Overview

BSG Ecology are specialists in providing ecological consultancy within the historic environment. We provide ecology support to Parkland Management Plans (PMPs), Conservation Management Plans (CMPs), protected species licencing, planning applications, listed building consent and funding applications.

For many years BSG Ecology have provided biodiversity advice on heritage projects to National Trust, English Heritage, Natural England, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), various local authorities and private organisations, such as Blenheim Palace. We are Welsh Government Framework Ecologists for Cadw. Some of our most rewarding work comes from our long term relationships with private clients.

We have a good understanding of the obligations and constraints placed on managers of heritage sites and we are able to work closely with specialist architects, building engineers, funding organisations.

Ecology Consultancy Services

We can provide advice and support to inform long term asset management and for discrete projects from conception, securing any necessary consents, to project implementation, where the delivery of ecological mitigation or enhancement measures is required.

Examples of the services we can provide include:

• Preliminary site appraisal – to enable early identification of project risk and opportunities and further survey requirements;

• Appraisal of land to deliver biodiversity gain to compensate for impacts or as a potential income stream through the creation, restoration or enhancement of wildlife habitats; we can also undertake habitat condition monitoring;
• Parkland Management Plans (PMPs) and Conservation Management Plans: We can provide the ecology input to these plans;
• Expert advice relating to protected species licensing and mitigation and various other ecological issues;
• Support of public engagement through input to educational materials such as information boards, and through events and input to media coverage;
• Provision of training (such as (habitat management and bat awareness training) and support for those involved in day-to-day management of heritage sites;

Our survey capabilities include:

• Extended Phase 1 habitat survey – the standard baseline ecological survey technique;
• Detailed building surveys for bats, using a wide range of techniques and technology, including thermal imaging cameras;
• Survey of trees for bats using a range of techniques (including use of our innovative motion activated cameras);
• Specialist survey for other protected species such as botanical survey (for rare or protected plants), birds, freshwater and terrestrial invertebrate survey (parkland can be of high value for invertebrates), mammals, reptiles and amphibians.