We're happy to announce that CGO Ecology's Senior Ecologist Noel Bergin is now qualified in City & Guilds NPTC Tree Climbing and Rescue. Although this sounds like an excuse for him to play around in trees, this training will enable him to carry out aerial inspection surveys, to asses trees for potential roost features (PRFs) for bats. As a licensed bat worker, Noel is able to visit roosts, and use an endoscope to investigate roosts and PRFs in trees.

CGO Ecology Ltd was set up in March 2008, and has since developed into an ecological consultancy offering a full suite of taxonomic expertise, whether in a development-mitigation context, or for conservation and status-assessment purposes.

Spring is a busy time for ecological consultancies, and we often have to recruit seasonal staff and subcontractors at very short notice. At CGO Ecology we therefore welcome CVs from prospective employees and subcontractors at this time of year, but also throughout the year.

Many of you will have heard the terrible news this Tuesday afternoon (31st March 2015) that on one of Dorset's best-known and best-loved heathlands was largely lost in a huge fire. The Fire Service believes it was arson, with the fire started deliberately in three places. Much of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation's (ARC's) Town Common reserve, and ARC & Christchurch Borough Council's St Catherine's Hill reserve have gone up in flames. The Fire Service estimated 800m x 800m, which would be over 60 hectares (150 acres) gone; but current estimates by ARC staff are more like 80 hectares.

Spring is pretty much here now, and there is always a distinct surge in ecological consultancy work at this time of year. We have therefore been recruiting, and we welcome our newest staff member, Alice Quinney, who joins us as an Ecologist.