Entomos Ecology
Services
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal
A preliminary ecological appraisal extends the Phase 1 habitat survey to collect information on any habitats that have planning policy protection and assess the potential of habitats present to support legally protected or planning policy protected species. This is normally supported by an ecological desk study which collates information on nearby designated sites which could be impacted by the development, and records of legally protected and planning protected species, to assist with determining the potential ecological constraints that could be present on a site.
Protected Species Surveys, Licencing and Mitigation
Protected species surveys are a legal requirement for determining a planning application for a proposed development. The requirement for these can be determined in the preliminary ecological appraisal. At Entomos ecology we have experience with conducting surveys, mitigation and writing mitigation licences for European protected species and mitigation method statements for those species with a lower level of protection. The following list is those species which are most often encountered and may require surveys and mitigation:
- Great Crested Newts
- Reptiles
- Bats
- Dormice
- Badgers
- Water voles
- Otters
- Birds
- White-clawed crayfish
Botanical Surveys
Occasionally for some sites further botanical surveys may be required - this could include National Vegetation Classification (NVC) surveys, scarce plant surveys and hedgerow surveys. At Entomos Ecology we also have experience with some less common botanical surveys.
Invertebrate Surveys
Entomos Ecology has the knowledge and expertise to offer invertebrate surveys to other ecology consultancies which may not have the in-house personnel, equipment and keys. We have a wide range of experience managing, surveying and the subsequent identification on a wide range of invertebrate projects, including sites hundreds of hectares in size.
Terrestrial invertebrate surveys when required are often to provide an assessment of a site's value for the invertebrate assemblages present, although surveys can be targeted towards specific habitats or species as required.
Aquatic invertebrate surveys conducted are sometimes with the samples collected identified to species level, however more often survey results are identified to family level to look at the water quality.
We can also offer a site walkover to do an initial assessment for invertebrates as often the need for further invertebrate surveys can fall outside of the expertise of many ecological consultants.
Ecological Management Plans, Ecological Impact Assessments and Habitat Regulations Assessments
An ecological management plan may be required by the local planning authority, BREEAM or CfSH to show how habitats will be maintained for legally protected species mitigation or for a variety of other reasons. We have experience providing ecological management plans for a wide range of habitats and reasons.
Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) may be required for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) but can also be used on any development site to identify significant ecological impacts. We can provide scoping EcIAs, full EcIAs and the surveys required to inform them.
If the development of a site could impact upon a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or a Special Protection Area (SPA) then a Habitats Regulations Assessment may be required to assess the level of impacts upon the sites. At Entomos Ecology we have particular experience at providing these for heathland and wetland habitats.
BREEAM and CfSH Reports
For BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) credits are achieved for ecology. Entomos Ecology can help a project to maximise its ecology credits, we can provide a report detailing recommendations to achieve credits.