CONSULTANCY SERVICES
General Aquatic Habitat Improvement
We offer services from free advice over the phone, to site visits with formal bound reports. This will detail practical management to improve the environment of your pond or lake and its surroundings. It will analyse particular problems that you may be concerned about in practical terms. In addition we will detail costs involved with curing them.
Phase 1: Habitat Surveys
A Phase 1 Habitat Survey is carried out to provide a simple ecological audit of a site. It provides valuable ecological information useful for site management and environmental planning, and can be vital in supporting planning applications.
It consists of recording the different habitats and vegetation information for a site, including a list of dominant species per habitat type, highlighting particularly important features and including a basic habitat assessment.
A phase 1 habitat survey usually includes the following:
- Desk Study (looking at existing ecological data for the site)
- Field Survey
- Written Report
- Map (JNCC standard)
The phase 1 habitat survey will follow the JNCC guidelines, the industry standard, but will also include other assessments if they are needed.
Further on our site you can read of common problems and management solutions.
Great Crested Newt Surveys for Planning Applications
An initial visit and detailed evaluation of the site by one of our highly experienced consultants will establish the likely presence of great crested newts. It will also determine if the intended works are likely to have an adverse effect on a population if present and if a full survey is required, with mitigation measures put in place.
This detailed assessment of the site will analyse valuable habitat areas in the locality of the proposed building area. It will explain with reasoned habitat description the potential or otherwise of newt and general amphibian habitat. It will produce a reasoned risk assessment with sensible and practical recommendations on protecting newts and their habitat, while building works are being carried out.
In many instances this initial report can demonstrate that a full survey is not required saving considerable expense. Also the earlier this report is commissioned the more likely you are to have the correct window for a full survey (March to June).
Long term planning of environmental management with a view to future local planning application is advised. Putting a plan in place to enhance the habitat and safe guard existing valuable areas within the site will be looked upon more favourably. We can help with this plan.
