The welcome arrival of warm weather should also be sounding warning bells for developers and community groups who are exploring the potential for new renewable energy schemes.
“Spring is peak survey season for many of our protected species and, if you miss the window, your project could delayed significantly,” said Atmos Consulting’s principal ecologist Jon Huckle , who is based in the environmental consultancy’s new Thetford office.
“We’re keen to help developers understand the various survey windows for specific species and plan accordingly, particularly as the season approaches. Our online ecology survey calendar has helped a number of our clients with their project planning.”
Great crested newts, which are found throughout England and Wales, and also in southern Scotland, have a particularly tight critical survey window that runs only from mid-March to the end of June. Migrating birds, red squirrels and aquatic invertebrates have spring and autumn windows, with a long gap over the summer. If developers miss the April window for white clawed crayfish surveys, they’ll have to wait until July before they can progress survey work on this, the UK’s only native crayfish.
Atmos’ ecology survey calendar, covering everything from bats to bryophytes, can be found here .
Atmos reminds project managers that for some protected species, including great crested newts, bats, dormice, and some species of birds, specific licences are required for survey.
“Atmos Consulting Ecologists hold all the necessary licences to undertake protected species surveys without delay,” continued Jon . “Of course, ecology work extends to providing mitigation strategies to satisfy Local Planning Authorities and, where necessary, obtaining the appropriate mitigation licences for implementing development works, which we do for clients throughout England, Scotland and Wales.”
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Press release, April 4, 2013; Image: arkinspace