Wildlife Consultancy Projects

Ecological surveys

WWC regularly undertakes bat surveys and mitigation for a number of development projects from small barns to large complexes including schools and county hospitals. A wealth of experience in this area has led to various forms of mitigation including the provision of bat boxes, large loft roosts and stand alone bat lofts as well as creative habitat creation. Recent work has involved undertaking baseline surveys for both Cameron Homes and Cala Homes for sites in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Birmingham and subsequently obtaining Natural England EPS licences for the proposed works.

Other protected species surveys are undertaken for dormouse, badger, water vole, white-clawed crayfish and otters. Recent surveys for water voles have been undertaken along the Worcester - Birmingham canal and Makins Fishery, Warwickshire and for white-clawed crayfish at Stourport canal basin for British Waterways during summer 2006.

Great crested newt surveys form an important part of our work. Alan Shepherd, our in-house herpetologist has spent many years studying this species as well as other UK amphibians and reptiles such as common lizard and slow-worm. His extensive knowledge has resulted in numerous creative mitigation schemes. Previous and ongoing projects where herpetofauna surveys have been required throughout Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been on behalf of West Mercia Housing, Bromford Housing and Festival Housing groups.

EXAMPLES OF SOME OF OUR LARGER PROJECTS

Joint Core Strategy Ecological Survey – North Gloucestershire - 2009
As part of the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) for Gloucestershire, WWC were commissioned to undertake a Phase 1 survey and ecological assessment of target sites covering approximately 2000ha within the political boundary of Tewkesbury Borough Council. The JCS will guide development in the period up to 2026 and will cover the entire administrative areas of Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Councils. The detailed ecological information, mapped using our in-house Geographical Information System, will be used to inform the Local Development Framework and form part of the JCS work on development allocations as well as assisting in the Green Infrastructure deliberations.

Fort Royal School Sensory Garden - 2009
Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy was commissioned by The Prime Foundation to design and implement a wildlife friendly sensory garden at Fort Royal Community Primary School. Fort Royal School is a special needs school with students who have a range of physical and learning disabilities. The garden was designed following a consultation period with the school so that the ideas and contributions of the teachers and children could be incorporated into the final design. The result was an area which aims to meet the physical, educational and emotional needs of the children by providing them with a fully accessible wildlife friendly garden which gives them ready access to nature in a safe environment. Both The Prime Foundation and Fort Royal School felt the garden was a great success and the school looks forward to using it in the future.

Natural England – Sustainable Grazing Project for Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Spring 2009
WWC were commissioned to undertake a review of SSSI grassland management in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.  After a thorough investigation into current management practices and liaising with numerous site owners, various factors were identified as to the condition of these fragile habitats.  From these findings, a series of recommendation were made to counter habitat deterioration.  The completed report will assist all parties involved in maintaining and enhancing these important habitats.

Worcestershire County Council – Roadside Nature Reserve Project (RVNR)
1995 - ongoing.
WWC manage a network of botanically important RVNR’s across the whole of Worcestershire . The project involves site selection, surveying and annual management of these ecologically important reserves.

Worcester University – New City Campus (Old Worcester Infirmary) and exiting St. John’s Campus - Summer 2006 - ongoing.
WWC have been appointed as the term ecological consultants for the £120 million re-development of the old Worcester Infirmary site which is to become the new city campus. A baseline Phase 1 habitat survey, dedicated badger and bat surveys and Protected Species development licences have all been undertaken or are ongoing as well as an BREEAM/ECO homes assessment and continuing ‘Ecological Clerk of Works’ at both sites.

Plantlife U.K – Rare arable weed and critically endangered species projects
Summer 2007 WWC undertook rare arable weeds surveys at some of Worcestershire’s most important sites to fully assess the status of locally Important and Nationally important species and to provide management recommendations. We also undertake the management and survey annually for the Critically endangered Tower Mustard (Arabis glabra), which occurs along road verges in the North County.

Shropshire County Council – A comprehensive NVC survey, protected and notable species survey of Quarries in South Shropshire – Summer 2006.
This survey was undertaken to provide detailed ecological information at both former and operational hard and soft rock quarries all over South Shropshire. A full NVC as well as protected and BAP species surveys were undertaken, followed up with management recommendations that fed into a larger project aimed at informing the future restoration and management of these sites. For this project all the information was computerised using our in-house GIS system.

British Waterways – Worcester – Droitwich Canal water vole and otter survey
May 2006. An extensive survey providing evidence of water voles and otters and identifying new and potential habitats for this rare mammal along the length of the canal.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust – Surveys and reserve management plans
Over the years we have worked closely with the Wildlife Trust undertaking numerous species and habitat surveys, writing management plans for reserves and carrying out practical works all over the County. A recent project (2006 and 2007) included up-dating over  20 reserve management plans on to the Trust’s Countryside Management System (CMS) database.

National Trust – Chadwich Manor Estate – Spring 2006
WWC undertook extensive surveys and provided a management plan for the 174ha Chadwich Manor Estate. Surveys undertaken at this complex site included NVC, Phase 1, pond, breeding bird, aquatic invertebrate and great crested newt surveys.

David Wilson Homes/Kingsoak – Housing development, Gloucestershire
Summer 2007
WWC were commissioned to undertake a Phase1 habitat survey and protected species survey assessment, which lead onto a more detailed reptile surveys which resulted in identifying a large reptile population. After negotiation with the Local Planning Authority a site enhancement and translocation strategy was agreed and successfully executed.

Worcestershire County Council – Worcester Park & Ride, Warndon Business Park
Spring/Summer 2006
Worcestershire County Council commissioned WWC to undertake a full and comprehensive ecological survey of all protected and significant fauna and flora and produce an Ecological impact Assessment report to feed into a larger environmental assessment for the entire scheme.

Severn Valley Railway Ltd - Locomotive Display Building – Summer 2005
WWC were commissioned to undertake a Phase 1 habitat survey, dormice and badgers surveys, provide on site ecological advice and prepare a management plan with mitigation proposals for the new Locomotive Display Building located within a former quarry at Highley, Shropshire. Restoration and landscaping included recreating woodland and aquatic habitats in keeping with the surrounding area.

Herefordshire Council – re-development of Rotherwas Industrial Estate
In 2001 WWC were contracted by to undertake a Herpetofauna Survey of the Rotherwas Industrial Estate. This resulted in recommendations to inform future planning, taking into regard the potential to retain and enhance parts of the site for reptiles and amphibians.

Worcester City Council – Worcester City slow-worm survey – Summer 1997
This is believed to be the first survey ever undertaken of an urban area specifically targeting slow-worm populations.  Its key objective was to make an assessment of numbers and relative abundance within and between sites across the entire city and hopefully to enable an evaluation of their significance in a broader national and European context. The data indicated that Worcester is of national importance for slow-worms.

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