The Ecology Co-op. Environmental consultants
Southern and South East England
by Paul Whitby
In this month’s article we provide an update on nutrient neutrality requirements for residential development, which is currently affecting a large number of areas, primarily in the south of England (a total of 74 local planning authorities, at the last count). As a quick reminder of the issues relating to nutrient inputs and residential development, […]
by Paul Whitby
This month’s post takes a closer look at reptile surveys in relation to development. Reptile surveys are often required as part of the planning process and as with all things ecological, it’s best to undertake initial scoping surveys (Preliminary Ecological Appraisal) for this species early in the development of a scheme. For the purpose of […]
by Paul Whitby
You may well have heard the term ‘Nature Positive’ over the last couple of years, but what does it refer to and what are the implications for businesses and development? In this post we seek to delve a little further into the premise that underpins the Nature Positive ‘movement’ and how it relates to issues […]
by Paul Whitby
Following on from our previous article, “Habitats Regulations Assessment and Nutrient Neutrality”, which we published on our blog last year, in this month’s article we look at the recently updated guidance from Defra[1] surrounding nutrient pollution and the requirements for nutrient neutrality, and how this may affect your residential development. What causes nutrient pollution and […]
by Paul Whitby
The sound of bird song typically signifies the start of spring and March is often a time where you can readily observe birds gathering and carrying nest material, and displaying territorial behaviour. When it comes to development, it is relatively rare that a project doesn’t have to consider the presence of birds on site as […]
by Paul Whitby
In January, Defra released their latest consultation on mandatory biodiversity net gain in relation to the Environment Act 2021. Although we’ve covered biodiversity net gain in previous articles, here’s a quick reminder of its definition in relation to development projects: “habitats for wildlife must be left in a measurably better state than they were in […]
by Emma Baker
Rewilding has recently gained traction not only within the environmental/ecology sector, but also within climate change campaigns and wider media. BBC’s Autumnwatch recently featured Wild Ken Hill in Norfolk; a 4000-acre rewilding and sustainable farming project that has returned beavers to the county and supports approximately 2500 different species. Additionally, Knepp Wildland in West Sussex […]
by Paul Whitby
Taking the first steps along any career path, whilst exciting, can be a daunting and at times confusing process, especially in a sector as competitive as ecology. Here at The Ecology Co-op we understand the particular challenges that graduate ecologists/those switching careers to ecology can face; to that end we have developed a dedicated Graduate […]
by Paul Whitby
The long awaited Environment Act 2021 is now part of our legislation. It has been a somewhat protracted journey for the Environment Bill to make its way through the House of Commons and the House of Lords to finally be given Royal Assent and become an Act of Parliament on 9 November 2021. What does […]
by Paul Whitby
Bats are one of the species most frequently associated with ecology and development projects and for those who are involved with development schemes on a regular basis, bat surveys during the spring and summer months are often a standard requirement in order to provide baseline information to inform assessments and development proposals. However, knowledge of […]