Alba Ecology provides specific species and habitat management advice to a range of public and private sector clients, including under several long-term framework agreements. This work is very diverse and ranges from providing protected species survey advice in relation to development control through to developing mitigation and conservation plans for land managers and developing and testing new standard survey methods for protected species.
These are primarily surveys undertaken to identify potential development constraints and are thus used to advise on management options. Alba Ecology considers that for such surveys to have any validity, it is essential that surveyors have a high level of field skill in order to locate and correctly identify target species and habitats. Consequently, Alba Ecology's team has a wide range of expertise across most UK species and habitats.
Delivery of such surveys forms a large part of our core work. Alba Ecology is highly regarded and experienced in working with all UK bird species and also in surveying for protected mammal species using a range of specialist equipment e.g. bat detectors, Cuddeback cameras etc. In recent years, Alba Ecology has specialised in undertaking upland Lepidoptera and Odonata surveys, discovering several new sites for many priority species. In addition, with Peter Cosgrove, Alba Ecology have unparalleled expertise in survey and conservation of freshwater pearl mussels. Peter is recognised as an international authority on the survey and conservation of this endangered species and its aquatic habitat. The team's ability to provide a number of specialist surveys allows us to provide a one-stop shop for clients on proposed developments such as housing sites, hydro-electric schemes and wind farms where protected mammal, aquatic ecology and breeding bird surveys may all be required.
Alba Ecology is highly experienced in providing ecological advice for development sites which may have a high level of conservation & wildlife value. We have become acknowledged experts in planning to avoid significant impact on important wildlife, while allowing for important developments to go ahead, and to this end we provide a full and complete ecological service including post-development. Work may entail monitoring of wildlife reactions to the development, habitat restoration, post-construction surveys, supplementary feeding regimes, habitat management plans, and providing ECoW services to assist in compliance with any planning conditions.
