Recruitment - 1x Senior Ecologist - April 2008

Title: 1x Senior Ecologist
Location: Tetbury
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: £25k - £33k
Contact; jobs@keyenv.co.uk

We are offering an exciting opportunity for one Senior Ecologist to join a relatively new, yet highly successful consultancy and to have a genuine influence on the growth and direction of this expanding firm.

We are looking for a versatile, highly motivated and experienced individual to bring new dimensions to our existing team. The successful candidate will be a graduate with over four years consultancy experience, be a full member of IEEM and hold one or more NE survey licenses. They should also have a proven track record in project management, environmental impact assessments/statements and have excellent written and verbal communication skills along with the ability to lead and mentor other team members.

A strong understanding of the commercial sector is essential combined with skills in client communication and project delivery. It is important that the successful candidate is able to develop and promote the technical discipline and to develop new market areas.

For the right candidate there is excellent potential for career progression to Company Associate, at which point a profit share scheme would be awarded.

For further information please call us on 01666 503687.

Please send your covering letter and CV's to Keystone Environmental Ltd, The Old Barn, Park Farm Buildings, Beverston, Tetbury. GL8 8TT or by e-mail to jobs@keyenv.co.uk

Recruitment - UK Subcontractor List - Yr 2008

Title: UK Subcontractor List
Location: Tetbury
Job Type: Subcontractor
Salary: Hourly rate
Contact; jobs@keyenv.co.uk

We are currently compiling a list of subcontractors that are looking for work throughout the UK. The list will enable us to resource projects with appropriately skilled staff as and when they occur. The list will include Ecological Consultants and Contractors.

Ecological Consultants

We are looking for consultants with specialist experience and protected species licenses.

Ecological Contractors

We are looking for enthusiastic, hardworking and capable individuals to assist with a range of diverse and exciting ecological contracting projects. The work available requires the candidate to either possess a background in agricultural/mechanical engineering or landscape management or similar. Ideally, the candidates should also possess a good all round practical aptitude that can be applied to solve problems encountered in a variety of situations. The position will have a strong focus on ground working activity and a high degree of manual work, therefore candidates must be prepared to meet the challenge of carrying out tasks which are often physically demanding in nature.

A prior knowledge of ecology and conservation skills would be an advantage. A willingness and ability to rapidly take on board the principals and constraints of working with protected species is essential.

The Application

Please state what periods of the year you are looking for work and the area of the UK you would like to work within. As well state if you are looking for Ecological Consultancy or Contracting work.

Please send your covering letter and CV's to Keystone Environmental Ltd, The Old Barn, Park Farm Buildings, Beverston, Tetbury. GL8 8TT or by e-mail to jobs@keyenv.co.uk

Team Expansion

Keystone are pleased to welcome the addition of an Ecological Contractor to the current team, who brings arboricultural and tree climbing skills to the company.

Team Expansion

Keystone are pleased to welcome the addition of a Consultant Ecologist, four Graduate Ecologists to strengthen are team with the start of the survey season.

Team Expansion

Keystone are pleased to welcome the addition of another Senior Consultant Ecologist and an Ecological Contractor to the current team. This strengthens our ability to cover larger schemes and the number of projects we can deliver overall whilst simultaneously maintaining the high standards and rapid response times for which we are known. The new addition to the ecological contracting team brings expertise in estate management and arboricultural management to our experienced terrestrial and aquatics team.

Team Expansion

Keystone are pleased to welcome the addition of another Consultant Ecologist and three Graduate Ecologists to the current team. This strengthens our ability to cover larger schemes and the number of projects we can deliver overall whilst simultaneously maintaining the high standards and rapid response times for which we are known. To meet the demands of the ever expanding ecological department we have also made a new addition to the admin department.

Taking the Right Lines

Building on the Link-Up approval Keystone has held since 2006 all our field staff are now Personal Track Safety (PTS) trained and certified thereby enabling us to meet the ecological requirements of our clients in the rail sector.

Successful Newt Hunting

After an extremely busy start to the field season we have now completed 17 projects surveying for Great Crested Newts in 60 ponds. This feat, totaling an incredible 96 survey days/nights was only achieved by the dedication, perseverance and hard work of our field team supported by our admin department. Of the sites surveyed 29 ponds over 13 sites were found to support Great Crested Newts. Needless to say the team is working hard on the preparation of mitigation strategies which will form the backbone of a large number of Natural England disturbance licenses for the purpose of development.

Quarries, Housing & Wildlife - a Win, Win, Win Situation

Chinnor Quarry in Oxfordshire is a 72 hectare former cement works which Keystone are working with Taylor Wimpey (formerly Taylor Woodrow Developments) on to restore and create a 6 hectare housing development nestled within a vast expanse of recreational ground and wildlife habitat. Keystone have successfully guided Taylor Wimpey on land appraisals and the acquisition process, and are now working closely with Oxfordshire County Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and Natural England to devise a restoration strategy that retains and enhances wildlife for the enjoyment of future residents and in areas with no or restricted access, for wildlife alone.

Despite the complexity of issues such as the presence of great crested newts, reptiles, barn owls, bats, wintering birds, breeding birds, orchids, a geological SSSI and developing chalk grassland Keystone have produced a strategy that addresses these issues smoothly thereby ensuring the development and restoration programme proceeds on time and within budget.

Rain Stops Play

Ironically the heavy rain at the end of July has resulted in the postponement of our team canoeing weekend on the River Wye. Although many people would have appreciated a canoe on the wettest weekend known to man the canoeing centre refused to let us near one. Weather permitting we will be re-scheduling for August when we might have some sunshine for the BBQ and camping expedition that was meant to follow the canoeing trip.

Going Batty

With the Great Crested Newt season over we turned our attention to bats. Many surveys have been completed but the wet summer has taken its toll on bats this year resulting in poor breeding success and a number of deaths being recorded in roosts where this hasn't been experienced before.

Numerous projects this year have involved emergence surveys, followed by activity transects and dawn surveys. Despite the strain of these all night sessions, relief has been sought in local all night kebab shops and supermarkets who do a mean box of doughnuts. This combination of sleep deprivation, coffee and teeth rotting food has turned out to be a great recipe for team building and some good laughs have been had by all.

New Bat Survey Guidelines Now Published

The Bat Conservation Trust has launched the long awaited Bat Surveys - Good Practice Guidelines. These provide guidance on how and when to survey for bats and will function as an industry standard that ensures all consultants work on a level playing field. It is pleasing to see that the survey efforts we recommend closely match those in the guidelines. Consequently our clients should see little or no alteration to the surveys and associated costs we put forward.

If you are working on sites with buildings and trees that will be affected in any way by development/land use change we would be happy to provide a brief and fee proposal to ensure your legal obligations in respect if bats are met. Alternatively, if you require monitoring, research or training please contact us to discuss your requirements in greater detail.

Licensing Changes and Additional Protection to European Protected Species

Amendments to The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 were due to be made in April 2007 but have now been postponed to August 2007.

These amendments clarify the situation where European Protected Species are concerned. As a result of a European Court Judgement in 2005, which showed that the UK was not fulfilling the Habitats Directive due to defences in Regulation 40 & 43(4), the defense in Regulation 40 will be removed. However, the threshold on the level of disturbance will be raised, although if a licence is granted there will be a new offence of breaching licence conditions, an important move as developers, not the ecologist, will be named on the licence and the offence carries a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment and/or a £5,000 fine.

In addition, the reasoned statements will become more rigorous and conditioning work within planning permissions will not be permitted.

In summary, changes to The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 are as follows:

1) New offence of non-compliance with licence

2) Defence of dwelling houses for bats roosts and incidental result of a lawful operation to be removed

3) Increased thresholds for disturbance

4) Developers/land owners to be licence holders and therefore responsible for any breach in a licence

5) Method statements to be divided into background and mitigation so that only the mitigation section needs to be re-submitted for approval if amendments to the strategy are required

6) Local Planning Authorities must complete EPS consultation documents to demonstrate that the three criteria required to obtain a licence are fulfilled.

Clearly the alterations are complex therefore please contact us if you would like an explanation of how these changes might affect your business and how we can help you meet your legal obligations whilst avoiding costly programme delays. Our extensive licence application expertise will ensure your scheme receives approval in the shortest possible time.