I have been working in ecology for over 20 years. Ecology is a passion to me, which I believe comes from being lucky enough to grow up in a rural location and to have involvement with some areas of ecology, particularly regarding badgers, from a young age.
In more recent years, alongside carrying out ecology as a career, I have also directed my attention towards my life outside of ecology and tried to put into practice the measures I often recommend to my clients. I have achieved this by increasing diversity and encouraging protected species around my own property and local area and by generally trying to be more sustainable and ‘greener’ in the way that I live and interact with the natural world.
During my time in ecology I have been lucky enough to work on a variety of projects, which range from guiding homeowners on small domestic schemes, to advising on large housing and services projects as well as working on the railways, highways and within the quarrying industry. I have also carried out work for conservation organisations to advise the management of nationally designated reserves and their work for declining species. Each project presents its own challenges and opportunities which allow me to learn from and improve my knowledge for my next client.
I love all areas of ecology but have a particular interest in badgers, bats and more broadly in trees and the range of species they support and benefits they provide. I ensure that I provide the best service and solution by regularly attending courses, conferences and webinars to keep up to date with changes in legislation, policy, research and technology. I also spend time reading and I am always looking for ways to extend my knowledge to new areas, learn from others and challenge myself.
I hold survey licences for bats, barn owls, crayfish, hazel dormice and great crested newts in England and for bats and great crested newts in Wales and Scotland. I am also a Registered Consultant on Natural England’s Bat Mitigation Class Licence (BMCL) and am registered to use several other of their annual class licences. I have more than seven years experience as a tree climber and am confined spaces trained, allowing me to offer a variety of tools to meet the requirements of a project.
I pride myself in working to a high standard and being open and honest with clients at all stages of a project to ensure that everyone can work well together and avoid unnecessary costs or delays.