News and Articles from the North Wales Ecology Specialists
News and Articles
Environment (Wales) Bill: 2026 update
The Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill was passed by the Senedd on 24 February 2026. The Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales)...
Celebrating 200 Years of the Menai Suspension Bridge
On Thursday 29th January 2026, the 200-year anniversary of Thomas Telford’s iconic Menai Suspension Bridge was marked with the unveiling of a plaque at the base of the structure. To mark 200 years...
Future-Proofing Tree Planting: Drought Resilience and Watering Solutions for New Schemes
With increasingly dry summers and unpredictable rainfall patterns in North Wales, tree planting schemes now face greater environmental stress than ever before. Whether you’re delivering biodiversity...
What the Environment (Wales) Bill Could Mean for Development
The Environment (Wales) Bill is expected to update and strengthen Wales’s approach to biodiversity, natural resources, and climate policy—building on the existing Environment (Wales) Act 2016 and...
What to Do If You Find a Grounded Bat on Site (During Baby Bat Season)
Between late May and early August, many bat species across North Wales give birth to their young—making it baby bat season. During this time, juvenile bats may be abandoned or orphaned and also...
Planning and Infrastructure Bill: What You Need to Know (2025 Update)
The UK Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill continues to move through Parliament, with wide-ranging implications for ecological oversight, planning policy, and local authority...
Why do I need a bat survey?
If you’re planning building works or development in North Wales and have been told you need a bat survey, you’re probably wondering: Why? What triggers the requirement? What does the survey involve?...
Why the End of Hedgecutting Season Still Catches Landowners Out
Every year, as March approaches, we receive a surge in calls from contractors, landowners, and site agents realising—often too late—that they’re about to breach hedgecutting restrictions once again....
CEMP or LEMP? Understanding Your Long-Term Ecological Responsibilities
In the post-planning phase of development, two documents often cause confusion—especially among contractors and project leads new to ecological planning requirements. These are the Construction...
Arboricultural Surveys in Winter – What Can and Can’t Be Done
Winter is often considered the off-season for ecological surveys—but when it comes to trees and development planning, it’s actually one of the best times to gather key information. BS 5837 tree...
Ecological Compliance: What Local Planning Authorities Are Looking For
For many developers and consultants, the biggest ecological hurdle isn’t navigating legislation—it’s understanding what local planning authorities (LPAs) actually want. Across North Wales, planners...
Species Spotlight: Water Voles in North Wales – A Quiet Comeback?
Once considered locally extinct in many lowland areas, water voles (Arvicola amphibius) are beginning to make a quiet but encouraging return across parts of North Wales. For developers,...
The Role of the Ecological Clerk of Works
In the race to start works on site, many project teams overlook one of the most important roles in the pre-construction phase: the Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW). Whether you’re working under...
How to Prepare for Biodiversity Net Gain Requirements in 2024
Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements are due to come into force in England in early 2024. But here in North Wales, the implications are already being felt. Even if your project is...
Storm Otto: Emergency Ecological Advice for Woodland Damage
As Storm Otto swept through parts of North Wales in February 2023, strong winds and widespread tree damage created both logistical and ecological challenges for developers, contractors, and site...
Why Now is the Time to Schedule Your PEA for Spring Projects
If your project is aiming for planning submission or construction in spring or summer 2023, now is the time to book your Preliminary Ecological Assessment (PEA). Every year, clients miss critical...
Planning a Winter Tree Survey? Here’s What Developers Need to Know
Winter is an ideal time for many types of ecological and arboricultural work—provided you understand the seasonal limitations. For developers and project managers aiming to submit or validate...
Storm Arwen One Year On – How Woodland Habitats Have Responded
When Storm Arwen struck the UK in late November 2021, North Wales saw some of the worst woodland damage in decades. Ancient oaks were uprooted, shelterbelts flattened, and valley woodlands...
Why Ecological Mitigation Starts Long Before the Diggers Arrive
One of the most common misunderstandings in construction planning is that ecology begins and ends with a survey report. In reality, ecological mitigation is an ongoing, active process—one that must...
Summer Bat Survey Season – Don’t Miss Your Window
Bats are among the most commonly encountered ecological constraints in UK development—and one of the easiest to overlook until it's too late. If your site includes buildings, mature trees, or...
A55 Works and Wildlife: Balancing Infrastructure and Ecology
The A55 is one of North Wales’s most important infrastructure corridors—connecting communities, industry, and tourism across the region. But with its scale, visibility, and ecological context, comes...
Dormouse Surveys – What You Need to Know in Advance
Dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) may be small, quiet, and rarely seen—but they can cause major delays to development projects that fail to account for their survey requirements in time. If your...
Post-Winter Flooding: Ecological Checks Before Construction Resumes
As construction sites across North Wales reopen after winter shutdowns or weather delays, it’s vital to reassess ecological conditions on the ground. Many project managers assume that the baseline...
New Protected Species Licensing Changes in Wales
In 2021, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) began rolling out a series of updates to its protected species licensing system—aimed at streamlining the process, improving clarity, and raising the bar for...
Winter is Coming: Planning Ahead for Preliminary Ecological Assessments
As autumn gives way to winter, it’s tempting to assume ecological surveys can be paused until spring. But for developers and planning consultants working towards Q1 or Q2 submissions, that...
Supporting North Wales Biodiversity with Summer Habitat Management
Summer brings valuable opportunities for biodiversity enhancement—but also a real risk of accidental harm. For landowners, contractors, and development teams, seasonal vegetation management is no...
Welcome to the team Victoria
Victoria Nicholls B.Sc., (Hons) M.Sc. This week we are welcoming Victoria to the team! Victoria will be predominantly working on our projects down in South Wales. An experienced ecologist who was...
Storm Christoph: Lessons In Ecological Resilience and Recovery
When Storm Christoph swept through the UK in January 2021, it brought prolonged rainfall and widespread flooding to many parts of North Wales. Homes, farmland, infrastructure, and natural habitats...
Biodiversity Net Gain – What It Is and Why It Matters
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has quickly become a key consideration in land development and planning. While it’s not yet a legal requirement in Wales or England, the direction of travel is clear—BNG...
Preparing for the End of the Hedgecutting Season (March 1st Reminder)
As February comes to a close, developers, contractors, and land managers across North Wales should take note of a familiar seasonal constraint: the start of the bird nesting season, and with it,...
What the updated Environment Bill means for North Wales Developers
As the UK Environment Bill moves through Parliament in early 2021, North Wales developers should pay close attention to its wider implications. While much of the Bill applies to England, it sets a direction of travel that Welsh policy is already starting to reflect—particularly around biodiversity reporting, net gain principles, and long-term habitat stewardship. Planning authorities in Wales are increasingly expecting projects to demonstrate measurable ecological outcomes, even in the absence of statutory requirements. For developers, architects, and land managers, understanding these changes now can help avoid future delays and ensure smoother planning approvals across North Wales and beyond.
The Hedgerow Regulations 1997
The Hedgerows Regulations 1997 introduced new arrangements for local planning authorities in England and Wales to protect important hedgerows by controlling their removal through a system of...
Ecology and Development Seminar
Eco-scope are holding an Ecology and Development seminar on the 28th of February. This event is running in order to provide information on who Eco-Scope are and what we do. We will cover topics on...
A year in the life of a bat
January: Bats spend most of the winter months hibernating, this means they go into a state of inactivity by lowering their metabolic rate, lowering their body temperature and slowing their...
Bat Facts
Bats are vital for our native wildlife, accounting for almost a third of all mammal species in the UK, they occupy a range of habitats such as woodlands, wetland, farmland and urban areas. They are...
We are on Instagram!
We have delved into the world of social media and created our very own Instagram page for Eco-Scope. Head on over to our page following the link below. Why not follow us and keep updated with the...
Ecoscope visit to Saighton Primary school
Last week we visited Saighton Primary school to speak to the students about wildlife and development. After a brief presentation and a demonstration of bat echolocation with two students dressed as...
Yellow Rattle on highways project
Yellow Rattle is a native wildflower that helps to suppress grass growth by tapping into the grass roots and stealing nutrients and water. This has a positive impact on the growth of delicate...
Wildflower meadow success
In nine months we have turned an area of bare, poor quality subsoil into a species rich meadow! Click the picture below to see a film of the meadow we created as part of a mitigation project for a...
Ecoscope Ecologist on BBC Spring watch 2015!
Our mammal specialist Peter Oakenfull appeared on spring watch 2015 this week - click on Peter below to watch the four minute clip about the life of the venomous Water Shrew! Peter manages the data...