The team at Avian Ecology have been kept very busy this winter with a large range of sites requiring Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) services, ranging from housing developments to new road schemes. The winter months can be an excellent time to plan for spring 2019 and with forward planning, carrying out some onsite clearance works during the cold period can prevent delays next year.

UK and European Legislation prevent works on habitat such as hedgerows, scrub and grassland during the spring and summer to prevent killing or injury or the disturbance of protected species. So the winter may be a suitable time for clearance on your project. Some vegetation clearance works may require supervision by an ecologist, particularly when European Protected Species (EPS) such as great created newt are present.

In addition, roost inspections surveys or Preliminary Roost Assessments of trees for bats are more effective in the winter and planning these in early could prevent significant delays come spring, or allow careful planning of protected species surveys, should they be required to inform planning.

To find out more about winter clearance works or ecology surveys which can be undertaken at this time of year contact our licenced bat principal ecologist Andrew Logan or Una Maginn to find out more.