Great Crested Newt Surveys

Scientific Name: Triturus cristatus

EMEC Ecology's staff have carried out projects relating to amphibians throughout England including counties in the East Midlands. We have undertaken great crested newt surveys within Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Staffordshire in recent years.

Great crested newt populations have been decreasing since the latter part of the twentieth century. Although there are many different factors, it is believed to be primarily due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. This has lead to the great crested newt being internationally recognised as vulnerable, threatened or endangered within the 37 different European states that it currently occupies.

The great crested newt and their terrestrial habitat are now protected under British law by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and great crested newts are classified as European Protected Species (EPS) under The Conservation Regulations 1994. This makes it an offence to kill, injure or disturb great crested newts and to destroy any place used for rest or shelter by a newt. As part of the process to protect newt populations it is often a requirement within a planning application to undertake surveys within 500m of the development site to ensure that both the species and habitat can be considered.

How to Book a Great Crested Newt Survey

EMEC Ecology work with many different clients from large council projects to small residential development sites. Each survey will therefore be specific to a site and the costs will vary accordingly. EMEC Ecology will be happy to provide a quotation for any great crested newt survey that will be both efficient and cost effective to the site specifics. Reports are produced as soon as possible however should you have a specific date for submission with a planning application we will do our utmost to accommodate this.

If you require a quotation please send an email to us at mail@emec-ecology.co.uk including any site plans that you have available (or details and photographs of the site if applicable) with details of the proposed development plans of the site, along with your name and contact details. Should you wish to contact us at the office please call 0115 9644828.

Details are provided below on what an amphibian or great crested newt survey involves. This information is also available as a PDf document. Great Crested Newt Survey - Information Sheet.

Initial Assessment

Prior to any works that may impact on great crested newts EMEC Ecology will make an initial assessment to establish the potential presence of great crested newts; this may include using the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI). The HSI provides a score that is used to assess the potential for a waterbody to support breeding great crested newts. This habitat assessment would determine the likelihood of great crested newts being present and affected by the proposed works and may save the client considerable time and costs if a full great crested newt survey is not required.

If there is the potential for great crested newts to be present EMEC Ecology would recommend a full amphibian survey to determine the presence or presumed absence of great crested newts. All our surveys are carried out by great crested newt surveyors licenced by Natural England.

Survey Methods

To determine the presence of great crested newts the standard methodologies include torch surveying, bottle trapping and egg searching are used. Natural England specifies that a minimum of four survey visits must be made, and six visits if great crested newts are present, to establish a population estimate. It may also be necessary to survey other ponds within 500m of the site in order to establish a population estimate.

Survey methods include:

Torching

Searching a pond shortly after dusk using high powered torches can reveal the presence of amphibians in the torch beam.

Bottle Trapping

Bottle trapping is the most effective way to detect populations of great crested newts in turbid or weedy ponds, where torch light surveys would be less effective. Bottle trapping involves submerging plastic bottle traps into the pond in early evening. During the night the newts swim into the bottle traps and are unable to escape. This is followed by an early morning visit to collect the traps where all newts are recorded and released. All these surveys are undertaken by a licensed surveyor and therefore any risk of harm to the species is limited.

Egg Searching

Searching within submerged vegetation can reveal the presence of newt eggs. This process involves a slow and methodical search of the marginal vegetation looking for rolled leaves that may house great crested newt eggs.

Survey Times

Surveys should normally be carried out in the period of mid-March to mid-June, with at least two visits in the period mid-April to mid-May.

If from the survey results the proposed activities are considered unlikely to result in an offence then no license will be required and development works will not be delayed. A report will be produced at this stage that will be suitable for submission with a planning application.

Applying for a license

Should a European Protected Species (EPS) license be required EMEC Ecology can apply for this license on your behalf. The EPS licence application requires the production of a method statement, completion of an EPS application form and the completion of a reasoned statement in support of the application. The method statement will require site specific mitigation. For development sites where there are challenging situations, EMEC Ecology has experienced staff in finding the appropriate solutions.

Mitigation

For a licence to be granted, detailed mitigation would need to be designed to reduce the chances of harming great crested newts during development works and to ensure provision for this species is provided on completion of the scheme. As part of EMEC Ecology's solution strategies the following methods are often employed:

Amphibian Fencing Pitfall Trapping

As part of protecting great crested newt populations, the newts that occur within a site will often have to be caught and relocated to avoid causing them harm. Amphibian fencing and pitfall trapping is frequently used as a method of capturing newts on land. The fencing also prevents newts from re-entering a site. Pitfall traps are checked in the early morning and newts are relocated to a suitably identified receptor site. Thirty days is the minimum recommended trapping period for a small population of newts according to Natural England guidelines.

Habitat Creation

Should you require the creation of a pond, due to the loss of an existing pond or to enhance the ecology of a site, EMEC Ecology can assist in the construction and provision of advice and management if required. This can also include the creation of terrestrial habitat for amphibians including the creation of hibernacula (hibernation sites) for the great crested newt.

Monitoring Visits

Upon completion of the development works affecting great crested newts or their habitat, monitoring is often required as part of a license application to establish whether the works have impacted upon the population. This can be completed by EMEC Ecology and is often a requirement of the EPS licence.

Great Crested Newt Projects Completed by EMEC Ecology

EMEC Ecology's staff have carried out projects relating to amphibians throughout England including counties in the East Midlands. We have undertaken great crested newts surveys within Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Staffordshire in recent years.

Peak District National Park, Derbyshire - Severn Trent Water Ltd (Carillion Utility Services)

Amphibian surveys were undertaken of approximately 50 ponds within the Peak District National Park as part of numerous proposed pipeline replacement works. The projects involved surveys and mitigation measures where great crested newts were recorded. [more....]

Amen Corner, nr Rufford Abbey Country Park in Nottinghamshire - Severn Trent Water Ltd

Great crested newts were recorded in a number of ponds in the vicinity of a proposed pipeline and mitigation measures were required under a European Protected Species licence to protect the population during the works. This involved the partial re-routing of the pipeline and use of amphibian fencing and pitfall traps.

Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire - E.on

EMEC Ecology were commissioned to undertake great crested newt surveys of two concrete, water-filled interceptor pits within the power station site. A medium sized population of great crested newts was recorded and subsequently E.on decided to retain the pits. EMEC Ecology is currently working with the power station to improve the pits specifically for the great crested newts.

Silverstone Motor Racing Track, Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire Border

During spring 2009 EMEC Ecology were commissioned to survey a pond within the centre of the motor track, close to where track re-alignment works were proposed. Although great crested newts were not recorded, common amphibians were found to be present.

Blackfordby in Leicestershire

EMEC Ecology undertook an amphibian survey of a number of garden ponds with regards to a proposed development in Blackfordby (between Swadlincote and Ashby-de-le-Zouch), Leicestershire. Great crested newts were recorded in a number of ponds and mitigation measures and licencing requirements were recommended.

Site on the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire Border

EMEC Ecology undertook a range of surveys, including an amphibian survey, of a proposed gravel extraction site just off the A46 between Newark and Lincoln. Great crested newts were recorded in a pond close to a proposed access track and mitigation and European Protected Species licence recommendations were provided. [more....]