About E3 Ecology Personnel

 E3 Logo
Photo of a badger

BECKY WHITE MA, MSc AIEEM - Mammalian Ecology

POSITION: Graduate Ecologist / Zoologist

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • MA (Hons) Natural Sciences; Zoology 2.1 - Cambridge University
  • MSc; Ecology 2.1 - Aberdeen University
  • Associate of the Institute of Ecological and Environmental Management (AIEEM)

CAREER PROFILE

Becky is a Cambridge graduate in zoology with a Masters in ecology from Aberdeen who has carried out academic research on a number of species, mapping animal distributions and carrying out topographic and vegetation surveys. Becky has studied the bird impacts of managed coastal retreat for the RSPB.

Recent projects have focussed on protected species survey, assessment and licencing, including numerous building surveys for bats and barn owl, specialist otter, and badger surveys for a range of major developments, and an extensive water vole survey of Northumberland for the Environment Agency.

She has led bat and badger walks as part of the delivery of management plans for HLF funded projects and is promoting survey for scarce bat species in Northern England and the Scottish Highlands through the computer analysis of echolocation calls.

SOME RELEVANT PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN

  • Assessment of the potential impact of numerous barn conversions on both bats and barn owl and design of appropriate mitigation schemes.
  • Survey and assessment of the potential impact of an 80km powerline route on protected species including bats, badger, otter and wild cat.
  • Ornithological survey (winter vantage point surveys) of an 80km powerline route in the Highlands of Scotland.
  • Extended phase 1 survey of a wide variety of sites within the north of England and southern Scotland.
  • Production of a management plan for various woodland sites within Northumberland.
  • Leading public events as part of a variety of community projects.
  • Survey and assessment of a proposed road realignment scheme.
  • Research into the impact of a managed retreat scheme on wintering waders at Nigg Bay, Ross-shire. This work was associated with the first managed retreat scheme to be carried out in Scotland. Detailed mapping of wintering bird abundance and distribution within an area of mudflats and saltmarsh was carried out together with sampling of both invertebrates and sediment to assess food resources.
  • Production of a predictive model for the presence or absence of the 6-spot burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae). The model was based on a number of habitat characteristics following surveys of the moth distribution and of the relevant habitat variables at Forvie Sands nature reserve, Aberdeenshire.
  • Research into the feeding behaviour of the resident oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) population on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire. Surveys of both abundance and distribution within the study site were carried out along with information on feeding rates. This information was then related to the distribution and abundance of the mussel (Mytilus edulis) within the area.
  • Research into the vigilance behaviour of fallow deer (Dama dama). Differences in behavioural patterns between members of the herd were investigated in relation to herd demographics and spatial position within the herd.

PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE AND SPECIALISATION

  • Extended Phase 1 Survey
  • Protected Species
  • Bats