Baker Shepherd Gillespie

BSG win award at the Landscape Institute Awards 2009

Dr Peter Shepherd attended a presentation along with Alister Kratt of LDA Design to receive an award which highly commends BSG and LDA Design in the category of ‘Management’ for the Thames Basin Heaths project.

Thames Basin Heaths are designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and are internationally important for nature conservation.

The project's strategy provided policies and local plans, implementing the area wide strategy. The aim was both to physically control access through positive means and also guide and educate visitors to reduce preventable disturbance and unauthorised activity, and to focus on protection of the most sensitive areas, and at the most sensitive times of year.

Landscape Institute Awards 2009 - Presentation

(left) Dr Peter Shepherd

--------------------------------------------------------------------

BSG to exhibit at the BWEA conference in Liverpool
(20-22 October 2009)

BSG will be attending BWEA’s annual conference and exhibition in Liverpool in October. The event focuses on developments in wind, wave and tidal energy, and small wind systems, and is attended by a wide range of organisations with an interest in renewable energy. For further information click on link below.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Peter Shepherd will present workshop at BCT conference 2009

Dr Peter Shepherd and Judy Stroud will present a workshop on 'Mitigation for Roosts in Buildings' at the BCT National Bat Conference, September 2009. The workshop will look at information from a recent review of EPS licence returns and questions raised by this, along with trying to set out some key principles and objectives for mitigation of roosts in buildings. (Max 25 people)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

James Gillespie co-authors paper on 'Applying Connectivity Mapping to Spatial Planning in Wales'

James Gillespie co-authored a paper (Applying Connectivity Mapping to Spatial Planning in Wales) that was presented to the 2009 International Association for Landscape Ecology (UK) conference in Edinburgh www.iale.org.uk. The paper was presented by co-author Dr Jim Latham of the Countryside Council for Wales www.ccw.gov.uk

A copy of the paper can be read here: Latham Gillespie 2009

*The paper is © copyright IALE(UK) 2009, and is taken from Ecological Networks: Science and Practice. Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual IALE(UK) Conference. Held at Edinburgh University, 1st - 3rd September 2009. Edited by Roger Catchpole, et.al

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Wooley judgement: Background

This judicial review case addresses how local planning authorities (LPAs) discharge their statutory duty under Regulation 3(4) of the Conservation Regulations (1994) to have regard to the requirements of the Habitats Directive in the exercise of their functions. The case focuses on how LPAs should approach the discharge of this duty in coming to planning decisions and in particular the need to properly consider the three tests set out in the Conservation Regulations that should be considered when harm to European Protected Species (EPS) is likely.

*A copy of our briefing note can be read here: Briefing Note
*A copy of the judicial review can be read here: Judicial Review

--------------------------------------------------------------------

You can listen to Kate talk about house sparrow decline in a Radio 4 interview on 18th March 2009 at 9pm. BBC iPlayer

More information can be found on our resources page

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Changes to the Habitats Regulations, January 2009

The Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 have been amended again, with the new regulations coming into force at the end of January. The main changes affecting ecologists and developers are that the guidance notes provided by the Statutory Nature Conservation Organisations will now have legal force and will have to be taken into account by the courts.

The other major change to the Regulations in is the wording relating to the offence of disturbance. Baker Shepherd Gillespie is monitoring how this and other changes may affect European Protected Species licensing. Dr Peter Shepherd comments, “Perhaps the most significant change is the legal force being given to guidance documents. The proposed redrafting of these documents is crucial to understanding how future judgements may be made on whether an offence under the legislation is likely to occur, and we await their publication with interest.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Peter Shepherd speaks at Natural England Licensing Conference

Dr Peter Shepherd was recently invited to make a short presentation to Natural England’s Wildlife Management Advice and Licensing Conference in Gloucestershire. He was asked to give an insight into the role of the ecological consultant in working with European Protected Species. Dr Shepherd said, “It was a little daunting, as a consultant, to be presenting to the massed ranks of the regulatory licensing authority, but the talk was well received and some useful views were exchanged. The need for a greater evidence base to support mitigation and compensation proposals was one of the items highlighted as being required in future.”