Acorn Ecology Ltd

Great crested newts are widespread across lowland England and occupy a range of habitats, in rural, suburban and urban areas. Although they breed in ponds, they spend much of their life on land. This means that there is potential for great crested newts to be present on many development sites. Therefore it is important that ecologists know how to survey for them and have a good understanding of their ecology.

Ecologists also need to have a clear understanding of the legislation and guidance relating to great crested newts and development, and to make sure that appropriate mitigation techniques are used.

Our great crested newt course is split into two days and you are welcome to come to just one of them, or both of them. You will receive a discount if you book onto both courses at the same time.

Both courses will be taught by Lindsay Carrington BSc DPhil MIEEM who is an ecological consultant with years of experience of working with great crested newts on development projects.Please note that these courses will be held in Dorset.

Day 1 - Great crested newt ecology and surveying

This is an introductory level course suitable for those working in consultancy or conservation. The course will be part classroom and part field based and will cover the following topics:

• Ecology and habitat requirements
• Identification
• Survey techniques
• Practical - making bottle traps
• Evening and early morning field visits to undertake basic survey techniques

Please ensure that you bring suitable field equipment including wellies, water proofs and torches.

Day 2 - Great crested newts and development

This course is primarily aimed at ecologists who work with developers on sites where great crested newts may be present. This day will be spent in the classroom and will cover the following topics:

• Licensing and legislation
• Survey requirements
• Mitigation techniques
• Workshop (devising mitigation for a series of case studies).

Other information:

Where: The courses will be held near Studland, Dorset. If you need to stay overnight, please see the list of local accommodation.

When: We have recently run this course in 2012 and have not yet set another date. However, we are planning to run this course again in 2013, so if you would like to be informed about upcoming dates, please e-mail us at info@acornecology.co.uk.

Timings: The Great Crested Newt Ecology and Surveying course begins at 5pm and runs until around 10pm in the evening, with a break for a meal (not included in price). The course resumes again at 6.30am the next morning to check the bottle traps, and will draw to a close at around 8am. N.B. Exact timings not finalised.

The Great Crested Newts and Development course starts at 10:30am and finishes by around 4pm.

Price: The price of the Great Crested Newt Ecology and Surveying course varies according to your situation: £105 (standard fee); £85 for unemployed/full time students/full time volunteers; and £130 if your organisation is paying. This fee covers tuition only.

The price of the Great Crested Newts and Development course is set at £190. This includes a buffet lunch and a cream tea in the afternoon.

Booking both courses together means a discounted combined price of £275.

How to book: When there are dates available you can book on-line by clicking the 'Buy Now' button below and selecting the appropriate rate. Alternatively you can complete the attached form and send a cheque or request an invoice.

Once you have booked, we will e-mail you to confirm that your booking has been received.