E³ Ecology

E³ Ecology is a specialist ecological consultancy providing survey and research for business, the public sector and NGOs. The team of botanists, zoologists and freshwater ecologists regularly works for engineering, planning, landscape design and architectural practices providing nature conservation input into multi-disciplinary design teams for major construction and redevelopment projects. As a rural based consultancy with our own offices we can offer excellent value for money, and are within a 30 minutes drive of Tyne and Wear, Cumbria and the Scottish Borders.

Work includes assessment of conservation value, literature review, consultation, field survey, reporting, ecological impact assessment, design of mitigation, management plan production and evidence at Public Inquiry. We have a team of 10 in-house ecologists, including botanists, ornithologists, a fresh water ecologist and licensed surveyors for bats, great crested newts, white-clawed crayfish and fresh water pearl mussel and an accredited River Habitat Surveyor (RHS). In addition, we can call on a team of a dozen trained bat surveyors to assist with large bat surveys. This approach enables us to undertake high quality but cost-effective wildlife survey and research.

Recent E³ commissions have included:

• Call-on advice to Natural England Northumbria region for protected species and assessment of environmental statements.
• Advice to a European forum for survey standards to assess bat roosts in buildings.
• Call-on advice to the Scottish Executive for road schemes in south-west and central Scotland.
• Call-on advisors to Heritage Lottery Fund on ecology and protected species.
• Botanical surveys of a number of SSSIs and SACs.
• Bird, bat, newt and habitat surveys for proposed wind farms in England and Scotland.
• Numerous bat surveys of farm buildings and historic buildings in North East.
• Vantage point bird surveys for power lines and wind farms.
• Extensive pearl mussel, river habitat survey and water vole surveys for Environment Agency
• Assessment of the nature conservation value of numerous 18th Century designed landscapes and country houses and the impacts of parkland and historic buildings restoration and management works.
• Protection and translocation of water vole populations during a river diversion to reclaim contaminated land.
• DEFRA and Natural England licences for works which may affect bats or great crested newts.
• Otter, crayfish, butterfly, reptile and barn owl surveys.
• Assessments of potential development impacts on SPAs and SACs in Northumberland, Scotland and the Highlands including drafting of Appropriate Assessments.
• Extended Phase 1 surveys and risk assessments for development sites and pre-purchase audits.
• BREEAM, CSH and Ecohomes assessments.