Ecology Survey | Ornithology Survey

At Arthian, we specialise in sustainable solutions that protect and enhance natural ecosystems, while ensuring your projects are delivered on time and to standard. Our expert ecology consultants provide tailored advice for environmental compliance, biodiversity conservation, and habitat management.

Ecology Consultancy

Ranging from surveys for bats and badgers, birds and beetles, our team can deliver a range of ecological services, including Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Ecological Impact Assessments, and Biodiversity Net Gain – resulting in an ecology service that’s holistic and comprehensive. Our team can provide:

Ecological support during the planning process
Input to Feasibility and Scoping Studies
Preliminary Ecological Appraisals
Biodiversity Net Gain assessments and support
Protected Species Surveys
Bird Surveys
Habitat Surveys
Ecological Clerk of Works / on-site support
Preparation of Ecological Impact Assessments
Habitat Regulations Assessment
Full Geographic Information System (GIS) capability in-house with ArcGIS and QGIS
Protected Species Licensing and Mitigation

The potential environmental impacts of proposed development must be assessed and may require a full Environmental Impact Assessment, or an Ecological Impact Assessment if EIA-regulations do not apply.

Ecology Consultancy: Preliminary Ecological Appraisals

A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) identifies potential ecological constraints for a project, such as protected species, habitats, and other environmental designations, and is the first stage of most ecological projects in the planning process. These reports offer a range of mitigation strategies and project plan adjustments to avoid ecological impacts to a site, and can offer important information about costs and potential actions which are critical for planning. Providing this information early ensures that projects proceed smoothly while adhering to environmental regulations. A PEA typically involves:

A desktop survey to assess habitats, potential species, and any ecological risks
An onsite survey, to assess those risks in real time
A report to summarise the findings and, where necessary, next steps

Ecology Consultancy: Biodiversity Net Gain

The UK government introduced mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain in England in 2021, requiring developments to demonstrate a minimum of a 10% percentage increase in biodiversity, measured by the Biodiversity Metric. Our team of ecologists can help you through each step of the process, ensuring you meet all Biodiversity Net Gain requirements:

Preparing for Biodiversity Net Gain: ideally, this will happen as soon as possible in a project’s design stages. This allows us to maximise all opportunities for sustainability, and mitigate possible risks before the design has become too advanced and less flexible.
Design for Biodiversity Net Gain: design should always prioritise biodiversity where possible. Key habitat considerations includes species identification and selection, location and connectivity, all in the context of the project.
Implementation for Biodiversity Net Gain: prior to the construction phase of the project, our team will identify retained habitats and create recommendations to protect them according to BNG design.
Maintenance and Management for Biodiversity Net Gain: BNG must be maintained for a minimum of 30 years. To achieve this, we can provide a detailed plan for monitoring and managing habitats. In most cases, this includes plans to care for newly planted habitats, and ongoing maintenance planning.

Protected Species Surveys
Our protected species surveys provide crucial insights for developers, ensuring that your projects comply with wildlife protection laws and avoid impacting vulnerable species. From bats and otters to reptiles and amphibians, our expert ecologists conduct thorough field surveys to identify the presence of protected species and assess their habitats. We deliver detailed reports with clear recommendations for ecology consultancy mitigation and conservation, helping you navigate legal requirements and minimise delays in the planning process. We offer surveys for:

Bats
Otters and water voles
Badgers
Dormouse
Pine marten and Scottish Wildcat
Red squirrel
Reptiles and amphibians such as great crested newt
Invertebrates
Aquatic species, such as fish and freshwater pearl mussels

Bird Surveys
Our bird surveys offer essential data to help developers assess the potential impacts of their projects on local avian populations. Whether you need breeding bird surveys, wintering bird assessments, or migratory species monitoring, our experienced ornithologists conduct detailed ecology consultancy surveys tailored to your site’s specific needs. We provide comprehensive reports outlining the presence of key species, their habitats, and any legal or ecological constraints. With clear guidance on mitigation strategies and protection measures, our bird surveys ensure that your project adheres to wildlife protection laws and promotes biodiversity, allowing you to move forward with confidence in sustainable development. Surveys include:

Schedule 1 Specially Protected Birds
Breeding birds (waders, raptors, divers, grouse, passerines)
Wintering and migrating species
Vantage Point surveys
Collision risk monitoring

Habitat Surveys
Our skilled ecologists conduct detailed habitat mapping and classification, following industry standards such as the UKHab and Phase 1 Habitat Survey methodologies. We deliver clear, actionable reports that outline habitat quality, potential ecological constraints, and recommendations for site design or mitigation where necessary. With a habitat survey, you can ensure your ecology consultancy project complies with environmental regulations, protects biodiversity, and supports sustainable development from the ground up. We offer the following habitat surveys:

Phase 1 Habitat/UKHab classifications
Habitat Regulations Assessment
National Vegetation Classification (NVC) surveys
Groundwater dependent terrestrial ecosystem (GWDTE) surveys
Full Geographic Information System capability in-house with ArcGIS and QGIS

When should I schedule my survey?

Timing is critical when it comes to conducting ecological surveys, as many species and habitats can only be accurately assessed during specific seasons. For example, breeding bird surveys are typically carried out in spring and early summer, while bat surveys often occur between May and September when bats are most active. Habitat assessments which are needed to inform BNG or detailed floral assessments are required to be done during the growing season when vegetation is fully developed; however early planning is key conducting your surveys at the right time not only ensures compliance with environmental regulations but also helps avoid costly delays in your project. Our team can guide you on the optimal survey schedule based on your project needs and regulatory requirements. Where protected species are likely present, we recommend a PEA be undertaken before March, to allow any protected species surveys to be scheduled without causing delay.

How will survey results affect my project?

Well-designed surveys and properly-processed data should alleviate the risk of unexpected issues late in the project timeline, when adjusting the design, access, landscaping or other matters can cause significant complications. Survey results will therefore allow your business to:

Create robust planning applications with fewer delays
Identify any ecological constraints, and make recommendations before proceeding with the project
Inform any design modifications required
Ensure compliance with local, national and international environmental laws
Put mitigation measures and conservation strategies in place, improving reputation and corporate social responsibility
Improving approval profits by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship
Reduce costs, as thorough environmental surveying at the beginning of a project can prevent a more significant financial loss due to compliance issues or project redesigns

What happens if protected species are found onsite?

If your proposed development site is found to be used by protected species – don’t panic! The presence of a protected species can and should be in many respects an outcome to celebrate. Every year the amount of positive PR generated noticeably increases via well-thought out developments which seek to ensure harmony between the site’s ecology and its proposed future use.

In many instances, a minor design change can address the risks, but where this is not the case, appropriate mitigation can range from changes to construction methods, retention of specific habitat or ‘green corridor’, a change in the timing of works, or even something as minor as altering construction access routes. In more significant cases, license applications and the removal of animals by hand can be carried out.

Many of us will have read horror stories in the press about newts causing delays: they focus on the fact that a newt is the cause of the delay when this is not the case. In most cases clear communication between the relevant stakeholders at an appropriate stage in the project is all that is needed to keep things on track. As professional ecologists this is the outcome we want to achieve for your project and we will be happy to help you navigate through the process.