Greenwood Environmental UK Consultant Ecologist Northants, Bucks, Beds

GALLERY

The photographs below represent a sample of the ecological issues that have been addressed by Greenwood Environmental over the years. They illustrate some of the expertise available, the geographical spread of projects, the range of services available and the types of environments involved,

Japanese Knotweed Kent Like all the dozens of invasive alien species listed in Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act Japanese knotweed causes big problems for developers if not dealt with properly	Grass snake Hampshire Grass snake recorded next to pool in woodland glade in spring. All reptiles are protected by wildlife law. They hibernate in winter, so surveys for them must stop in autumn and then wait until spring
Woodpecker nest site in oak Veteran trees, like this oak tree in High Wycombe, provide valuable resources for wildlife e.g. this nest hole for greater spotted woodpecker	Tortoiseshell butterfly Essex The ephemeral community of ruderal 'weeds' that often colonizes derelict land supports a diverse range of invertebrates including many butterflies
Hibernaculum at Sussex school site Valuable wildlife refuges do not have to be expensive. This feature provides refuges for a wide variety of creatures ranging from amphibians to beetles	Wildflower meadow Bedfordshire Wildflower seed mixtures can add instant plant species diversity to new developments, even urban ones, where there are areas of lawn, hedge or green roof
Stream in Wales Monitoring the condition of streams involves regular sampling of aquatic invertebrates and use of a biotic index such as BMWP	Native hedgerows Leicestershire The ecological value of hedges and legal status (Hedgerow Regulations 1997) can be assessed using schemes such as HEGS
Bat roost in Wimbledon Even quite modern houses can support bat roosts. All bats and their roosts and resting places, whether occupied or not, are protected by wildlife law.	Golf course Nottinghamshire Not all grasslands are equally diverse - golf greens have low diversity, but roughs can have high biodiversity, and courses can use 90% less fertilizer than wheat fields
House martin nest Bedford All active birds' nests are protected by wildlife law; works must be timed to avoid harming them.	Pond at site in Milton Keynes This pond in Milton Keynes was found to support a large population of GCN. These newts, their breeding ponds and the surrounding habitat are protected by UK and EU wildlife law
Slow-worm Hampshire Slow-worms are harmless, legless lizards that inhabit well-drained sites including neglected allotments and patches of derelict waste ground. Like all reptiles, they are protected by wildlife law.	Pond in school nature area Wildlife ponds in nature areas like this one are valuable ecological enhancements because they provide attractive amenity features as well as increasing local biodiversity
Cordon of new trees Norfolk Planting a cordon of trees and shrubs around a new development helps to link sections of existing hedge together, promoting connectivity and avoiding fragmentation of habitat	New planting Surrey BREEAM schemes require planting to have ecological value - we can advise on suitable species to include
Amphibian surveys Like these toads, snapped clinging to a tennis ball in March, GCN hibernate during the winter, so surveys for them can only be undertaken once they become active in spring	Tree protection Surrey Trees need proper protection from damage both above and below ground during demolition and construction that is in accordance with BS 5837:2012 Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction – Recommendations
Badger sett Oxfordshire Despite the recent cull, all badgers and their setts are protected by wildlife law. Work near setts is regulated, and a licence may be required for work to proceed	Bug box on fence in Kent Bug boxes can be used to enhance the ecological value of a development, and so are useful for gaining BREEAM credits
Reptile exclusion fencing Reptiles must be removed from development sites before work commences

GALLERY

Japanese Knotweed Kent

Like all the dozens of invasive alien species listed in Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act Japanese knotweed causes big problems for developers if not dealt with properly

Grass snake Hampshire

Grass snake recorded next to pool in woodland glade in spring. All reptiles are protected by wildlife law. They hibernate in winter, so surveys for them must stop in autumn and then wait until spring

Woodpecker nest site in oak

Veteran trees, like this oak tree in High Wycombe, provide valuable resources for wildlife e.g. this nest hole for greater spotted woodpecker

Tortoiseshell butterfly Essex

The ephemeral community of ruderal 'weeds' that often colonizes derelict land supports a diverse range of invertebrates including many butterflies

Hibernaculum at Sussex school site

Valuable wildlife refuges do not have to be expensive. This feature provides refuges for a wide variety of creatures ranging from amphibians to beetles

Wildflower meadow Bedfordshire

Wildflower seed mixtures can add instant plant species diversity to new developments, even urban ones, where there are areas of lawn, hedge or green roof

Stream in Wales

Monitoring the condition of streams involves regular sampling of aquatic invertebrates and use of a biotic index such as BMWP

Native hedgerows Leicestershire

The ecological value of hedges and legal status (Hedgerow Regulations 1997) can be assessed using schemes such as HEGS

Bat roost in Wimbledon

Even quite modern houses can support bat roosts. All bats and their roosts and resting places, whether occupied or not, are protected by wildlife law.

Golf course Nottinghamshire

Not all grasslands are equally diverse - golf greens have low diversity, but roughs can have high biodiversity, and courses can use 90% less fertilizer than wheat fields

House martin nest Bedford

All active birds' nests are protected by wildlife law; works must be timed to avoid harming them.

Pond at site in Milton Keynes

This pond in Milton Keynes was found to support a large population of GCN. These newts, their breeding ponds and the surrounding habitat are protected by UK and EU wildlife law

Slow-worm Hampshire

Slow-worms are harmless, legless lizards that inhabit well-drained sites including neglected allotments and patches of derelict waste ground. Like all reptiles, they are protected by wildlife law.

Pond in school nature area

Wildlife ponds in nature areas like this one are valuable ecological enhancements because they provide attractive amenity features as well as increasing local biodiversity

Cordon of new trees Norfolk

Planting a cordon of trees and shrubs around a new development helps to link sections of existing hedge together, promoting connectivity and avoiding fragmentation of habitat

New planting Surrey

BREEAM schemes require planting to have ecological value - we can advise on suitable species to include

Amphibian surveys

Like these toads, snapped clinging to a tennis ball in March, GCN hibernate during the winter, so surveys for them can only be undertaken once they become active in spring

Tree protection Surrey

Trees need proper protection from damage both above and below ground during demolition and construction that is in accordance with BS 5837:2012 Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction – Recommendations

Badger sett Oxfordshire

Despite the recent cull, all badgers and their setts are protected by wildlife law. Work near setts is regulated, and a licence may be required for work to proceed

Bug box on fence in Kent

Bug boxes can be used to enhance the ecological value of a development, and so are useful for gaining BREEAM credits

Reptile exclusion fencing

Reptiles must be removed from development sites before work commences