Wildwood Ecology | Certified B Corporation™

Not long to our first Client event in March... ...starting on 11 March at University of South Wales, Pontypridd. CPD for Planners and Architects - Net Benefits for Biodiversity (NBB) and Bats & Planning Net Benefit for Biodiversity (NBB) and Green Infrastructure (GI) policies represent a significant shift in approach to development planning. Join us for the morning and gain insights on site-specific solutions, holistic planning and why ecological expertise is needed early in the design process to ensure compliance with NBB and GI requirements. Updates on new bat survey guidelines and licensing for planning and development will also be discussed. Arrival from 9am. Presentations and discussions to start promptly at 9.30am and will end at 12.00pm. Location: Room 9, USW Conference Centre, Treforest Campus, CF37 1DL Get your FREE ticket here: https://lnkd.in/d96M5_dz

🌿 Exciting news! We've just launched our Wildwood Eco & Arb Planning Assistant - a specialized GPT that brings our ecological and arboricultural expertise directly to planners, architects, and developers across England & Wales. Why did we create this? Simple: To help more people access reliable environmental guidance at the early stages of their projects. This assistant embodies our commitment to: 🦾 Supporting sustainable development 😃 Making expert ecological knowledge more accessible ✅ Helping projects get it right from the start 🚀 Streamlining the planning process Whether you're exploring site constraints, need guidance on protected species, or want to understand tree protection requirements - our GPT assistant can help point you in the right direction. The best part? It's available 24/7 to provide initial guidance, helping you make informed decisions about your development projects before they even hit the drawing board. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eWeaf-3a And remember - while our GPT assistant is a great starting point, our team of expert ecologists and arboriculturists are always here to provide the detailed, site-specific guidance your project needs. #Ecology #Sustainability #Planning #Innovation #Biodiversity #Construction #Architecture #PropertyDevelopment

March is going to be a busy month as we welcome new team members to the company. To support their learning and development we have teamed up with the Ecology Academy to offer a selection of handpicked and in-house training courses for our new employees to explore. To date we have 13 courses available to all our employees (not just new starters). More to be added over the next few weeks. Courses range from a selection of Ecology Academy courses including: ⚖️ An introduction to Wildlife Legislation and Planning Policy 🌻 Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Fundamentals 📒 Report Writing for Beginners And those created internally for our teams including: 🌳 Winter Tree ID 🐭 Dormouse Survey and Mitigation 🍄 Fungi Plus how to set up and operate our bat detectors, night vision aids and how to write a Risk Assessment. We look forward to welcoming our team in a few weeks time. WANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM? We have vacancies for Consultant, Senior and Principal grades for both our Caerphilly (South Wales) and Stroud (South West) locations. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eJb956Vf

💝 Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in England now enters its Second Year 💘 BNG is more than just a planning requirement—it represents a fundamental shift in how we integrate nature into development. Success will depend on: ✅ Early adoption of best practices. 🤔 Innovative urban solutions. 🗣️ Collaborative approaches across sectors. By embracing BNG as an opportunity rather than a constraint, stakeholders can create biodiversity-rich, climate-resilient communities while also unlocking economic and social value. What should we be focusing more on in Year Two?

Whilst Wildwood Ecology | Certified B Corporation™ acknowledges that changes to planning is very much needed, the proposal outlined below raises more questions than provides a confident working process for development. The issues we see are that site‐specific nuances risk being overlooked if the focus shifts to broad strategic Delivery Plans. This may result in the loss of crucial detail needed to assess unique ecological features. There is an uncertainty about how the new process will integrate with existing legislation and, most worrying, the established mitigation hierarchy. This could lead to situations where a “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t adequately protect species with specialised habitat needs. The potential dilution of direct ecological input at the project level might mean that cumulative impacts—especially for protected species—are not fully captured until it’s too late. If the roles and responsibilities of delivery bodies are not clearly defined, there could be issues with accountability, especially when ecological harm is only monitored through aggregated data. If we look at this a little more positively (although that is challenging), then early strategic assessments, if properly designed, could allow for earlier identification of ecological issues—creating a window for proactive mitigation and more informed site planning. There’s an opportunity to engage directly with delivery bodies or planning authorities to ensure that the strategic framework incorporates rigorous ecological data. Our expertise as an ecological consultancy could help shape these Delivery Plans to retain essential site-specific detail. Streamlining the process could reduce delays if environmental data is “frontloaded” into Delivery Plans. This could lead to more predictable planning outcomes, benefiting both developers and nature recovery. Finally, by contributing to an evidence-led process, we could play a key role in validating and refining the strategic approach, ensuring that it doesn’t compromise ecological standards while still facilitating development. See Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) response related to our industry as a whole: https://lnkd.in/ewwqGM8i

🌿 **Join Our Award-Winning Team! Multiple Ecological Consultant Positions Available** Are you ready to advance your career with a purpose-driven ecological consultancy? Wildwood Ecology is expanding our teams in both Stroud and Caerphilly! We're seeking Consultant, Senior, and Principal Ecologists who are passionate about making a real difference in sustainable development. As a certified B Corporation, we're committed to using business as a force for good - for our people, our clients, and our planet. **Why Choose Wildwood Ecology?** 🔍 Work on innovative projects using cutting-edge technology like thermal imaging for heritage sites 🏡 Excellent work-life balance with our 2-hour travel limit policy - most sites within 90 minutes 📚 Comprehensive career development framework with clear progression paths 🎓 Free access to all Ecology Academy courses 🌱 Opportunity to work with sustainability-focused A1 clients 💼 Competitive salaries and benefits package ✈️ Minimal overnight stays (only 3 required in 2024!) 🏖️ Sabbatical opportunities available **We're looking for:** - Consultant Ecologists (2+ years' experience) - Senior Ecologists (4+ years' experience) - Principal Ecologists (4+ years' experience with strong commercial awareness) If you're feeling stuck in your current role or seeking an employer who truly invests in your development, we'd love to hear from you. 👉 Download the application pack from our careers page: https://lnkd.in/eJb956Vf ✉️ Questions? Email recruit@wildwoodecology.com #Ecology #Careers #Sustainability #BCorp #EcologicalConsultancy #WildlifeConservation #Jobs

We first became a Certified B Corporation back in 2019, the first ecological consultancy in the UK (possibly also Europe) to do so. In 2025 we will be re-certifying for the Second time as Wildwood Ecology | Certified B Corporation™ We have submitted our initial evidence to B Lab UK and have updated our impact report. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eubnbFq2 A big thank you to Mererid Howells and Richard Dodd for preparing the company for re-certification and completing the 2024 impact report. As always, we welcome feedback from our communities and to hold us to account.

Just finished a great webinar hosted by CIRIA on "Early lessons learned from mandatory BNG in England" Thank you to Annie Ottaway, alistair law, Tom Butterworth, Julia Baker, nick white and Helen Nyul. Here are my Key Takeaways (tried to use most appropriate emoji - clearly had a a lot of time to prepare this): ⚖️ BNG Implementation is Now a Legal Requirement – Developments must demonstrate at least 10% biodiversity gain. 🕐 Early Planning is Crucial – Engaging with local planning authorities before development ensures smoother approvals. ❎ ☑️ Avoid & Enhance Before Offsetting – The BNG hierarchy prioritizes on-site enhancement over off-site biodiversity credits. 👋🏻 Temporary Biodiversity Gains Matter – Construction sites should maintain habitat continuity using pop-up green spaces. 💚 Green Infrastructure Offers Multiple Benefits – On-site biodiversity: Reduces urban heat islands. 🌊 Manages flood risks. 🏘️ Enhances property values & community engagement. 🤔 Developers Should Choose Sites Wisely – Pre-purchase biodiversity assessments prevent costly complications. 🥉 BNG Should Be Realistic & Feasible – High-distinctiveness habitats may not be viable; focus on practical, long-term solutions. 💷 BNG Can Generate Business Value – Instead of just seeing it as a cost, businesses should explore financial & social benefits. 👯🏻 Collaboration is Essential – Success depends on engaging planners, developers, ecologists, and communities. 🧐 Handover & Monitoring Are Critical – 30-year monitoring obligations require clear documentation and responsible management. Beyond the core summaries and key takeaways, there are several deeper insights and emerging themes that surfaced during the discussions. These offer strategic considerations for #ecologicalconsultants, #developers, #policymakers, and #urbanplanners. I will share these as comments (rather than take up any more of your time here). #BNG #BiodiversityNetGain #Ecology Photo by Margaret Polinder on Unsplash

🌿 Calling all Planning Consultants and Architects - Join us for one of our free CPD events on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)/Net Benefits for Biodiversity (NBB) Policies and Bats & Planning! 🌿 TUESDAY 11TH MARCH TREFOREST CONFERENCE CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES - https://lnkd.in/ejNCxGCN TUESDAY 25TH MARCH STONEHOUSE COURT HOTEL, STROUD - https://lnkd.in/euWGAqvS BNG policies are reshaping development planning across England, and this is your chance to dive deep into the details! 🏗️🌱 🔍 What’s on the agenda? . Site-specific solutions to BNG compliance . Collaborative design strategies for biodiversity enhancement . The importance of involving ecological expertise early in the planning process . Updates on new bat survey guidelines & licensing for planning and development 🦇 Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead in sustainable development! 🌍✨ Please book using the links above

🦇 Seeing is believing: Ivi Szaboova MSc MCIEEM witnessed a conservation success story that proves well-designed mitigation really works. A winter compliance check revealed a lesser horseshoe bat has made its home in our carefully designed hibernaculum. But that's not all - the compensation loft is showing extensive evidence of bat activity, with distinctive droppings suggesting multiple species have moved in. Most exciting? The outbuildings we modified are now prime hunting grounds, scattered with butterfly and moth wings - the tell-tale signature of long-eared bats. This is why attention to detail matters in ecological mitigation. When we create the right conditions, wildlife will return. Who else has seen success stories in their mitigation projects? Would love to hear your experiences. #WildlifeConservation #Biodiversity #EcologicalConsultancy #BatConservation #WildwoodEcology