Major infrastructure projects

• Providing ecological advice on eleven Channel Tunnel Rail Link contracts for Kvaerner, Skanska, Balfour Beatty, Hochtief NorWest Holst JV, Hochtief Murphy JV, Costain, Kier Nuttall JV and others.
• Employed as ecological specialists for an extension of the Docklands Light Railway working for Temple Group. This project covered broad environmental issues and ECL's work included surveys of vegetation, black redstarts, reptiles, water voles, and wintering birds.
  View case study here

Rail industry

• Undertaking habitat and protected species surveys of railway corridors and assessments of other railway sites for Donaldson Engineers, Corus Rail, AMEC Rail, Rail First and BCM Construction.
• Ecological surveys and mitigation work for Amey Infrastructure Services, including reptile, badger, otter and bat surveys and a programme of reptile translocation and mitigation as part of a major construction project to re-open the Ebbw Vale Railway.
• Carrying out habitat and protected species surveys and recommending mitigation measures in addition to providing the ecology chapter of the Environmental Statement for a rail freight depot in Ditton. Other clients have included Innovis Widnes, Stobart Group and Bell Fischer Landscape Architects.

Housing & mixed development projects

• At the Leamouth Peninsula, East London we undertook ecological scoping, Phase 1 habitat and various protected species surveys, in addition to watching brief during demolition and advising on green and brown roofs for Waterman Environmental, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Ballymore and Martha Schwartz. View case study here
• At Enham Alamein in Hampshire ECL provided Phase 1 Habitat and protected species surveys and baseline reports of comprehensive data for the completion of an Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Working for Costain, we undertook bat surveys on a number of schools in Bradford leading to mitigation measures that included designing new roosts to fit into school walls and obtaining licenses to continue monitoring the site. View case study here

Local authorities & statutory agencies

• London Borough of Barnet commissioned ECL to carry out an extended Phase 1 habitat survey and protected species assessment at 9 school sites in the borough.
• Researching and preparing the Neighbourhoods Green - Spaces for Nature brochure for English Nature to help highlight the importance of green spaces for the residents of social housing. View case study here
• Input into the bespoke Integrated Habitat System for the Thames Estuary produced by the Environment Agency. ECL carried out a survey of inter tidal plant assemblages and associated environmental variables along approximately 32 km of river bank in the upper Thames Estuary and provided a range of analysis to determine plant communities and significant environmental determinants. View case study here

Civil Engineering, construction and highways industries

• Working for URS Corporation we provided the ecology chapter of the Environmental Impact Assessment on the new by-pass connecting A5 and A43 in Towcester as part of a major residential and business development. View case study here

Utilities including renewables

• For RWE Npower, baseline survey work for an ecological impact assessment of a wind farm in Essex. Phase 1 and protected species surveys including water vole, badger, great crested newt and bat were carried out and advice provided for mitigation for water voles and badgers.
• Provided bat expertise for an ecological survey for three proposed wind farm sites in the East Anglia region. View case study here
• Technical consultants conducting biodiversity studies, analysis of woodlands and planting plans for Carbon Offsetting scheme for Project Climate.

Sports and leisure facilities

• ECL has extensive experience of working on leisure facilities developments. We have carried out a number of projects throughout the UK, for companies providing 5-a-side soccer facilities. View case study here
• Phase 1 Habitat survey, extensive bat and reptile surveys and consultation with the local community as part of the Crystal Palace Park project for J&L; Gibbons on behalf of the LDA. View case study here

Urban ecology and green roofs

We believe that urban environments pose unique ecological issues that demand specialist advice. ECL has a long-standing reputation for advising on urban ecology and our experience of advising on London biodiversity issues is second to none.

• Providing consultancy to the government sector on sustainability and greening our capital. View case study here
• We have been involved in over 150 ecological impact assessments within Greater London, Birmingham and other urban centres for the public and private sectors.
• ECL is part of the Green Roof Consultancy, a consortium with Clear Environmental Consultants Ltd and livingroofs.org
• The Green Roof Consultancy authored the CIRIA Guide Building Greener - Guidance on the use of green roofs, green walls and complementary features on buildings, (CIRIA C644 2007).
• John Newton co-authored Building Green - a guide to using plants on roofs, walls and pavements published by the GLA 2004.

Nature conservation

Completing baseline surveys and providing detailed management plans are key aspects in ECL's work on a range of nature conservation projects.

• ECL has produced a suite of nature reserve management plans for London Wildlife Trust for sites with a wide range of habitats and associated management issues, such as chalk grassland at Saltbox Hill SSSI, Bromley, and Totteridge Fields lowland neutral meadows, London Borough of Barnet.
• ECL has surveyed three sites - Mill Hill Cemetery, East Finchley Cemetery and Westbourne Green - for London Conservation Services on behalf of the City of Westminster, focusing on bats and reptiles with the aim of enhancing their habitat. View case study here
• Recording vegetation types and dominant species, and bank and channel morphology of the River Lee. Mapping the results using GIS Mapping for the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. View case study here

Biodiversity research, education & training

Our research and training work covers the whole spectrum of biodiversity and sustainable development issues, including:

• Providing guidance on the incorporation of green roofs, green walls and other features in buildings for the CIRIA Building Greener research project.
• Training on Biodiversity Action Plan habitats and species identification tailored to client specifications.
• Working with the London Wildlife Trust at Sydenham Hill Wood to provide training workshops for the local community and undertaking research and conservation of local bat populations. View case study here