Rachel has over sixteen years post-doctorate experience across a diverse range of ecological projects including residential, commercial and industrial development, mineral extraction schemes, road realignment schemes, renewable development and associated grid network infrastructure.

She continues to be involved in complex, multi-phase schemes from project outset through planning, detailed design, licensing/mitigation implementation and subsequent management and maintenance planning.

Rachel is experienced in project management requirements, client, contractor and statutory body liaison, provision of advice to clients on ecological issues, and report writing.

Written experience includes the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments, detailed protected species reports for development and planning, Natural England European Protected Species Development Licence Applications, Method Statements, Extended Phase 1 reports, Mitigation Strategies, Habitat Creation and Management Plans, Appropriate Assessments, Habitat Regulations Reports, BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes assessments.

Rachel is a qualified surveyor proficient across a range of practical ecology field skills including Extended Phase I habitat survey, hedgerow surveys (HEGS and Hedgerow Regs), and targeted protected species surveys including badgers, bats, great crested newts, nesting birds, reptiles, otter and water vole.

Rachel holds Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage bat survey licences, with extensive experience undertaking emergence/roost surveys, assessment of built structures and habitats, activity transects, trapping, handling, species ID, analysis of echolocation calls, and behavioural study via radio-telemetry. She has undertaken and overseen detailed bat activity surveys across commercial, industrial and residential sites and at proposed renewable energy sites via manual and remote monitoring, and subsequent assessments of potential impacts to bat populations, roosts, and key foraging and commuting habitats.