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In September's issue of CIEEM's "In Practice" magazine, we look at how you might start a career in ecology. Laura Grant, Associate Director at Ecology by Design discusses less traditional routes in to the profession, how to make your application stand out and the top skills you'll need to build a successful career in the field (literally!).

We’re experiencing something called a “false autumn” according to the UK Met Office. This is when leaves drop and fruit ripens earlier than usual, triggered by prolonged dry spells and high temperatures. And as we all know, June and July were exceptionally hot with England recording its warmest June on record.

In 2025, CIEEM released an updated version of their Code of Professional Conduct to reflect developments in the sector, changing societal values, and the pressing need for collective environmental responsibility. This blog sets out to compare the new Code with its predecessor, highlighting the most significant changes and what they mean in practice for ecologists and environmental professionals.

Great crested newts (GCN) are striking amphibians which are protected under UK law, meaning that any project affecting their habitat must carefully plan for their conservation.

In the UK, wild birds are covered under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). It is illegal to kill, injure or take wild birds. All wild bird nests and eggs are protected whilst in use.

I first started at Ecology by Design back in April 2020, following the completion of my Masters at the University of Reading. I had heard great things about the company through the grapevine and was very excited to start my first official job in ecology.

In late 2023, the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) released updated industry standard guidelines for bat surveys; the 4th edition of the ‘Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists Good Practice Guidelines’.

We're delighted to share our article "Creating and Maintaining a High-performing Ecology Team" featured in this December's issue of "In Practice" magazine, CIEEM's (Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) highly regarded membership publication.

We are now 9 months on from the introduction of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), which requires all developments to demonstrate a minimum 10% net gain for biodiversity.

Wintering bird surveys, sometimes known as non-breeding bird surveys, are an important part of assessing the ecological impact of a proposed development, where legal protections and conservation requirements are in place.

One of the ways in which planning authorities can ensure developers are doing the best they can for biodiversity is by examining their understanding of the Mitigation Hierarchy.

The new UK government is shining a more positive light on construction of on shore wind farms, but the potential impacts on wildlife (particularly bats and birds) can be negative if wind farms are created in unsuitable locations.