Nicholas has been an environmental consultant (asbestos & contaminated land) for over ten years and during this time has also pursued his interest in bats and barn owls gaining the following vital experience in this field:
- Assisting a highly experienced and respected licensed bat surveyor on many commercial surveys, mainly for planning applications for property developments. This role has involved attending many sites across South-West Wales and providing assistance in evening emergence surveys and dawn return surveys. This work also helped in gaining the knowhow to use up to date bat monitoring equipment and appreciating its importance in the overall interpretation of a survey, but at the same time not overlooking the importance of visual skills and intuition.
- Bat monitoring of hibernation sites in caves and buildings during winter months under the same supervision
- Gaining an understanding of the legislative framework related to bats and barn owls and the need for mitigation plans to compensate for disturbed bat and barn owl roosts/nesting places
- Several Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) courses at various locations across the UK involving classroom workshops and fieldwork covering many aspects of bat work
- Attendance at the two week Bat License Training Course (BLTC). This course takes place at various locations in the UK and Nicholas attended the course in Cirencester, Gloucestershire (one week in winter) and Stackpole, Pembrokeshire (one week in summer). The icing on the cake is the best way to describe this course, a consolidation of my existing knowledge and a whole lot more learning. At the end of the course I was sponsored to gain the following licenses:
- WML-A34-Level 2 (Class License)-To survey bats using artificial light, endoscopes, hand and hand held static nets. Issued by Natural England (Ref: 2016-25072-CLS-CLS)
- License to disturb and take bats for scientific or educational purposes and for the purpose of conserving wild animals. Issued by Natural Resources Wales (Ref: 72955:OTH:CSAB:2016)
- Attendance at the Barn Owl Ecology, Surveys and Signs (a foundation course for consultants) in Ashburton, Devon. This course covered many aspects of Barn Owl Ecology. At the end of the course I was sponsored to gain the following license:
- Licence to disturb wild birds included on schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Issued by Natural Resources Wales (Ref 73168:OTH:DBE:2016)