Many species in the UK are protected by legislation at both national and European levels. We have considerable experience in dealing with the practical implications of this legislation through our work on ecological projects. We are able to handle all stages of protected species work from initial survey to supporting planning applications to securing the appropriate licence and supervising the implementation of mitigation and conservation work.

The ecology of protected species dictates the seasons in which presence/absence surveys can be undertaken as well as the seasons in which mitigation works can be conducted. It is strongly recommended that developers familiarise themselves with the following two timetables and consider protected species early in the planning stage. Failure to do this can cause substantial delays when appropriate survey seasons and vital mitigation works are missed.