How To Become An Ecological Consultant

 

What is an ecological consultant?

Sue Searle is a principle ecologist from Ecology Training UK and has been an ecological consultant for 18 years. Here I highlight key information, shared by Sue, on how to plan a career in ecological consultancy. 

An ecological consultant is someone who consults on the ecology of an area. For example, if someone wants to build a housing estate, they have to hire an ecological consultant to survey the area and measure the impact that site will have.
This prevents building in areas where there are vulnerable species of fauna and flora. 

Surveys typically take around 2 hours each, and so training can be planned while working another job. However, becoming full-time ecological consultant will need to do multiple surveys for every site (e.g. Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (P.E.A.), Environmental Impact Assessment (E.I.A.), and many others). 

All courses linked are from Ecology Training UK, however this blog is not affiliated. Alternative courses are available online and it is up to you to determine relevancy and legitimacy.  

Bat surveying 

Do I need a degree?

It is highly recommended and is very useful, but there are alternative routes to entering this profession. There are many online courses than can provide an introduction, however, a lot of learning will be from unpaid survey work experience. 

Once enough experience is obtained, you can obtain a license and then a paying job.

Experience can be found by speaking to your local consultancy (e.g. Wildlife Trust Consultancies) and by joining consultancy groups on social media (e.g. Ecological Consultancy Careers Network on Facebook).

How much are ecological consultants paid?  

While in this profession, you are self-employed and so it is up to you how much you make. Job site experience is also a large factor in money earned. 

While training, it is unlikely you will be paid anything, however, principle ecologist Sue Searle states that she earns around £40,000 annually. 

Starting salary after training should be expected to be around £20,000 but can vary. 

Key Skills:

• Phase 1 habitat mapping (software skills with UKHab or GIS) - an essential skill for any ecologist. There are courses available online to teach this skill. 

• Knowledge of different survey methods, ecology, and legislation on different species. Ecology Training UK offers various courses for different species.
  It is important to have knowledge on botany as well. Ecosystems are more than just animals. 

• Report Writing - learning how to write a report can be a challenging task, and this is why doing a degree is recommended and will give you an edge. There are courses available online to teach this skill as well, however it will be an uphill battle without a degree. 

• Driving - Many sites are not accessible by public transportation, and you will often need to bring equipment. Being able to drive and having a vehicle is essential. 

Team of ecological consultants in Malawi [Credit: Bruce Byers]

Main Licenses:

• Bat License - can take several survey seasons. There are many license levels for bats specifically, its important to know the different types and whether or not you need them before applying for jobs in areas that might involve bats.

• Dormice License - can obtain within one survey season.

• Great Crested Newts - can obtain within one survey season.

There are many other species you may need as well, a full list of licences can be found here. 

All licenses are issued by Natural England, or Wales/Scotland equivalent. Where you are in the country will determine how relevant each license is. For example, you're not likely to need a dormice license in Leeds, but you would need one in London. 

Each license requires a set amount of training, It is up to the you to obtain the training hours needed to obtain a license(s). All experience should be logged to be given as evidence to your assessor. 

Conclusion

Ecological Consultancy is a self-employed profession available to anyone willing to put the time and effort in.

A degree in a relevant field is not essential but can help a lot with understanding species, habitats, and ecosystems, as well as, how to obtain credible relevant information needed for a professional standard report. 

Skills, experience, and knowledge needed are available, as well as, information on how relevant licenses can be obtained.

Student Reflection 

This career guide has been very informative and was well laid out. I do not intend to go into this career, however, knowing the various aspects and how it all works gives me a potential fall-back career. Having the relevant degree that I do, would give me an edge over the competition, although I would prefer a career with better job security. 

Disclaimer: All views expressed are my own. Images and videos used on this blog are not my own and all rights go to the original owners. This blog and contents are for educational purposes. If you have a copyright issue please contact me via email on author profile.