Ecological Planning & Research

26/05/2026

A few months on from sharing the trailer, Cornwall Climate Care's documentary Beyond Bricks is now live to watch on YouTube!

The film explores how new homes can be delivered without worsening the climate and ecological crises, highlighting projects and approaches from across the UK that are helping nature and development work hand in hand.

EPR’s Barney Scott, Principal Ecological Consultant, features in the documentary discussing our involvement in the Nansledan development in Cornwall, where ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain have been embedded throughout. Nansledan is featured as a leading example of sustainable development, providing a blueprint for future schemes.

A big thank you again to the Beyond Bricks team for having us involved. You can watch the full documentary here: https://bit.ly/4dIqdOr

Got questions about BNG or how it can be applied to your projects? Feel free to get in touch with us at info@epr.uk.com

Housing is a basic human requirement - but the construction industry is one of the world’s biggest sources of climate emissions and landfill waste.Beyond Bri...

13/05/2026

After eight years based in Northfleet, the Eastern Region team has moved into a new office in Chatham Historic Dockyard, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for us.

It feels like the right time to pause and reflect on everything we’ve been part of across the South East over that period. The work has been incredibly varied, from residential and infrastructure schemes through to conservation-led projects with organisations such as the RSPB and The Land Trust, as well as a growing number of renewable energy projects.

As we settle into our new base, we’ll be sharing a short series of posts looking back at some of the projects and key moments that have shaped the Eastern Region over the past eight years, along with what’s next for the team.

We’re still waiting to get a proper team photo in the new office, but in the meantime here’s one from a recent walk (slightly blurry, but it captures us well enough!).

06/05/2026

As part of our work monitoring Badgers at a site in Hampshire, we installed motion-activated cameras to capture activity in and around setts, helping us build a clearer picture of how the setts are being used.

While our main focus is very much on the Badgers, we do occasionally get a surprise guest or two passing through. Alongside plenty of Badger activity, the footage also picked up this rather inquisitive Tawny Owl. A familiar (if more often heard than seen) UK nocturnal species, Tawny Owls are known for their distinctive call.

Camera monitoring is a great way to understand how sites are being used, often providing valuable insight into wildlife activity that would be difficult to capture through direct observation alone.

24/04/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Alison Schillemore to EPR, who recently joined the team as Consultant Senior Ecologist.

Alison brings nearly eight years of experience from WSP in Bristol, where she started as a seasonal ecologist and progressed to Senior Ecologist. Before that, she worked as a sub-consultant, having transitioned into ecology from a previous career in market research.

A self-confessed generalist, Alison enjoys the wide range of work that ecology brings, with a particular soft spot for bats. Beyond her fieldwork, she also has strong skills in GIS and data analysis, and even dabbles in graphic design, bringing an extra layer of creativity to her work.

Alison studied Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London, and went on to complete a Master’s in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol – a background that has surprisingly come in handy when identifying animal remains on site!

Having recently moved back to Hampshire to be closer to friends and family, Alison is looking forward to joining the team at our Wi******er headquarters and applying her expertise to the exciting projects the team is currently delivering in areas familiar to her.

Outside of work, you’ll often find her drawing or making something, gardening, tackling DIY projects, or exploring the outdoors in her campervan.

Welcome to the team Alison!

22/04/2026

Today marks , held annually on 22nd April to highlight the importance of environmental protection and the need for urgent action to safeguard our natural world. It’s both a moment of reflection and a call to action, encouraging global awareness of the environmental challenges we continue to face.

At EPR, we’re using the day to reflect on how closely this connects to the work we do. Projects, whether housing, infrastructure or land management, involve decisions that influence how nature sits alongside development. We believe those decisions can be made in a way that achieves genuine ‘win-win’ outcomes for both nature and people.

A lot of that comes down to legislation and the planning system. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, was passed to help speed up delivery of much-needed development in England, although many are rightly concerned about the potential negative consequences for both biodiversity and development. The first Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) coming forward under the Act, and the process through which developers can ‘opt in’ to them, are currently being drafted. It’s crucial that these emerging EDPs and the processes surrounding them are closely scrutinised, and where necessary, constructively challenged, to minimise negative consequences and help realise the benefits for both people and nature

While Earth Day is an important reminder of why protecting the natural environment matters, it’s something we should be thinking about in the decisions we make every day. Nature is not an obstacle to progress, but fundamental to it.

02/04/2026

It’s officially spring!

As the days get longer and the weather warms up, wildlife is becoming active again and the survey season is already in full swing. Reptiles are emerging from hibernation and basking in the sunshine, while Great Crested Newts (GCN) are gathering in their ponds for breeding. There’s still time to arrange surveys, but where GCN population size estimates are needed, Natural England requires 2-3 visits before mid-May, so it’s worth booking soon.

This is also the perfect time to start looking at terrestrial invertebrates, as valuable assemblages can appear across a variety of habitats. Where proposals affect streams or watercourses, it’s worth checking for White-Clawed Crayfish.

Bats are becoming active too, with activity surveys possible from April and emergence surveys of potential roosts beginning in early May. This is typically a very busy survey month, so contact your ecologist now to discuss your requirements.

The breeding bird season is well underway, but surveys can still be carried out in woodland, farmland, hedgerows, coastal habitats and heathlands. Spring is also the ideal time to plan botanical surveys, particularly in woodlands and acid grasslands, before the optimal window closes at about the end of May.

If you have any questions about surveys this season or want to find out how we could help, get in touch with our team at info@epr.uk.com.

You can also sign up for our free service, EPR START, which emails subscribers to let them know when key ecological survey windows are about to open or close. Just fill out some basic details here to sign up: https://bit.ly/EPR-START

31/03/2026

Having played a key role at EPR for 20 years, we’re delighted to announce that Karen Colebourn has stepped into the role of the company’s Chair.

Most recently serving as Professional Standards Director, Karen will provide strategic guidance in her new role, helping the team to deliver the best outcomes for both clients and nature.

With over 40 years’ experience in professional ecology, Karen has run landscape scale field surveys of ancient woodland, grassland and rivers. She has both produced and reviewed numerous Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA) for both developers and planning authorities. She led the team that produced the first EcIA Guidelines for the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM), now the benchmark for ecologists, and has acted as an expert witness at over 50 public inquiries and EiPs.

Karen also brings a strong commitment to public engagement, having run field-based landscape history courses for visually impaired people for more than 30 years. She also supports her local Wildlife Trust, serving on one of its advisory committees and supporting their Local Wildlife Site system.

Karen said: “I’m honoured to take on the role of Chair at EPR. I’m committed to carrying forward Phil’s legacy – his long-term approach to ecology, his dedication to protecting and restoring irreplaceable habitats, and the careful, evidence-based way he guided projects. I’m excited to continue that work, supporting the team to deliver lasting, positive outcomes for clients, the public, wildlife, and the wider environment.”

Her appointment marks an important step for EPR as it continues to grow, guided by the principles and approach established over the company’s history. We congratulate Karen on this well-deserved role and and we look forward to the next chapter of EPR’s journey under her leadership.

25/03/2026

Six years on from when EPR helped fund a live camera and nest box on the roof of St Mary’s Church in Andover, a pair of Peregrine Falcons continues to return each year to breed. This spring, as they usually do around this time of year, the pair has laid eggs.

Peregrines are known for their incredible speed and hunting agility, and it’s always fascinating to watch their nesting activity up close. The camera usually focuses on the nest while the adults are on the eggs, and later in the season it zooms out once the chicks hatch and the adults begin bringing food.

The live-feed offers a great chance to follow the pair throughout their breeding season and see how they care for their chicks. It’s exciting to see them thriving year after year, and the footage provides a simple way for people to connect with nature.

You can follow their progress live here: https://worldcam.eu/liveview/31802

WorldCam features an extensive network of live webcams from around the World. Portal offers a map and the search engine for internet cameras. Search the portal for beach, ski, animal and other cams.

10/03/2026

Today is the final day to submit nominations for the Phil Colebourn Award for the Conservation of Irreplaceable Habitats, part of the annual awards run by the Chartered Institute
of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

This new award has been established in memory of Phil Colebourn, founder of EPR and one of CIEEM’s earliest members. Phil was a lifelong champion of ancient biodiversity-rich habitats and a pioneer in understanding how landscape history can inform ecological conservation.

The award celebrates projects that have made a well-evidenced contribution to protecting and/or restoring an irreplaceable habitat, such as ancient woodland, ancient and veteran trees, peatland habitats, and coastal sand dunes. These are places that take significant time to restore, recreate or replace, often because of their age, diversity or uniqueness.

Phil believed passionately in safeguarding these special landscapes while ensuring development could deliver positive outcomes for nature. Supporting this award is one way of continuing that legacy.

If you’re involved in a project helping to conserve these habitats, make sure to submit your nomination today.

Find out more here:

The 2026 CIEEM Awards are open for nominations - nominate a well-deserving project, individual or organisation for recognition.

19/02/2026

At the start of February, we were delighted to welcome Jack Owen and Josh Kinal to EPR as Assistant Ecologists!

Jack and Josh originally joined us in August last year as seasonal staff, providing valuable support to the team. Jack joined while completing his MSc at the University of Reading, gaining real-world experience to support his studies, and will now be based at our headquarters in Wi******er. Josh has returned to EPR as an Assistant Ecologist and will be based in our Eastern Region office in Kent.

We’re very pleased to have both on board as permanent members of the team and look forward to supporting them as they continue to develop their careers with EPR.