their needs and we produce their maps exclusively for them. This has largely been in ArcPAD, DigiTerra and PocketGIS. We are able to hire our sub metre GPS devices to Ecologists who need equipment fully setup for carry out ecological surveys. This enables them to do what they are best at and have the tools fully setup for efficient data capture. Click Here >>.

 

Please contact us today to find out more about our ecological services.

 

James England NDF, BSc(Hons)For, MicFor
Consultancy: GIS - Forestry - Arboriculture - Website Design