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New scheme boosting habitats for newts and other wildlife

EMEC outlines its new scheme to create and maintain ponds around Leicestershire to help great crested newts and other species

Over the past 18 months ecologists and members of the land management team from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts specialist subsidiary EMEC Ecology, have been working to create ponds thanks to a new scheme over the border in Leicestershire.

EMEC, which generates profits to invest in the Trust’s charitable delivery, is becoming a leader in its field, having built experience delivering a range of projects across the UK. Funding for this particular project came from a new scheme designed to help create new habitat for great crested newts, a protected species, as mitigation of impacts linked to permitted housing developments.

Great crested newt

Great crested newt

Newts are known to hibernate in the winter, usually under rubble, logs and stones; some utilise the ponds to hibernate - land and property developers previously were made to catch, identify and release newts; releasing them away from the newly constructed properties in the hope they would find a new home, this type of relocation often meant that newts would settle in polluted ponds.

Under the new scheme, the licensing fee paid by developers is placed into a fund designed to create and maintain new well designed and carefully located ponds to offset any direct impact caused by developments. One of the real benefits of the District Level Licensing scheme and more pragmatic approach is that sufficient funds are generated to create and maintain the new ponds for the next five years.

EMEC’s Sarah Spotswood, previously spoke about the scheme ‘’So we’ve created and restored 13 ponds for the scheme and plan to deliver a further 40 ponds in the upcoming months’’. Forty ponds seem an ambitious number but the scale of recent survey and habitat creation projects delivered by the EMEC Ecology team suggest it’s well within reach.  

One of the new pond areas before work has been carried out

A proposed site for one of the new ponds

EMEC provides a range of ecological and land management services, from protected species surveys and drone surveys to large scale tree planting schemes, all backed by the team’s approach to project management which enables the team to tackle projects large and small. The team can deliver a wide range of habitat creation projects, advise on ecological mitigation and habitat management and ecological management plans as it has for many sites on behalf of the Wildlife Trust and partner organisations. The company was set up to provide specialist ecological advice whilst generating profits to support the Trust’s wider work and the company recently marked 30 years of success. By offering professional independent advice, rooted in the Trust’s principles the aspiration is that EMEC can play a role in promoting best practice in sustainable development across a range of sectors whilst actively creating new wildlife habitats and generating vital income for the Trust. ‘’I didn’t know much about the work of EMEC before diving into my spiral of research; working with NWT on this blog has proven to be eye-opening - further allowing me to expand my knowledge and interest in the work that is being carried out behind the scenes from land management to surveys and their upcoming projects. Its particularly pleasing to see their gift-aid support to the Trust, showing the collaborative efforts of both organisations to help create a wilder future.  I was particularly interested to learn of the work that EMEC is doing around reptile surveys, as I have a growing interest in herpetology. If I had the ecological experience, I would jump at the opportunity to join their experienced team!’’

Newly created pond

One of the ponds created as part of the scheme

They’ve been working on protected species surveys and projects including: reptile surveys, working with six native species in the UK, not limited to: adders, common lizards, grass snakes and slow worms. Maintenance of habitats ensures the well-being of each species and reptile translocation. They also work with birds, freshwater aquatic invertebrates conducting assessments assessing water quality, monitoring the effects of land and water use from mining, agriculture and recreational activities. Their work with reptiles and aquatic species speaks for their commitment to conservation and protecting the environment. It is also interesting to note the level of work with species in that underrated in the eye of the public and often viewed as ‘’slimy’’ ‘’gross’’ and ‘’unaffected’’ - without considering the real and damaging impacts of poor land management, lack of habitats and awareness has on their species and their decline. 

Emec Ecology 3

© Elliott Neep

Would you like to get involved and support EMEC in its missions and values? If so, the team have a number of current vacancies to join the team based in offices shared with the Trust in Nottingham’s Creative Quarter. Do you have ecological experience and a passion for the natural environment? And would like to apply for the following, Ecologist, Principal Ecologist or Senior ecologist?

Then this is your chance to apply! How? Send your resume and cover lettering outlining why you’re best suited for the role to: emecvacancies@emec-ecology.co.uk

You can also follow and support the works of EMEC via their social media accounts;

Find them on Twitter: EMEC Ecology (@EMECEcology) / Twitter

Find them on Facebook: EMEC Ecology - Ecological Consultancy / Arboriculture / Land Management | Facebook

To find out more about their work, their plans in the future ahead, and how they support Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, visit the EMEC ecology website.

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