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Appropriate Assessment & Natura Impact Statements

Under EU legislation, certain plans and projects must be assessed for likely significant effects on Natura 2000 sites (SACs and SPAs) by means of an Appropriate Assessment. BEC Consultants staff are highly experienced and qualified to carry out Appropriate Assessments. We have completed Appropriate Assessments and Natura Impact Statements (NIS) for numerous projects in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments throughout Ireland…

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the evaluation of the anticipated effects on the environment of a proposed project or development. BEC Consultants staff are highly experienced and qualified to contribute to EIAs, having carried out Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) and prepared Flora and Fauna chapters of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for numerous projects in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments around Ireland…

Marsh Fritillary Survey of Louth, Meath & Monaghan

The Marsh Fritillary butterfly is listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive and Ireland is obliged to monitor and regularly report to the EU with regard to its conservation status. In 2013, BEC Consultants undertook a survey of Marsh Fritillary in Counties Louth, Meath and Monaghan. The aims of this project were to determine if suitable habitat was present, record the extent and management of the habitat, and determine the presence of breeding populations…

Projects

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Grassland Monitoring Survey

Molinia meadows at Drumlosh, Co. Roscommon (June 2016). Photo by Fionnuala O’Neill

The monitoring of three EU Annex I grassland habitats was undertaken between 2015 and 2017, to collect data that were used to assess their current conservation status. The three monitored Annex I habitats were Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (6210) important orchid sites (*6210), Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae) (6410), and Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis) (6510).

National Survey of Upland Habitats

The uplands form Ireland’s largest expanses of semi-natural habitats and are of major conservation importance, with over 20 habitat types listed under Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive being recorded there. The ongoing National Survey of Upland Habitats aims to provide comprehensive baseline information on the extent and condition of upland habitats in Ireland, develop a detailed habitat classification system and establish a monitoring programme for these habitats…

Vertigo Monitoring

BEC Consultants have recently completed a four year project to monitor the conservation status of three species of whorl snail (Vertigo spp.) that are listed under Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. The target species were Vertigo geyeri, Vertigo moulinsiana and Vertigo angustior. A total of 60 sites were surveyed in the course of the project and the results will form part of Ireland’s reporting to the EU under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive…