As with all industries, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the usual function of ecological consultancies. But the show must go on as we all adjust to ‘the new normal’.  I have nearly two year’s experience working in consultancy so I thought this article would be interesting to new or aspiring ecologists with concerns of joining the industry during the current pandemic.

Life before lockdown

Ecological consultancy is a social business with team working and interaction with clients. At Ecology by Design we regularly socialise as a team, undertaking team building activities, as well as summer barbeques and meals out. We are also active participants in networking events, client meetings and CPD training sessions.

Our work often involves entering occupied buildings and being in close contact with clients, as well as working away from home, staying in hotels and eating at restaurants. 

Working as an ecologist during the pandemic

After a short period of furlough at the beginning of the pandemic, we hit the ground running at the start of the survey season, keen to get back to work. It was great to see the team again (albeit at a distance) as well as all the sub-contractors we regularly use during busy periods. We had three new colleagues join the team at the start of lockdown, and with some adjustments they did a fantastic job of fitting into the company during these difficult times.

The pandemic has forced many industries to rethink their protocols, requiring thought into procedures that were perhaps taken for granted before. The priority was to follow government guidelines, whilst providing the best service we could within those restrictions.

Being able to work outside during the pandemic has been a welcome escape from the four walls of working from home. Many people have discovered over lockdown that the great outdoors can have a meaningful impact on our mental health and resilience. As much of our work can be conducted alone, we were still able to keep many of our surveys going during the initial weeks of lockdown.

What has COVID-19 changed for ecologists?

One of the first changes we made was not working together in the office, only stopping by to collect essential survey equipment. 

Strict protocols are adhered to with regards to equipment, and everything is cleaned before and after use to prevent cross-contamination. Working from home has been an adjustment and has made effective communication with colleagues essential when working together on projects. Car sharing has had to stop, as well as restrictions on where we can stay overnight.

Good client interaction is one of our main priorities when delivering projects, and face to face interaction has had to be restricted at times to ensure we are working within covid guidelines. This has meant that we aren’t always able to meet clients on site, attend client meetings, or provide CPD training.  We have, however, made good use of video calling to overcome these obstacles.

We offer free CPD training for clients on all aspects of our work, from general introductions to ecology surveys through to more in-depth talks about specific processes such as Paragraph 79 and achieving biodiversity net gain, these now have to be delivered online.  

Throughout the year, Ecology by Design ecologists usually undertake training courses to progress our skills. The majority of these have been cancelled this year, with some able to proceed online. During the summer we did our own ‘botany training day’ which was a great opportunity to have a socially distanced get together and improve our botany skills.

Due to the nature of the virus, transmission from people to animals is a possibility therefore new safety measures have been adopted to minimise the risk. This includes keeping handling animals to an absolute minimum, preventing disturbance as much as possible and wearing full PPE if close contact is necessary.

We all miss socialising in the office, as although we all communicate regularly, you wouldn’t call your colleague purely to discuss the latest episode of The Great British Bake Off!

Before covid restrictions, we were a social team who enjoyed getting together, this simply hasn’t been possible this year, but we look forward to socialising as a team when we are able to again.  

Making the best of the situation

Despite the challenges this year has thrown at businesses, it is inspiring to see everyone pulling together to make the best of a bad situation. I am proud of my colleagues for adapting to ‘the new normal’ and striving to provide the best service possible. It is essential we all keep protecting the NHS and those that are vulnerable so that we can move forward together towards a ‘new normal’.

To find out more about Ecology by Design, discover our range of ecological services, read our ecology blog or make an enquiry today.