Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) is used to predict and evaluate the impacts of development on ecosystems and their components (habitats and species) and provides information required to ensure that ecological issues are given full and proper consideration in development planning and informs the developer on any potential ecological liabilities. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has emerged as a key to sustainable development by integrating social, economic and environmental issues. EcIA has a major part to play as a component of EIA but also has other potential applications PJC ecologists have considerable experience in ecological assessments and impact assessments.
The key stages to an ecological impact assessment are:
- Initial ecological appraisal or scoping survey or Phase 1 habitat survey or description of baseline conditions
- Detailed ecological surveys or protected species surveys and habitat evaluation
- Evaluation of the ecological value of the site
- Impact assessment including positive and negative impacts, magnitude, extent, duration, reversibility, timing and frequency
- Assessment of whether impacts are ecologically significant
- Mitigation design and/or compensation and/or habitat enhancement proposals
- Environmental statement (reporting)
PJC also have considerable experience in stakeholder consultation with statutory (e.g. NE) and non-statutory bodies (e.g. Wildlife Trusts) bodies which is a requirement of EcIA and EIA.