Invertebrate Surveys

It is important to follow the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 under which these species are protected. Many species are classed as UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) priority species and therefore of principal importance under the NERC Act. This places a duty on planning authorities “to have regard” for those species when determining planning permission.

From working on small-scale survey projects to larger monitoring roles with Natural England, The Ecology Consultancy has the experience and enthusiasm to help you ensure your project is completed quickly and cost-effectively. Assessment of risk is normally treated pragmatically and invertebrates only become an issue where the populations are particularly large, or several, or exceptionally rare species are found. For many invertebrate species soft landscaping and green roofs can be very effective at mitigating and can form an important way to reverse the decline of urban wildlife caused by the ongoing loss of habitats such as brownfield land and gardens.

Our expert consultants can advise on all aspects of invertebrate conservation from recommending surveys, to mitigation, and habitat creation or management.

Projects we have worked on in the past include:

• Aquatic survey of the M25 widening programme. We are undertaking an extensive five-year monitoring programme to assess the impacts of improvements on river quality following improvements in the pollution control systems for the widened road.
• Carder bee survey and mitigation at Tilbury in the Thames Gateway. As part of the re-development of a former school site a targeted survey was undertaken for two UK Biodiversity Action Plan invertebrates, namely the shrill carder bee and the brown-banded carder bee.
• Common Standards Monitoring of invertebrate assemblages on 31 SSSIs in 2012 under contract to Natural England.
• Habitat creation of calcareous grassland on chalk terraces to encourage Small Blue and Adonis Blue butterflies.

Invertebrate ecology is a difficult area with contradictions: many UK BAP invertebrates are afforded this status in response to recent declines yet may have a widespread distribution. Some brownfield sites are of exceptional importance and support good populations of many species that have otherwise been lost from the wider countryside.

For a small number of protected species, Natural England licences are required and our invertebrate specialists hold relevant licences for the majority of species likely to be encountered. Our senior invertebrate ecologist holds a PhD in invertebrate conservation biology and is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society.

The timing and survey effort required for invertebrates varies according to the habitats, the quality of habitats and also the objectives of the work. For some sites a visual appraisal by an experienced surveyor may be sufficient, but on others a comprehensive series of monthly visits from April to October may be required. Aquatic invertebrate surveys are generally conducted during the spring, although surveys over the summer are also valid. For terrestrial species late spring and early summer are normally the most important survey periods.

Our client base is broad and includes local authorities, infrastructure engineers, utility companies, planning consultants, architects and private developers such as farmers. We have been involved in small and large property development projects, working closely with all agencies involved. As experienced wildlife consultants, we are used to dealing with all legal and commercial issues surrounding protected species.

We guarantee you a high quality service, with a strong focus on our clients. We are happy to give free initial advice and can provide robust fee-quotes. We provide timely, high quality reports of our work to all stakeholders.