Ecological Surveys

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At ESG our experienced ecology team provide a wide variety of botanical and habitat surveys, these form an important element of any Preliminary Ecological Assessment, Ecological Impact Assessment, Biodiversity Net Gain calculation process, and BREEAM assessment. 

A wide variety of botanical/habitat surveys can be provided (based on scope of the required assessment), these include:

• UK Habitat (UKHab) Classification Surveys 
• Phase 1 & 2 Habitat Surveys 
• National Vegetation Classification (NVC) Surveys 
• Habitat Condition Assessment 
• Modular River Surveys (MoRPh) Surveys
• Hedgerow Regulations Assessment Surveys
• Arable Weed Surveys 

If you require any habitat and botanical surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Whether to fulfil planning obligations, to provide the required information to successfully inform an Ecological Assessment, or to contribute to a Habitats Regulations Assessment, ESG can provide all of your required ornithological surveys. 

Depending on the intended target species methodologies vary significantly as do the seasonality of the surveys, generally survey efforts are split between targeting breeding species or wintering/passage birds. Survey methods provided by ESG include the following:

• Wintering and Passage Bird Surveys 
• Vantage Point (VP) Bird Surveys
• Breeding Bird Surveys 
• Nocturnal Bird Surveys 
• Wetland Bird Surveys
• Upland Breeding Wader Surveys
• Species Specific Surveys

If you require bird surveys to inform your planning application or nesting bird checks to demonstrate legislative compliance, please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

All species of British bat are protected under domestic and European legislation. Therefore information regarding roosting and foraging/commuting bats is commonly required to inform planning applications and permitted development applications based on the scale and likely impact of the project.

ESG can provide all of your bat surveys requirements, including:

• Preliminary Roost Assessments
• Bat Activity Transect Surveys
• Bat Emergence / Re-entry Surveys
• Automated Bat Activity Monitoring Surveys
• Swarming Surveys

Survey results provide information required to satisfy planning requirements, informing proportionate mitigation and/or compensation measures, implemented under a mitigation licence if required. 

If you require you require a preliminary roost assessment or  surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Water Vole and Otter

Water Vole and Otter and their habitats receive full legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Otter also receives full protection under European legislation, and are therefore, a material consideration within the planning process.

If works are proposed within relatively close proximity to watercourses, ditch networks and other areas of aquatic and nearby terrestrial habitats, further survey information may be required in respect to these species to inform planning applications, satisfy planning conditions, and achieve legislative compliance for  permitted development works. 

Surveys are undertaken by highly experienced ecologists and involve visual searches of suitable aquatic and terrestrial habitats for the species. An alternative survey methodology involves the use of qualified and skilled water vole search dogs and handlers; ESL can work with our partners to deliver these services.

If you require Water Vole or Otter surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

 European Beaver

Beavers  have received full protection under domestic and European legislation in Scotland since 2019 and since 2022 in England and Wales.

Since the reintroduction of the species ESG ecologists have become familiar and experienced with beaver ecology and field signs within the UK and can undertake robust and dependable surveys for the species and inform appropriate mitigation / compensation measures required to achieve legislative compliance.  

If you require Beaver surveys and mitigation please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Badgers and their setts (tunnels and chambers where they live) are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Damaging and disturbing a badger whilst occupying a sett is illegal, with works within 30m of a sett restricted to certain low impact actions, permanent impacts would likely require a mitigation licence to proceed, therefore planning and designing projects requires badgers to be considered at an early stage.

The team at ESG are highly skilled at undertaking badger surveys required for development applications and to inform actions such as permitted development works. Survey methods can include the following methods:

• Badger Walkover Survey (setts and field signs)
• Automated Camera Monitoring Monitoring Survey 
• Badger Bait Marking Surveys 
• Pre-commencement Survey 

If you require Badger surveys or further mitigation  please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Hazel dormice are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and Schedule 2 of Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended). Therefore, they are a material consideration within the planning process.

If suitable habitats such as broadleaved woodland, scrub, hedgerows and young coniferous plantations are likely to be impacted and the project is located within the known range of the species. Hazel Dormice Surveys are likely to be required to inform planning applications and achieve legislative compliance. 

The ecology team at ESG undertake dormice surveys throughout England and Wales, adopting a variety of methods, including:

• Nest Tube / Nest Box Surveys
• Nut Searches
• Pre-commencement Searches (using the persuasion methodology)

Surveys can prove presence/absence evidence and if present population size estimates, to inform proportionate mitigation or compensation measures, implemented under a mitigation licence if required. 

If you require Dormice surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Within the UK a variety of other mammal species receive varying levels of protection under domestic and European law and may require consideration in order to achieve legislative compliance, these species include:

• Red Squirrel 
• Pine Marten
• Mountain Hare
• Scottish Wildcat

In addition a variety of mammal species are listed as 'priority species' within the planning process, these include:

• Brown Hare
• Western Polecat
• European Hedgehog
• Harvest Mouse

ESG are highly experienced in species-specific survey methodology and regularly undertake mammal surveys and assessments to inform planning applications, permitted developments and forestry permits, and where necessary inform species specific mitigation strategies.  

If your project requires species specific surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Deer Surveys

In addition, ESG provide Deer Survey services, commonly employed to inform transport related applications, and forestry / estate management practices. Surveys can provide population size estimates, to inform proportionate management measures if required.

If you require  surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

In mainland UK Great Crested Newts, Natterjack Toads, and Pool Frogs receive full protection under domestic and European legislation. In Northern Ireland the Smooth Newt receives full protection under domestic law. In the the Isle of Man Common Frog is also a fully protected species and Western Common Toad and Agile Frog  fully protected within the Channel Islands.

The ESG ecology team regularly carry out a wide variety of amphibian surveys in adherence to the species specific licencing requirements. Most notably Great Crested Newt surveys are commonly undertaken to inform planning applications and associated mitigation strategies. Our fully qualified and licensed amphibian specialists have significant survey experienced with all native amphibians.

Surveys undertaken by ESG include (but not limited too):

• Great Crested Newt Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) Assesment Surveys 
• Great Crested Newt (and Smooth Newt in NI) Bottle Trapping Surveys 
• Terrestrial Search Surveys 
• Spawn / Egg Searches
• Natterjack Toad Nocturnal Surveys 
• Natterjack Toad Toadlet Surveys 

In addition the ESG team regularly provide environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling services, with laboratory analysis provided by fully licenced and certified partner organisations. This can provide a reliable and cost effective way of demonstrating Great Crested Newt presence or absence, which is often sufficient to inform planning applications and to satisfy the mitigation licence or District Level Licensing (DLL) (England only) application process.

If you require Great Crested Newt, Natterjack Toad or other Amphibian surveys, or support with appropriate mitigation measures, please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

The Sand Lizard and Smooth Snake receive full protection under domestic and European legislation within mainland Britain. With Adder, Grass Snake, Slow Work, and Common Lizard also recieving protection under domestic legislation. In Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man Common Lizard is the only native reptile species and is fully protected under domestic law. Additionally, both Green Lizard and Wall Lizard are native in the Channel Islands and along with slow worm receive full domestic protection.

The ESG team have an in-depth knowledge and experience of native reptile species and are fully licenced to undertake species specific surveys (such as sand lizard and smooth snake surveys).

Surveys are regularly required to support planning applications, inform land management proposals, and to demonstrate legislative compliance. Our surveys regularly include:

• Presence/Absence Surveys
• Population Estimate Surveys 
• Pre-commencement Surveys 

Surveys can prove presence/absence evidence and if present population size estimates, to inform proportionate mitigation or compensation measures, implemented under a mitigation licence if required.

If you require Reptile surveys and mitigation support please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

The White Clawed Crayfish is listed under the Habitat and Species Directive and is protected Under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). It is also classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. 

Our ecology team are fully licenced to undertake crayfish as surveys, which are carried out after the breeding season between July and October, and prior to the breeding season in April. A variety of survey methodologies can be employed depending on the condition of the watercourse, such as funnel trapping, torch surveys, manual presence/absence and population estimate surveys. 

In addition the ESG team regularly provide environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling services, with laboratory analysis provided by fully licenced and certified partner organisations. This can provide a reliable and cost effective way of demonstrating White-clawed crayfish presence or absence.

Surveys are commonly required to inform permitted developments and planning applications that impact suitable watercourses within the species range, and where necessary, inform mitigation licence applications.

If you require Crayfish surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

Invertebrate surveys are regularly requested by statutory consultees when proposed works impact habitats capable of potentially supporting important populations or specific species or important species assemblages, such as open mosaic (brownfield) habitat, unimproved grassland, sand dunes, ancient woodland, fen, and river habitats. In addition, a variety of statutory designated sites are protected for specific invertebrates and surveys may be required on adjacent land that is functionally linked to the site, such as Southern Damselfly surveys in wetlands adjacent to a designated site for the species.

Our invertebrate specialists at ESG undertake a wide variety of site specific invertebrate surveys to inform planning applications and management works, including (but not limited to):

• Pitfall trapping 
• Sweep netting 
• Butterfly transects 
• Moth trapping 
• Aquatic invertebrate sampling 
• Dragonfly Surveys 

ESG can negotiate appropriate and proportionate survey efforts with statutory consultees, in order to avoid unnecessary costs and project delays. If you require invertebrate surveys please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk

A wide variety of invasive non-native plant and animal species are listed under Schedule 9 of The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) or the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019,

It is an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow in the wild, plant species listed within Schedule 9; this includes allowing the species to grow/spread, spreading the species or transferring polluted ground material from one area to another.

Any waste and soil containing invasive non-native plant species listed under Schedule 9 of The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) is also classed as controlled waste and as such must be disposed of safely at a licensed landfill site according to the Environmental Protection Act (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991. 

ESG regularly undertake invasive species surveys on behalf of clients in order to inform project constraints plans, planning applications, land management options, and to satisfy planning conditions. Our team has significant experience in suitable species-specific control measures and can produce invasive species control plans. 

If you require Invasive species surveys or further  advice please contact us using the 'contact us' function below or alternatively email info@ecologyskillsgroup.co.uk