Welcome to the new website with photography by Simon Booth, I hope you like it. Hopefully you will find the information you need here, but the website only provides a basic overview of the services we offer. If you require further detailed advice, please call us now on 01772 614932.

The amphibian breeding season is later than usual this year, due to adverse weather conditions. Common frog and common toad species are returning to breed in ponds and waterbodies at the moment. The migration of other amphibian species, such as the great crested, smooth and palmate newts, should commence shortly in the North West of England.

Mike Oxford, Project Officer ALGE Association of Local Government Ecologist, designed a bespoke training course for Ecology Services Ltd.

The course forms part of our CPD training and was targeted to cover biodiversity and the planning system, thus ensuring that our clients receive the most upto date advice when requring services relating to the planning system.

Amendments ot the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WAC) (As amended) will come into force on the 6th of April 2010. There are some changes to animals listed but there are also some important issues relating to the expanded list of plant species, which now includes 37 species of vascular plant, including some hybrid species.

Photo: Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, on the nest. Irises. Lancashire, UK. Simon Booth.

As part of our commitment to our employees and continued professional development, employees have attended several ecology based courses including:

• Introduction to Phase 1 Habitat Survey run by the Institute of Ecology & Environmental Management (IEEM)
• Small Mammal Identification Course run by Mammal Society
• Wildflower Identification run by the Wildlife Trust
• Bats and Bat Surveys foundation course run by Bat Conservation Trust (BCT)
• Bat Conference BCT

Photograph taken by ecologist Su Eccles, whilst on a small mammal identification training course.

Top photo: Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus, on hawthorn branch. Autumn, UK. © Simon Booth

Employees of Ecology Services Ltd. have recently attended training courses which included; Crayfish Survey and Mitigation Techniques and Techiniques for Environmental Monitoring.

Staff training is an important part of ensuring that new environmental technologies are brought into the practice, to enable us to be at the leading edge of our profession and provide a high quality service to our clients.

Photo: Signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus, invasive species, Cheshire UK. © Simon Booth