High-Level Botanical Assessment.
Professional NVC mapping and botanical surveys delivered by FISC-accredited specialists to provide certainty for complex planning requirements.
E3 Ecology.
Pragmatic advice for your development project.
An assessment of the value of habitats on site is an integral part of ecological surveys and a key requirement of Local Planning Authorities when assessing planning applications. Typically, habitats will be mapped as part of the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) or Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) of a site using UKHab classification.
Where habitats of higher quality, including some grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and upland habitats, are present, further botanical survey may be required to fully assess the site’s value.
What do habitat surveys or botanical surveys involve?
Where habitats of potentially significant value are present on site, more detailed botanical survey will be recommended during key growing seasons (usually spring and summer). Surveys will gather more detailed information on plant species and communities present and can be completed to assess the abundances of key species on site, or to assess plant communities to National Vegetation Classification (NVC) level.
Findings of botanical survey work will typically be incorporated into an existing ecological appraisal report, or they may be provided as a detailed standalone report. This will usually include an impact assessment and mitigation and/or compensation recommendations for any impacts to or loss of habitats.
When can these surveys be carried out?
Detailed botanical survey should be carried out in key growing seasons relevant to the habitats present, typically in the spring and summer.
How Can E3 Ecology Help?
E3 Ecology has a very broad-ranging experience in carrying out habitat and botanical surveys. The team includes Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) accredited botanists with particular experience in upland, woodland, brownfield, wetland and grassland habitats. E3 Ecology has been an approved FISC Provider and Assessor by the BSBI, assessing botanists in the north-east of England since 2024, and we have completed botanical surveys for new woodland creation projects and to inform Natural England habitat management and enhancement projects.
If you think you require or have been asked for a botanical, NVC or another ecology survey, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help.