greenecology - case studies/clients

This site was found to support three species of reptiles including breeding Grass snakes. We negotiated for an area of suitable habitat to be retained for the animals in perpetuity and our contracts department created a pond and two giant vegetation piles to be used for egg laying and hibernation. This area was fenced off using metre-high reptile exclusion fencing complete with dog flap to allow a nearby badger population to commute! We then translocated the reptiles to this new habitat whilst carefully dismantling the old egg laying features. An ongoing monitoring and maintenance agreement ensures that the animals will be protected in the long term.
Artificial refuge traps – at end of paragraph delete ‘please contact us for more information’ and add ‘For more information on ART’s click here.’ Add link to enclosed pdf file.

This scheme, carried out for Highways Agency agents Parsons Brinckerhoff, was particularly sensitive as the land being developed was part of a lowland heath Site of Special Scientific Interest. The footprint of the site was fenced with 1m high reptile fencing and surveys throughout summer 2006 relocated over 200 slow worms, common lizards and adders to the undisturbed part of the SSSI. A dormouse tube survey was also carried out, revealing the presence of dormice in a row of trees being removed. A DEFRA license was obtained to allow the dormice to be dispersed into adjacent habitat. This involved careful, systematic tree felling under the supervision of Green Ecology staff. Trees that would regenerate well, such as ash and willow, were removed with their root systems intact and replaced once works were complete, thus speeding up the rate of habitat replacement.

Baseline surveys in 2003 and 2004 showed that Devon had just one small population of white-clawed crayfish on the Creedy/Yeo catchment in mid Devon. Unfortunately this population is under significant threat from the introduced American signal crayfish, which out-competes the natives and spreads a fatal disease, crayfish plague. During 2005 work was undertaken to assess the signal crayfish population using novel artificial refuge traps (ART’s). Research into the feasibility of translocating white-clawed crayfish to a safe location also got under way.

In 2006 whilst supervising bridge repair works, Nicky Green rediscovered white-clawed crayfish on the river Culm in east Devon, a population previously regarded as extinct. Work during 2007 and 2008 helped to assess the status of this population using a combination of manual search and ART surveys in order to cover as much of the catchment as possible. Research into the efficiency of various survey methods on low-density crayfish populations is also ongoing.

Artificial Refuge Traps (ART’s)

Artificial refuge traps (ARTs) are a novel way of surveying for crayfish which exploit their natural tendency to seek out dark crevices in which to shelter. The main advantage with ARTs is that unlike baited traps, they can be left in place for weeks or even months, representing a very cost-effective survey method. In addition there is no risk to other fauna such as water shrews. We have found them very effective at detecting crayfish at low densities. On a stretch of the  River Culm in 2006, three survey methods were used: - manual search, baited traps and ARTs. Only the ARTs  recorded crayfish presence.

Green Ecology manufacture and sell ARTs for £15 each plus VAT. They are lightweight and durable, being riveted together rather than glued. Please contact us for more information. 

Green Ecology have been working on this large site in partnership with Wild Frontier Ecology Ltd since 2007. A variety of surveys have been carried out to date including a Phase 1 habitat survey, a dormouse tube survey, bat activity surveys and a Marsh fritillary ‘web count’. Since completion of the survey work in 2007 we been working on a mitigation strategy which, if the project goes ahead, will see the recreation of almost 14 hectares of Culm grassland using novel methods devised by the Devon Wildlife Trust.

This site supported a small population of slow worms but there was not enough time to carry out a full translocation. Careful habitat manipulation supported by intensive survey effort enabled us to catch over 100 animals and move them to a nearby Local Nature Reserve over a three-week period.

Green Ecology have been contracted by the Environment Agency and four local authorities to undertake this project, which aims to promote awareness of and enhance this Biodiversity Action Plan habitat. During summer 2007 we surveyed 25 grazing marsh sites and providing detailed management advice to landowners.

Egloskerry Protected Species

We carried out a baseline survey of this site near Launceston in Cornwall and suspected there was potential for reptiles to be present in the overgrown garden and bats in the old bungalow. Subsequent surveys revealed slow worms and grass snakes in the garden and brown long-eared and pipistrelle bats in the bungalow. The reptiles are now being translocated to a nearby site and the bats will be dealt with under a European protected species licence from DEFRA.

Other Clients

Walker Newton Architects
Trewin Design Partnership
CAD Architects
AHT Design
Molwin Homes
Sovereign Housing
Hastoe Housing Association
Laurence Associates
BBH Architects
Wombwell Homes
Coastline Housing
South Somerset Homes
Teign Housing
Tamar Housing
Ecosulis Ltd
SLR Consulting
Teignbridge District Council
West Devon Borough Council
Airtricity
Taylor Wimpey
ROK
Coyde Construction
Lowena Homes
Roseland Peninsula Homes
Devon County Council
Devon & Cornwall Housing Association
Tor Homes
AccordMP
Sarsen Housing
Devon Biodiversity Records Centre
Ocean Housing Services
Mansell Partnership
Sanctuary Housing
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Cofton Country Holidays
Carter Ecological
Randall & Simmonds Chartered Surveyors
Tamar Valley Countryside Service
St Piran Homes
Blight & Scoble Ltd
Nirvana Homes
Natural England
The Woodland Trust
Exeter City Council
UPM Tilhill
Gerald Wood Homes
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
The Landmark Practice
Poltaire Homes
The Guinness Trust
North Devon Homes
Enterprise Mouchel
Yarlington Homes