Tag Archives: GIS

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) 3.1 Baseline – Field Data Capture Application

Over the past few months, the GIS team has been working on a desktop and mobile data capture tool for the creation and attribution of UK habitat spatial information to be used in Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) 3.1 baseline habitat calculations.

The tool was initially discussed in an internal BNG workshop between our Ecology and GIS teams. The workshop identified areas for improvement such as:

  • Transfer of data/spatial information between ecologist and GIS professional
  • Potential repetition of data capture on large sites between multiple surveyors
  • Complex condition assessment criteria to remember and record
  • The requirement for a quick method of calculating baseline habitat scores.

Based on the discussion in the workshop the GIS team set about development of a desktop and field data capture tool that provides the digital data capture and single source of truth required along with the topological quality checks, condition criteria and automated BNG calculations to quickly express a BNG baseline figure.

Our Senior GIS Consultant, Monika Klamann, and GIS Spatial Developer, Gregor Boltic worked alongside senior members of the ecology team to evaluate potential software and hardware solutions. GIS went about developing a solution to this in the form of a desktop and field data capture software application that:

 

Biodiversity Net Gain GIS
  • Captures digital data in a desktop environment with appropriate base mapping
  • Captures digital data in the field both online and offline
  • Provides condition assessment criteria information within the same application
  • Gives the ability to add strategic significance values, condition information and images that would help attribute this information
  • Calculates BNG 3.1 baseline habitat unit scores based on the habitat, size, condition and strategic significance of the parcel
  • Provides spatial and topological quality assurance to allow for an accurate BNG baseline calculation and use within the calculation metric.

 

The BNG baseline application is currently being field tested on live projects, with the view of rolling it out for use within our 40+ strong ecology team in the near future. This is just one of many GIS innovations in field data capture and spatial data management that the GIS team are working on as part of their two-year GIS business plan aimed at reviewing all TEP’s data capture processes, and bringing as many of these to a digital platform as feasible.

Local Landscape Character Areas: The Big Data Collection

TEP’s GIS team is involved in an ambitious new initiative, which is to compile a spatial database of Landscape Character Assessments covering the whole of England, Scotland and Wales. The team will be using their skills in spatial data acquisition and management to gather hundreds of datasets into a user-friendly system, making the data easily accessible to Landscape Planners for use in their assessments.

Landscape Character Assessments are used by planners to assess the impact of a potential development on its surroundings.  These are produced at two scales, National and Local, and include spatial datasets which divide the study area into landscapes of similar character (for example lowland farmland or upland heathlands).  National Character Areas are defined by Natural England and the associated dataset is freely available for download to include in assessments.

Local Landscape Character Areas are defined by District and County Authorities, and the availability of the spatial dataset for these assessments varies across the country. Some authorities make the dataset freely available for download, some display it through an interactive map and others display it through static paper plans.  If the dataset is not available for download, the assessors will need to subjectively assess which local landscape character areas a proposed development impacts, which can be difficult if it is close to the dividing line between areas.  A database of all the spatial datasets used as part of the Landscape Character Assessments was compiled in 2010 for use by Landscape Institute (LI) Members.  However, the differing update cycles of each assessment meant that the records quickly became out of date.

TEP has joined a group of volunteer organisations, led by Senior Landscape Architect and LI Member Charlotte Williams, who aim to collate the spatial datasets associated with all Local Landscape Character Assessments across the country and develop a user-friendly database for all planners to use in their assessments.  This database can then be maintained and updated when new assessments are completed, ensuring that it is a current source of information.

TEP will be providing GIS support to the initiative, utilising our wealth of experience in data management to ensure the incoming data is gathered, catalogued and stored in a consistent manner to maximise the usability of the final database.

The group is currently auditing all the assessments across England, Scotland and Wales to identify which Landscape Character Assessments provides a freely available spatial dataset and those which require further inquiries to obtain.  The process won’t be quick, but this initiative will result in a more efficient way of accessing and using the data for all.

To understand more about the project, its benefits and future aspirations, the Landscape Institute is hosting an online consultation webinar on Tuesday 17th May at 11am. To register or submit any questions, follow this link> https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/consultation-webinar-landscape-character-data-tickets-251167858827



Our Rivers Our City: Revitalising Manchester’s River Valleys and Urban Waters

“Historically, our waterways were fundamental to Manchester’s rise to economic power. They remain at the heart of what makes the city tick.”
Manchester City Council

Manchester has long been an economic powerhouse in the North, and its waterways were fundamental to its successful growth and remain at the heart of what makes the city tick.  Manchester’s blue infrastructure is crucial to its “liveability” and vital economic assets, creating a setting for investment and family life.

Manchester is at the heart of new initiatives to manage water in an integrated way.  The Irwell and Upper Mersey catchment partnerships are the latest innovative approach to integrated management, bringing together a wide range of public, private and third sector organisations to work collaboratively in designing and delivering enhancements to our rivers for people and wildlife.

Our Rivers Our City: A Strategy For Revitalising Manchesters River Valleys and Urban Waters

In 2019, TEP was commissioned to develop a strategic vision for Manchester’s River Valleys focussing on 7 key areas including People and Neighbourhoods, Zero Carbon, Sponge City, Access to Water, Clean Water, Wild Rivers and Place-Making.  The 10-year vision, set out in a strategy, compiles over 80 targeted, collaborative actions for revisiting the city’s blue infrastructure. 

GIS spatial analysis played a critical role in the development of the strategy, establishing the evidence base, providing decision-makers with access to data and identifying opportunities for improvements.  Data, evidence, and monitoring are a critical part of integrated water management, helping partners to engage a wide audience, agree on the priority issues and solutions, and monitor outcomes.

The growing availability of open data and the increasing power of cloud computing offer huge potential for managing flood risk, tackling pollution, and engaging citizens.  To support the project and provide access to data and intelligence, The Our Rivers Our City webmap has been developed to support the strategy.  It contains a multitude of environmental datasets which will in due course become available on MappingGM.

To read more about the Our Rivers, Our City project click here.

GIS Scales up Defra’s Biodiversity Metric

Last week the Landscape Institute hosted its annual awards ceremony, which is all about celebrating people, place and nature, and the myriad ways that landscape projects can connect them. This year, TEP’s GIS Team entered their Greening Greater Manchester project, which was shortlisted in the Landscape Innovation category. TEP’s Greening Greater Manchester project was an independent research project, which investigated the potential application of the Biodiversity Metric at scale, using GIS.

Greater Manchester was selected as a study area due to its rich diversity of habitats – from the post-industrial urban centre to the rural moorlands on the periphery. This presented a great opportunity to evaluate the project methodology across several landscape character areas. To measure the success of the project, the following objectives were identified:

  • Establish a Biodiversity Baseline of Habitats and Biodiversity Units (BU) for land parcels in Greater Manchester.
  • Estimate the BUs per District Authority, Ward and Development Allocations.
  • Utilise accessible datasets to provide a repeatable methodology.

The output of the project, the Biodiversity Baseline, was developed using Defra’s Biodiversity Metric 2.0, which was considered to be best practice for habitat assessment at the time. The fine spatial resolution of the parcels (approximately the size of a road verge) provides a high level of detail in the baseline. The combination of best practice data, which also has a high level of detail, means that the Baseline has a high level of utility by the various organisations involved in the delivery of BNG, such as:

  • Council planners can use it to identify the most valuable habitats to protect and opportunities for enhancement through the Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
  • Developers can use it to evaluate the potential impacts of proposals to begin discussions to secure offsetting sites.
  • Landowners can use it to identify land parcels with potential uplift in BUs and secure investment for habitat improvements.

Most strategic assessments of habitats only look to assess the quantity of habitats within a region for example how much woodland, grassland or wetland it has. However, this project also incorporated measurement of habitat quality and strategic importance within the valuation of biodiversity. Furthermore, it would be near impossible to assess the study area (131,944ha) using traditional field techniques, so this project offers a new way to assess the biodiversity in the region without extensive survey work.

The methodology to produce the Biodiversity Baseline for Greater Manchester utilised Ordnance Survey (OS) and open-source datasets in a repeatable process. This project presents an ‘off the shelf’ process that could be repeated in different locations, or overtime to monitor change, without the need for bespoke or expensive source datasets.

The Biodiversity Baseline produced for this project provides strategic planners in Greater Manchester with the key quantitative information they require to protect and enhance biodiversity in the region, such as:

  • The composition and distribution of habitats and BUs
  • The most valuable habitats in the region
  • Demand for BUs from known development sites
  • Areas of opportunity for BU increases.

On the global stage, this project contributes towards UN Sustainable Development Goals 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land).

Through the provision of a quantitative baseline of biodiversity, it is possible to ensure that interventions and developments have a measurable positive impact on habitats, increasing the sustainability of urban development.

Biodiversity underpins all of the Ecosystem Services which the natural environment provides, including carbon sequestration and urban cooling. Through the measurement of biodiversity, it is possible to protect these services and mitigate or adapt to the impact of climate change.

The Biodiversity Baseline for Greater Manchester provides landscape planners with the evidence base required to protect valuable habitats in the region and identify those which have the opportunity for enhancement.

Although this was an independent research piece completed by TEP, various organisations were consulted throughout the project to ensure that the methodology developed aligned with best practice for habitat assessment and that the outputs were usable by decision-makers. We would like to thank Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Greater Manchester Ecological Unit and Natural England along with the project team for their contributions, without which the project wouldn’t have been a success.

If you would like to learn more about the project, we published our research online, which you can read here:

From Grey to Green – Biodiversity in Greater Manchester

Development and Biodiversity in Greater Manchester

We also have CPD workshops available and offer free consultations. If you are interested, our team will be happy to discuss your requirements. To get in touch email gis@tep.uk.com.

Geospatial Trends and the Value of GIS

Working-from-home has certainly not stopped TEP’s GIS team from working on their CPD! Like many conferences, the geospatial industry has gone virtual this year and TEP was fortunate to attend the ESRI Virtual Conference and the GEO Business Virtual Forum. In response to the conferences, we have put together a few highlights on the current and future developments the geospatial industry has in store.

The ESRI Conference began by reflecting on the past year and how spatial information has helped communities and organisations to adapt and respond to the global pandemic. Take for example John Hopkins University, who have used a spatial dashboard to geographically display COVID19 data. This fantastic use of data has subsequently brought the geospatial profession into the foreground and impressively showcases the value of GIS.

The conference included a demo of ArcGIS Pro, Online, and Enterprise, allowing TEP to see some of their new features, which will be readily available when we move across to ArcPro. Features such as new colour-blind-friendly colour ramps and layer blends to integrate choropleth maps and hill shades without losing any definition.  

Several case studies were discussed, which illustrated how spatial analysis and data science is being used within various professions and the huge impact they are having on them. The Alcis Settlement Detection example showed us how ArcGIS Platforms are being used to identify the 2.5 million internally displaced people in Afghanistan. By using satellite imagery, tents and settlements can be identified, which can then help direct resources to the right areas. Another case study was Forestry and Land Scotland, who manage 9% of Scotland’s Land. 80% of their staff use GIS, including the mobile data capture applications Fieldmaps and Survey123. Using GIS increases their efficiencies and provides a consistent data capture approach. It also enables them to collect the data whilst on site and sync it directly with corporate systems, as well as reducing paper use and minimising errors. Could this be the future of site visits?

As part of the sessions available during the GEO Business Virtual Forum, there was a discussion on Tech trends & the future of the geospatial profession. This was attended by a variety of organisations, including manufacturers of survey equipment Leica Geosystems, geospatial surveyors Technics Group, and GIS consultants MapItOut. It was noted that the increasing availability of technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality; Deep Learning and Cloud-based processing will continue to present new opportunities for data capture, processing, analysis and visualisation. This will allow consultancies to capture a greater volume of detailed data, process and analyse it using more insightful techniques and present it to clients in novel ways.

Another current trend discussed is the increasing democratisation of data and the availability of crowdsourced data. The availability of high-quality datasets such as Satellite Imagery from Copernicus; and crowdsourced data from OpenStreetMap under open-source licences, presents organisations with a wealth of accessible resources to use on projects for clients. Although, there are some concerns over the quality of crowdsourced datasets, it is important to remember the project goals and whether it is fit for purpose.

Finally, there was a recognition that the geospatial industry must become better communicators (after all, we are storytellers who use maps!) and that it is crucial to understand clients’ needs when developing a geospatial solution. At TEP we utilise a range of spatial technologies: from desktop applications ArcGIS and QGIS to spatial databases in PostgreSQL + PostGIS and webmapping technologies Leaflet.JS; and design the best solution using a client’s brief.

All of these trends present very exciting opportunities for the geospatial industry and the GIS team at TEP eagerly looks forward to them.

TEP’s Market Harborough Office Celebrates Seven Years

On this day in 2014 TEP’s Market Harborough Office, based at the Harborough Innovation Centre, opened its doors for the very first time. It had just three members of staff: a Landscape Manager; a Senior GIS Analyst; and a Principal Heritage Consultant. However, we were quickly joined by an Arboricultural Consultant, and the four of us worked on predominantly large scale projects alongside colleagues in the Warrington head office.

By 2017, the office had tripled in size with nine employees, including a team of three Ecologists and increased numbers in both the Heritage and Landscape Management Teams. The expansion meant that we had outgrown the Harborough Innovation Centre and the office relocated just a mile away to Bowden Business Village. The number of projects being won from the Market Harborough office was increasing, and so were the number of local projects we were contributing to.

TEP attend nature day and build bug hotels at North Kilworth Millennium Green

After another successful three years, which included a change in leadership, the Market Harborough office had once again outgrown the office we resided. We had thirteen staff and were fortunate to relocate to a considerably larger office but within the same complex at Bowden Business Village in February 2020.

TEP's Market Harborough Office Sign

Despite an unprecedented year of lockdowns, furlough and home-working, the Market Harborough office has continued to thrive. In this time, we have added another discipline to the office in a Senior Environmental Planner, as well as three other permanent members of staff, a seasonal ecologist and a long term sub-consultant to support the Landscape Management team.

Market Harborough Office - Team Photo

As the office celebrates its seventh birthday, we now have seventeen employees across five teams, closely reflecting TEP’s multi-disciplinary roots. We have an abundance of clients both locally and further afield across the Midlands, South of England and Wales – something I never would’ve dreamed of when I walked into the Market Harborough office on that first morning.

As a company, TEP is always keen to get involved in local projects, and the Market Harborough office is no different. We have already worked on many local projects including: Harborough District Open Space Strategy, North Kilworth Millenium Green Management Plan, Market Harborough Town Centre Masterplan, Daventry District Landscape and Visual Assessment, Kibworth Golf Club Ecological Surveys, Debdale Lane, Kibworth Eco and Arb Surveys, Desborough Road, Rothwell Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation and the BALI award winning Upton Country Park Landscape Design.

TEP project - Upton Country Park in Northampton

We look forward to future opportunities, and the new partnerships that come along with them. With further recruitment on the horizon, and multiple new local clients contacting us each month, it is very exciting to plan for the future growth and development of the office and its staff; it is only when you look back, you realise and appreciate how far you have come. We are very grateful to all our clients and to everyone we have worked with over the past seven years. So, as we celebrate our seventh birthday we want to take the opportunity to say “thank you”.

Stuart Burke
Associate Director, Market Harborough Office

GIS & The Power of Big Data

In today’s age of ‘Big Data,’ access to larger information-rich datasets is essential for the growth of a company and to help clients make more informed decisions. TEP is continually embracing new opportunities and finding ways to improve our access to high-quality spatial datasets. TEP is proud to announce that we have been accepted as an Ordnance Survey (OS) Partner. This means that TEP is now able to access OS products and services directly from the UK’s National Mapping Agency. This enables us to acquire higher-quality spatial data quicker and easier than before, which will further improve our service to clients.

OS data is integral to our work at TEP. Whether it is for small local developments or national critical infrastructure projects, everything shares the same key OS data. Utilising this data through traditional maps and interactive visual representations, allows TEP to effectively communicate our environmental advice to clients.

Being an OS Partner presents multiple benefits for our clients. We now have instant access to the highest quality GIS products in the UK, such as OS MasterMap, which are readily available for use in our projects. This means we can offer clients high-quality mapping outputs in a more cost-effective way. Additionally, our agreements with OS reduces many restrictions usually associated with data distribution, so it is now easier for clients to share project information with us. As a Partner, we are also granted early access to prototype products and services. This will provide us with an insight into market trends and determine what will be available to clients in the future.

To allow quick and easy access to high-quality OS data for any project, TEP’s GIS team is developing a bespoke ordering system, with a user-friendly interface for staff to acquire OS products for their projects. This will reduce the administration time associated with data acquisition, allowing more time for staff to commit to client projects.

Furthermore, at the end of last year, Bob Chell was elected to form The Ordnance Survey’s Partner Advisory Council (PAC). This will be a select group of elected representatives from Partner organisations, who will provide feedback to OS on both current and emerging products. Following the elections in November 2020, we are proud to announce that Andy Harney, TEP’s Principal Spatial Developer, has been selected as one of the 11 members and will now represent the opinions and interests of the OS community. Andy has over 14 years’ experience working directly with OS data and comments: “Part of my role at TEP is to lead technical GIS innovation and develop new innovative data-driven solutions. Being part of the PAC means I can champion the value of OS data, push innovation and promote new ideas to others in the community.”

Stefan Wells, OS Head of Partners, said: “The OS Partner Advisory Council is an important group who play a vital role in representing over 1000 organisations. The insights and feedback from PAC help OS in a number of ways from product development and licensing improvements to understanding market trends and how geospatial is supporting millions of end customers.”

To find out how TEP’s GIS team can be part of your project, please email gis@tep.uk.com for more information.

Or to discover more from the team click here.

Acorn to Oak – The GIS Story

Since its inception in 1997, TEP has always sought to use technology and spatial information to understand the world in which we live. Through the study of spatial relationships, we can learn how to analyse and improve the natural, social and built environment. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides an incredibly powerful tool, one which can provide insight and clarity to the world around us.

TEP continually develops and incorporates GIS approaches and solutions into our projects, from traditional ecological site-based assessments through to large scale strategic studies across regions. Being able to understanding and interpret spatial data is critical to the successful delivery of projects.

In the past two years, TEP has established and strengthened a nine-strong GIS team. It has supported all of our services and many projects across the business and has taken the lead in delivering their own ground-breaking geospatial commissions. One of these led to the GIS team winning a Landscape Institute Award in the Transforming through Management and Science category.

“As our commissions have grown,
so have we.”


As the GIS team has expanded its range of skills, clients and project portfolios, it has delivered many challenging and exciting commissions including:

Ecosystem Services (ESS) Opportunity Mapping in the River Irwell Catchment

Ecosystem Services Opportunity Mapping in the River Irwell Catchment.

The ESS Opportunities Mapping Tool identifies where ESS could be enhanced within the Irwell Catchment. It also communicates the opportunities for Green Infrastructure improvements that would increase the flow of ESS. The mapping helped validate Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) project ideas and stimulate further development opportunities; ranging from small scale enhancements to larger ambitious proposals. Providing a better understanding of the significant monetary value of the ESS can help direct investment to areas that need it the most. The project sets a precedent whereby GMCA and their stakeholders were provided with a robust evidence base, which has been integrated with the MappingGM web tool. This means interested parties can use the tool to identify and implement further opportunities. The innovative method used in the project is wholly replicable and could be used across different landscapes and at varying scales. This has been demonstrated through a subsequent commission to expand the application to Greater Manchester, the results of which can be seen on MappingGM.

The Mersey Forest – GIS Development and Support

Cheshire East Green Infrastructure Functionality Map

Mersey Forest plays a key role in the development and engagement of woodlands across North Cheshire and Merseyside, which provide vital benefits to local communities. The organisation is also involved in the delivery of many large-scale projects, which includes The Northern Forest; a 25-year vision to plant 50 million trees across the North of England, stretching from Liverpool to Hull. TEP has worked closely with The Mersey Forest for several years on projects, as well as Corporate Social Responsibility activities. TEP’s GIS team has a wealth of experience in desktop spatial software ArcGIS and QGIS; spatial databases PostgreSQL and PostGIS; and web mapping technologies such as Leaflet.JS.  It will use these to support The Mersey Forest’s internal business processes, and on other funded projects. For more information about our support, follow this link.

Ellesmere Port – Tree Opportunity Mapping

The importance of trees and their contribution to public health, the economy and the environment is well-documented. TEP is working with The Mersey Forest and Cheshire West Council to identify suitable areas for additional tree planting in Ellesmere Port. This will help enhance these benefits for the local community and surrounding wildlife. Potential opportunities are identified through our bespoke methodology, which evaluates a land parcel’s feasibility for tree planting, alongside the benefits it could provide to help mitigate air pollution, flooding and deprivation. TEP has built a web mapping decision-making tool for Cheshire West Council to explore the datasets created as part of the study and access all of the information in a user-friendly way. 

Harrogate Open Space Audit

Harrogate Web Mapping Tool

A local authority’s GIS dataset for open spaces is vital to evaluate the current provision of open space in strategic planning, as well as ongoing management and maintenance. TEP is working with Harrogate Borough Council to update their open spaces dataset. This is an iterative process using existing GIS sources of greenspace information and the invaluable local knowledge of council officers. TEP looked to overcome the challenges to consultation, posed by remote working, by creating a custom-made web mapping tool. The tool let council officers edit the existing GIS information and add new open spaces where appropriate. This process allowed all officers to access and contribute information from any working environment without the need for specialist software.

Manchester River Valley Strategy

Our local water environment is important to our quality of life. It services crucial economic, social and environmental functions from the obvious resource supply and flood management, through to the less obvious and more intangible creative inspiration, social cohesion and mental well-being. The Irk (Wince to Irwell), Medlock (Lumb Brook to Irwell) and Mersey are the City of Manchester’s three main river valleys. The City’s river valleys comprise a significant proportion of its total green and blue infrastructure resource and their potential must be considered both at a neighbourhood and city-wide level. Manchester is at the forefront of a worldwide movement to use the understanding of the value of rivers and other forms of blue and green infrastructure to deliver more joined-up policy-making across planning, health, regeneration and the environment. It will help develop new investment mechanisms which will drive greater and a more cost-effective impact across a range of public services. Our methodology is focussed on building on the wealth of data and reporting in Manchester. It uses this information to fill gaps in the evidence base and create consensus around the strategies and deliverable action plans for Manchester’s river valleys. Our outputs will include the GIS database, river valleys strategies and action plans to provide a lasting legacy for the City.

The Team

GIS Team

TEP’s highly-skilled GIS team are experts in the use of many mapping products including ArcGIS, QGIS, PostgreSQL and PostGIS. They have developed innovative mapping and GIS solutions on a range of projects including Greenspace Assessment, Landscape Maintenance, Green Infrastructure, Risk Management, and Ecosystem Services.

The GIS Team is managed by Associate Director Mike Hodgkinson who has been with TEP for 15 years and has a proven track record in team and project management. Mike is supported in the management and development of the GIS Team by Senior GIS Consultants Amanda Plumb and Monika Klamann, who have extensive experience in Ecological Assessments, Large Scale Projects and management of resources during our busy Ecological survey season. Andy Harney is the team’s Principal Spatial Developer and is the technical lead for the team. He provides a wealth of knowledge of GIS Software and is fluent in programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, C, .Net and SQL. Joe O’ Reilly is a Senior GIS Consultant, who has recently completed his MSc in GIS and led on our BNG research and development project, as well as many Green Infrastructure and Open Space Studies. GIS Consultant Conor Wardale leads on Strategic Development Constraints mapping for several high profile clients and projects. GIS Consultant Sarah Atkinson leads on Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment supporting our Environment Planning Team. Last but by no means least, we have our two new recruits, GIS Graduates Claire Powell and Josh Kelly, who increase and further strengthen the team’s resources.

“Investing in the team’s future, even during these current challenging times, is vital to TEP’s growth and a testament to TEP’s values and its resilience.”

The whole team has been part of a year-long training programme, building on their core skills in traditional GIS software, whilst also expanding into new areas such as web mapping. In a technical profession such as GIS, time allocated for challenging training is essential to inspire team members and to spark ideas for the future applications of GIS. In addition to recruitment and training, the team is building on our excellent relationships with Universities such as Sheffield Hallam, Lancaster, and Manchester. As well as looking at potential opportunities for lecturing and mentoring in collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society. These developing relationships will help with our commitment to offering support and a pathway to professional accreditation for each member of the GIS Team.

The story doesn’t stop here, discover more from the GIS Team here.

Earth Day 2020

World Earth Day is an opportunity to take stock of our own contribution to the global efforts on tackling climate change. This is an issue which is being felt worldwide from the Australian wildfires, Central America’s dry corridor through to the continual flooding that is being seen throughout the UK – no one can ignore or deny these damaging effects.

Climate Action is number 13 of the 17 goals the United Nations set as part of their 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and is intrinsically linked to all the other goals. Climate action is about strengthening our response to help mitigate climate related impacts, by raising awareness of what can be done, promoting innovative solutions and implementing them.

TEP’s values reflect the passion and responsibility our staff have for creating and managing places which benefit society. Protecting, conserving and enhancing the environment is at the core of everything we do – each of our teams and even the organisation itself, approach climate action in a variety of ways because at the end of the day, we want to make a positive impact on where we live and encourage those around us to follow suit.

To follow how each of our teams is responding to climate action; whether that is through planning, mapping, implementation or management, click the links below.  You can discover how they are each uniquely contributing to climate action:

Environmental Planning
GIS
Ecology
Arboriculture
Landscape Design
Landscape Management

Learn Something New

As part of our commitment to promoting the profession and continual professional development, TEP offer a range of complimentary learning seminars that are available all year around. They cover a variety of topics from all our departments (Arboriculture, Ecology, Environmental Planning, GIS, Heritage, Landscape Design and Landscape Management) and are suitable for developers, local authorities, land owners and those in the construction profession. They can be delivered in your own offices or group sessions can be arranged in our Warrington Location.


Leaning Seminar Subjects:

  • Residential Planting Design
  • Landscape Design for SuDs, Rain Gardens and Green/Blue Roofs High
  • Tree Risk Management Surveys
  • Biosecurity Protocols
  • BS 5837:2012 and Arboricultural Method Statements
  • Ancient Woodland and Veteran Trees
  • Ecology Risks on Development Projects (and how to avoid them)
  • BREEAM – Land Use and Ecology credits
  • Invasive Species and Biosecurity
  • Habitats Regulations Assessment
  • Biodiversity Net Gain and Offsetting Metrics
  • Protected Species Licensing
  • Introduction to the Environmental Impact Assessment Process
  • Landscape and Townscape Visual Impact Assessments
  • Green Belt Appraisal
  • Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA)
  • Ecosystem Services (ESS) Opportunity Mapping
  • Natural Capital
  • Open Space Audits and Assessments
  • Green Infrastructure
  • Historic Building Survey and Reporting
  • Heritage Statements for Built Heritage
  • Desk-based Assessments
  • Landscape Management Plans
  • High Risk Site Management
  • Instructing Works

For a detailed summary of the subjects click here.

To take advantage of this service please contact our offices directly or email tep@tep.uk.com.

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