Gwen has over 12 years’ experience as an ecological consultant. During that time, she has carried out a range of habitat assessments and protected species surveys across Scotland, Wales and England. She is a protected species specialist; holding NatureScot licences for bats and great crested newts, and is a LANTRA qualified tree climber; allowing her to undertake at-height tree surveys for bat roosts. Gwen also has considerable experience working on reptile, water vole, otter, red squirrel and badger projects across the UK.As the lead surveyor for many of these projects, Gwen has been involved with all aspects of the work from the initial Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEAs), to the production of technical reports, species protection plans and licence applications. Having secured licences, Gwen has acted as the lead ECoW on a range of sites from small single-dwelling extensions to large infrastructure developments; overseeing the implementation of mitigation strategies (including the trapping and translocation of reptiles and amphibians, the exclusion or hand removal of bats and the exclusion of badger sets) and compensation measures.
As a result of her experience with bats and great crested newts, Gwen has provided colleagues with formal and informal training in bat and amphibian survey techniques, helping a number to achieve survey licences of their own.
In addition to protected species surveys, Gwen has extensive experience undertaking habitat assessments; including Phase 1 habitat surveys, hedgerow surveys, invasive species surveys and BREEAM assessments.
Gwen holds a current CSCS card, an Emergency First Aid at Work certificate and has undertaken off road driving training with the British Off Road Driving Association (BORDA) (Standard Level qualification).
Gwen is an active member of the Bat Conservation Trust and the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) society.
