A Guide to Ecological Services
Building something new is always exciting, but construction must be done with care. Every building project could potentially cause a problem with the surrounding environment. If you wish to build something ecologically sound, it requires more than considering green energy sources and designing your building to make the best use of the sun.
The bigger your project, the bigger the environmental impact and that means you could be affecting not only local habitation but also plants. If animals are living in the area you intend to build, you will disrupt their natural habitat. In some cases, the animals will merely move elsewhere, but in other cases, you could be disrupting an already delicate eco-system.
Ecological assessments can help you determine where to build and how, but also ease your environmental impact. There are several ecological services to help you build a safer, more thoughtful project.
What Is an Ecological Survey?
Before you start a new building project, it’s a good idea to have an ecological survey done, which will assess the site to determine the environmental impact of the proposed structure will be. This is a good idea to have whether you are building a home for yourself, a commercial structure, or an addition to something that you already have.
The ecological survey will look at the entire site and will address any potential issues from an ecological standpoint. This takes into consideration the impact of the building on any existing habitats and also suggests ways to continue the development without interfering with the wildlife in the area.
The ecological survey should be planned far in advance so that you can adjust your development timeline according to the findings. It could affect everything from your schedule to your budget.
Why do you need this type of survey?
It allows you to adjust for any ecological constraints right from the start and lets you make a plan to reduce your impact on the surrounding habitats. A biodiversity action plan will also be created to minimise the threat to any animal habitats.
There are several stages to the ecological survey. They are as follows:
STAGE 1: PRELIMINARY APPRAISAL OF THE LOCAL ECOLOGY
This stage involves a walkover and a quick desktop study to see what is available in the area. It will note any ecological constraints on the site and check for potentially new habitats.
The early findings indicate just what species are found in the area and how much they will likely be affected by the construction. There is a specific interest in priority habitats, which are habitats of species that are threatened. These species require extra care and should not be disturbed in most cases.
If nothing is found during this initial appraisal, you don’t need to do anything else, apart from submitting the report for your building plan. You will only proceed to stage 2 if there is evidence that a protected species will be affected by the construction.
This survey must be completed quite early. If anything is found, you may not be able to get planning permission until a decision has been made on how to mitigate the impact. These decisions will be made by ecologists.
STAGE 2: ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
At this stage, the area will be surveyed and data collected to assess the impact based on the specific species or habitats that are found. A more detailed report will be drawn up and will expand on the findings from stage 1.
This stage will cover scoping, data collection, preliminary ecological appraisal, detailed surveys of protected species, site evaluation for conservation value, impact assessments, mitigation, residual impacts, and a report for stakeholders.
In most cases, these surveys will show that there is no reason to withhold planning permission. If a protected species is discovered, then it will need to be protected and there will be a discussion of what measures ought to be taken in order to keep the species and its habitat safe.
What is a Biodiversity Action Plan?
This is a plan, often referred to as BAP, that is internationally recognised. It addresses the problem of threatened species and habitats and is meant to protect them. BAP also works to restore biological systems that already exist.
If your survey shows that you are in the middle of priority habitat, the BAP will help protect the species. You will need to look at alternatives to building the way you originally intended.
Ecological Management of Building Sites
When planning to build a structure, you will likely want to have an ecologist weigh in on the project. Whether or not you have animals living nearby, you will be able to use the information provided by the ecologist to create a project that has minimal impact on the environment.
Ecological management will help you build a more sustainable building that is better for the nature around it. Everything from how the building is built to the way you design your patios and garden will have an impact on the world. These things can all be adjusted according to how the ecologist recommends you build.
What Animals Live in Your Area?
Do you know what animal habitats are in your area? This is why you need an ecological survey, to scout out the various habitats and determine whether the project will affect the species living there. The experts can easily determine if anything lives there and what species they are. This is determined from a variety of clues that are carefully examined, from tracks and scat to sightings and burrows or nests. Some examinations may spark a bat survey, to see how many bats and what species live in your area. You may also consider a bird count to determine how many species of birds live in your area.
If you have a lot of bats and birds, you can work to encourage them. Plant trees that both insects and birds like and encourage insects to gather so the bats can feed in the evenings. You can design your home and landscape around these creatures and ensure that your home is as ecologically sound as possible.
Should Animals Be Relocated?
In cases where you have a priority habitat, you want to preserve it as much as possible and allow the animals to continue living there. This may require some changes to your construction plans, but it is worth it to provide a home for species that would otherwise be displaced.
Animals that are not on the priority list may be relocated in many cases and this will be an individual decision made by ecologists who have studied the situation. They can determine if it is wise to relocate the animals and may also make suggestions as to how this can be achieved safely. It’s a lot of work, however, so you may prefer to simply alter your plans around the habitat.
The Environmental Impact of Your Landscape Project
Your project doesn’t have to be a construction project in order to require an ecological survey. In fact, even landscaping could affect priority habitats.
Once the surveys are done and you have determined that your project will not cause any harm to the animals in the area, you may begin work. However, it’s always a good idea to ensure that your landscaping is good for surrounding species and offers more habitats than it could destroy.
Consider planning to add areas that will help wildlife hide and plants to attract everything from butterflies to wild rabbits. You can create an ecologically sound landscape plan with a garden that actually improves on the local environment. By using minimally invasive procedures to create your landscaping and selecting plants with great care, you will find it simple to create a space where humans and nature can remain side by side.
When in doubt of how to best integrate your home and landscaping with the surrounding environment, you’ll want to have some ecological management. Ecologists will be able to help you create a plan to protect the environment and the species that live in it. Ideally, they should be able to provide all the ecological services you require and should have the experience to help you come up with a better plan.
If you’re looking for landscape designers with a firm understanding of ecological impact and how to work around it, you need Lizard Landscape Design. Contact us today to learn more.