The long-awaited fourth edition of the ‘Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists: Good Practice Guidelines’ was published in September 2023. The intention is to update the guidelines every 5-7 years unless there are major changes to the legal protections for bats. … Read More
Winter is seen as a time of year when little useful field botany can be done, but that is not the case with deciduous broad-leaved trees and shrubs. Once the leaves have fallen they are in many ways easier to … Read More
Earned Recognition (ER) is a strategy collaboratively developed by the Bat Conservation Trust, Natural England (NE), and the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). The primary objective of Earned Recognition is to: 1 – Streamline the licensing process; … Read More
What is BNG? Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a policy designed to facilitate the restoration of nature during land development. It ensures that wildlife habitats are improved rather than depleted, guaranteeing that the natural environment is left in a better … Read More
UK Habs Course with three Zoom Sessions on the evenings of April 2nd, 9th, and 16th. Each session takes place at 6pm until 7.30pm. The course introduces participants to the UK Habs methodology to classify habitats. In 2024 this course will … Read More
Welsh Government have updated the national planning policy for biodiversity, (referred to as Chapter 6), which takes force with immediate effect (as of 11th October 2023). Overall, this is a welcome pro-active approach to planning here in Wales, and with … Read More
The mitigation hierarchy is a widely accepted concept used to manage biodiversity impacts. Abiding to the mitigation hierarchy is vital if developers hope to achieve biodiversity net gain. The approach consists of four steps: avoidance, minimisation, restoration and offsetting. Here’s … Read More
Biodiversity net gain offers an exciting form of diversification in income channels for landowners, whilst contributing to nature’s recovery. In order to find out more about the basics of biodiversity net gain read our blog here. How Can BNG Benefit … Read More
Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is becoming increasingly important and provides a way to develop land while contributing to the recovery of nature. Last week, Natural England published the Biodiversity Metric 4.0, which is the latest progress towards measuring and managing … Read More
The team at Acer recently undertook work in Almondsbury at a site adjacent to a railway line. The purpose of the assessment was to establish the conditions of the site and the associated ecological risks to the proposed works. To … Read More