Our regular monitoring and consistently applied, robust methodology enabled us to amass a dataset that was used to fully assess the impacts of a potential development. This culminated in planning consent being granted and the creation of an impact avoidance set, which Baker Consultants is now monitoring.
Our expertise was required, as the development site is in close proximity to the Humber Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA), designated for its important populations of wintering species such as bar-tailed godwit and golden plover and migratory species such as knot and dunlin. Important populations of avocet, marsh harrier, little tern and bittern are also supported in the breeding season.
Baker Consultants has been carrying out surveys of migratory and wintering bird species at the development site. To ensure use of methods suitable for the specific requirements of the assessment, the survey protocol was designed as an adaptation of the British Trust for Ornithology high tide counts bird survey.
Laura Morrish, Projects Manager at Associated British Ports said: “Baker Consultants has been undertaking regular bird surveys for approximately five years across a wide area of ABP owned land in Hull in order to provide baseline data information for Environmental Impact Assessments and to allow for the preparation of annual monitoring reports of impact avoidance sites. We have developed an excellent working relationship with the team.”
Baker Consultants have significant in-house expertise in the full range of bird surveys. For more information on our bird survey expertise read our sections on breeding bird surveys, wetland bird surveys and winter bird surveys.
Read our full Associated British Ports case study here.