KB Ecology

KB Ecology

A Kent Based Ecological Consultancy.

... Looking after Kent's Biodiversity

Since 2009, over ten years of expert ecological advice to satisfied customers in Kent!

Local Biodiversity Specialists

Since 2009, KB Ecology Ltd is a specialist practice offering ecological consulting advice to a wide range of private and public sector clients. It provides specialist ecology services, from initial scoping studies, through detailed habitat and protected wildlife survey, to ecological impact assessment, mitigation planning, on-site implementation and monitoring.

Our understanding of planning allows us to deliver practical solutions to ecological issues within development sites. Our project experience is extensive and wide ranging and includes pipelines, educational buildings, transport infrastructures and residential.

At KB Ecology Ltd, we believe that local knowledge is of prime importance when it comes to wildlife, which is why we are restricting our services to Kent.

We offer competitively priced services and are happy to discuss the ecological aspects of your project prior to quotation.

Since 2009, some of our clients have been:

· The Leeds Castle Foundation and the Society For The Protection Of Ancient Buildings SPAB for advice with regards to bats and other protected species during listed building renovations,

· Galliford Try Investments for construction of new care homes,

· Maidstone and Ashford Borough Council for construction of social housing developments,

· Southern Gas Networks for the construction of new gas pipelines, Ecotricity for feasibility studies of wind farms, Kronos Solar for new solar farms,

· and many local architectural and planning practices, in need of expert advice for barn conversions, small and large scale housing developments.

“I have used KB Ecology on numerous occasions. They have proved reliable, professional and practical in their application. In times of need they have also made themselves available at short notice which has been essential in several instances. They are very friendly and approachable’’. Thomas Ogden Director at Bloomfields – Jan 2017

‘Having engaged 3 or 4 different ecologists in recent years, I must say that I am very impressed with the depth and quality of your report. In addition to using your services on future projects, I will be recommending you to my associates and fellow developers. Many thanks.’ Tom Quaye, Design And Building Services, December 2018.

Surveys

KB Ecology Ltd offers in-house capabilities for the full range of species surveys. Survey work is often centred on satisfying legal requirements in terms of identifying the presence/absence and extent of use by protected species such as badgers, bats, water voles, dormice, great crested newts and reptiles. Our staff have a wealth of experience of surveying for these species/groups and advising on the implications of their presence on development sites.

Range of specialist services :

Site Assessment and Evaluation through field visits and desk study.

Protected species survey and advice including badgers, otters, water voles, bats, great crested newts, reptiles, dormice and white-clawed crayfish.

Phase 1 Habitat Surveys.

Habitat advice including the preparation of habitat management plans, habitat creation and restoration, monitoring schemes and survey. Ecological Impact Assessment.

Practical mitigation measures including engineering and habitat mitigation design.

"European protected species development licensing (including bats, dormice and great crested newts)."

‘Avoidance, Mitigation, Compensation, Enhancements’

The protection afforded to the various protected species encountered within development sites varies and KB Ecology Ltd can advise on the extent of any required mitigation programme. We have recently undertaken licensed mitigation works to facilitate development whilst safeguarding great crested newts, bats and dormice.

In certain circumstances, licences may not be required for mitigation programmes to be implemented. KB Ecology Ltd can advise on a case by case basis. Recent examples include agreed mitigation programmes for water voles and great crested newts.

The implementation of mitigation programmes involving protected species within England may require licensing.

Staff

‘KB Ecology Ltd is run by Katia Bresso BSc, MSc, CEnv, MCIEEM. After having worked up the ranks of major consultancies to Principal Ecologist over 9 years (Atkins and Jacobs – formerly Babtie), she decided to start her own ecological consultancy in 2009.

Her specialism covers European protected species, mainly great crested newts, dormice and bats (for which she holds EN scientific surveying licences). She has also successful experience in applying for EPS development licences (GCN, dormouse and most species of bats). She is also a Registered Consultant of the Bat Low Impact Class Licence WML-CL21 with Natural England since May 2015.

She is trained in confined space entry (Escape sets, ESS Safeforce) and registered under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme CSCS.

She undertakes roost visits as a Natural England bat volunteer and also carries out dormouse monitoring in local woods.

She has been working in Kent and surrounding counties for the last 15 years and has a very good knowledge of the local ecology. In addition, other local specialists are brought in depending on the needs of each project, via a network of local surveyors.

Since 2009, Katia has given presentation to local architects, surveyors and planning consultants about ecological issues relating to construction.

Since 2016, Katia has been involved in facilitating specialist bat identification and acoustic ecology training for professional ecologists. For more information, click on the link http://www.acousticecologyofeuropeanbats.com/

Katia is also an active member of several local recording groups including the Kent Bat Group, the Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group and the Kent Mammal Group.

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Katia is also the creator of the Multilingual Family website and founder and chairperson of the Petite Ecole Kentoise charity, which organises French schools and a library for bilingual children in Kent

PHONE : 07 810 412 773

KB Ecology Ltd

9 Barleyfields

Weavering, Maidstone

Kent

ME14 5SW

KB Ecology Ltd