Author Archive
Dormice not to delay the construction of the Newquay Aerohub
Seasons Ecology has secured a Natural England dormouse licence to ensure that construction of the Newquay Aerohub infrastructure, a development of local, regional and national significance, can continue on schedule. BAM Construction Ltd was appointed in the autumn 2014 to construct new business park infrastructure, including roads, footpaths, cycleways, plot preparation, underground drainage and associated […]
2014 – a great year for bat surveys
The weather in 2014 was optimal for bats and Seasons Ecology has clocked up in excess of 500 hours of surveying at over 26 sites across eight English counties. Surveys have comprised dusk emergence, dawn re-entry and activity surveys (using both manual transects and static detectors). Such surveys largely follow on from extended Phase 1 […]
Shropshire Council Amends Great Crested Newt Survey Planning Guidance
Shropshire Council has amended their Natural Environment Development Guidance Note 1 – When is an ecological assessment required? This note is one of a series of guidance notes published by Shropshire Council. The aim of this particular document is to give clear and concise advice to developers and members of the public on when a […]
Great Crested Newts – Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to several frequently asked questions, which we hope will help you understand great crested newts and the need for surveys, licences and mitigation. You might enjoy testing your knowledge by completing our quick Great Crested Newt Quiz. Why are great crested newts protected? Where do great crested newts live? How long […]
Great Crested Newts – Seasons Ecology Benefits
Hannah and Kate have over 25 years’ experience of undertaking great crested newt surveys and managing projects relating to great crested newts. Between them they have held licences to survey great crested newts for over 20 years and have undertaken surveys in England, Wales and Scotland. Throughout their careers Kate and Hannah have advised on […]
Ecology – An Industry Update from 2013
2013 saw a number of changes within the ecology sector, many of which aim to improve standards and efficiency. Here is a summary of just a few: Royal Charter for the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management In spring 2014 IEEM was granted its Royal Charter and the professional membership body is now known as […]
Seasons Ecology are Celebrating a Year in Business!
The seasons over the past twelve months have been extreme with a very wet and snowy autumn/winter, a late and wet spring and finally a tropical summer. This hasn’t deterred us from donning our site boots and undertaking ecological surveys for our clients! Our Partnership, which was formed on the 15th August 2012, has been […]
Ecology Survey Seasons: January/February Tips
The start of the year is a good time to plan and programme ecological surveys for the up and coming survey seasons ahead. By planning ahead and taking account of various seasonal constraints posed by many protected species survey seasons project managers can avoid potential delays in submitting planning applications or enabling construction works. Seasons […]
BREEAM Calculator
Seasons Ecology has created an Excel spreadsheet based upon the formula provided within BREEAM, Code for Sustainable Homes and EcoHomes guidance for calculating the change in ecological value of a site. The calculator allows users to enter site specific information including habitat plot types, areas and species numbers before and after development. Once this information […]
BREEAM Ecology Credits
In general up to eight credits are available for LE 02 – LE 05 of BREEAM 2011 assessments (subject to specific schemes) and up to seven credits for Eco 1 – Eco 4 of EcoHomes and Code for Sustainable Homes assessments, which relate to the ecology of a site. This can make a real difference […]