Meet The Team
Our team has extensive knowledge and experience across ecology, land management, arboriculture and project management to meet and exceed your needs.

Senior Management
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Ed Tripp | Consultancy Director
Ed has a background in ecology, and a passion for conservation. In his day to day role at EMEC, he leads our highly qualified, knowledgeable and enthusiastic team of land management consultants, ecologists and arboriculturists.
His qualifications include a BSc (Hons) Geography, PgC Geographical Information Systems, MSc Botanical Conservation and a PhD Heathland Ecology.
Project Management
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Ben Jones | Senior Project Manager
Ben joined EMEC in June 2020 following an eight-year career working for Tier 1 Civil Engineering Contractors, delivering nationally significant infrastructure projects in the UK and New Zealand. Project Management specific qualifications such as PRINCE2 have supplemented his HND and membership of the Institute of Civil Engineers to allow development into his current role as Project Manager. Within this role he oversees the delivery of EMECs largest projects.
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Lauren Frazer | Project Manager
Prior to joining EMEC, Lauren was a key account manager at Mitie for 6 years working across a variety of industry sectors with a landscapes commercial focus. She also holds a BA(Hons) degree from Leeds Beckett University.
Lauren has been appointed to help EMEC project manage a major contract which involves carrying out soil sampling across various sites across England.
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Clare Roberts | Project Manager
Prior to joining EMEC, Clare built up many years of experience in IT consultancy and test management. She is a qualified change manager, experienced in leading teams on major projects. Clare is a member of IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment) and their Biodiversity and Natural Capital network. Clare also has experience in practical conservation, including woodland management and volunteer organisation.
In her role, Clare manages the delivery of biodiversity inventory and action plans, for a national infrastructure client. Her accreditations include BSc (Hons), AIEMA, APMG Change manager, Cert. Conservation Management, IEMA Cert. Environmental Management.
Ecology
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Alice Palmer | Senior Ecologist
Alice joined EMEC in September 2020, after returning from a two-year career break in Canada where she worked as a field technician at several bird observatories. Prior to her work abroad, Alice held a graduate ecologist role at a multi-disciplinary consultancy for three years, after graduating from the University of Leeds with an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation. Alice holds Natural England Class Licenses for bats and great crested newt, and has experience of Phase 1 Habitat surveys and a range of protected species surveys, including bats, great crested newts, badger, water voles and birds. Alice also has experience conducting Biodiversity Impact Assessments to achieve 10% net gain using UK Habitat Classification and the DEFRA Metric.
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Vicky Philpott | Senior Ecologist
Vicky joined EMEC as a Senior Ecologist in 2022, having previously worked as a Wildlife Lead Advisor in the licensing team at Natural England. Vicky has worked in ecological consultancy for most of her career, starting as an Assistant Ecologist in 2015. She holds a first-class honours degree in Biology, a certificate in Ecological Consultancy and is registered to use the Level 2 Class licence to survey for bats, and Level 1 Class licence to survey for great crested newt. Vicky is also an Associate member of CIEEM and holds a CSCS card for working on construction sites.
In her role, Vicky leads and reports on a range of habitat and protected species surveys and has worked on mitigation licences for bats, including as the Named Ecologist.
In her spare time Vicky enjoys volunteering with her local bat group and learning new plant species whilst out walking her dog, Dil.
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Steve Alton | Strategic Ecologist
With a BSc (Hons) in Biology and recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Steve has spent over three decades shaping conservation landscapes across the UK and therefore brings a wealth of experience and expertise in biodiversity and conservation.
His diverse career has included roles such as County Conservation Officer for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, UK Programme Lead for Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank Project, and Conservation Officer at Ashdown Forest in Sussex. He has also advised on habitat creation for the renewable energy sector and co-managed a wildflower seed company with his wife.
In his role at EMEC, Steve will be advising Network Rail’s Eastern Region Biodiversity Framework on how to manage their trackside land to ensure Biodiversity Net Gain compliance.
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Sarah Spotswood | Ecologist
Sarah joined EMEC in June 2018 after graduating from the University of Nottingham that summer with a first class honours degree in Zoology. Sarah holds Natural England Class Licences for bats and great crested newts and is experienced in conducting phase-1 habitat surveys and a variety of protected species surveys, including badger, bat, great crested newt, water vole, nesting bird and reptile surveys. She is also experienced in the design and management of habitat for great crested newts. Sarah qualified as a badger vaccinator in 2019 and assists the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust with their BEVS vaccination program.
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Jake Hill | Ecologist
For as long as I can remember I have loved being outdoors, no matter the weather! My parents bought me a bird book when I was 7 years old, and my interest in wildlife, especially birds, grew from there on. My love for wildlife and birds continued to grow, and I tailored my education to match my hobby by completing a degree in Ecology and Environmental Management. I have worked as an Ecologist for four years, with my specialism being Ornithology, although I have experience in all aspects of ecology. I hold a survey class licence for Barn Owl and I am a qualified tree climber. I am currently working towards gaining my survey licence for great crested newts and bats.
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Greg Gilmore | Ecologist
Greg joined EMEC in September 2020, following three seasons with a large consultancy in the North of England. He completed his degree in ecology and land management in 2016 and now looks to bolster his skills within the ecology field. He is experienced in a wide range of ecological surveys for protected species, including reptile and phase 1 habitat surveys and holds both great crested newt and bat survey licences. He has a passion for birds and has gained a great deal of experience in carrying out breeding, wetland and vantage point bird surveys through working on a large national infrastructure project within the Midlands. A trainee bird ringer for a local group, Greg also volunteers on Breeding and Wetland bird surveys for the British Trust for Ornithology in Nottinghamshire. He is also proficient and trained in the use of chainsaw, brush cutter and other habitat management tools through a previous volunteer ranger position.
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Adrian Dutton | Entomologist
Joining us in August 2015, Adrian Dutton brings additional skills to EMEC Ecology, with his 30 years experience in invertebrates. He is a valuable asset to the company and has already carried out invertebrate surveys for Natural England across the country, looking at invertebrate abundance in relation to scrub habitat. In addition to the species level identification required for the contract for Natural England, Adrian has been undertaking butterfly and moth surveys at sites in Nottinghamshire and aquatic invertebrate surveys of rivers and streams. The results of these surveys can be used to assess the pollution levels of watercourses.
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Laura McClelland | Ecologist
Having previously worked at a number of other consultancies Laura has plenty of experience carrying out species surveys, QGIS maps and biodiversity impact assessments and biodiversity net gain.
She holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Conversation, MSc in Ecology and Conservation, great crested newt licence, a Field Identification Skills Certificate, as well as qualifications in tree climbing and aerial rescue.
Laura’s role includes carrying out species surveys, managing projects and QGIS mapping. She will also be working on BIA’s/BNG’s from site visit stage to filling out the metric and working with the client to achieve net gain.
In her spare time Laura enjoys climbing, canicrossing / scooterjoring with her husky Nala and hiking with her friends. She also loves bird watching and just generally being in nature. She has also completed the Dougie mac moonlight walk a few times to raise money for a local charity and is currently planning to walk/canicross 99km with her dog to raise money for The Dogs Trust.
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Athina Constantinou | Ecologist
Athina, who holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Biological Sciences and an MSc in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Queen Mary University of London, brings extensive experience in conducting protected species surveys, project management, and report writing. Leveraging her expertise, Athina assists EMEC’s clients in navigating new legislative measures to ensure environmentally responsible development practices, thereby enhancing the natural environment and mitigating potential ecological damage. Additionally, she holds a Natural England Class 1 Great Crested Newt license and is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.
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Chloe Newbery | Ecologist
Chloe joined EMEC as an Ecologist, tasked with conducting Ecological appraisals, protected species surveys, and BNG calculations ranging from small scale to large scale commercial developments and advising clients on achieving a net gain. She is accredited to undertake Modular River surveys (MoRPh) and holds a FISC level 3. She is actively pursuing Bat and Great Crested Newt Licenses.
Land Management
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David Sutton | Land Management Contracts Manager
Dave is responsible for planning and creating projects as well as managing the team. He holds a BSc combined Honours in Countryside Management and Earth Science from Liverpool University. Dave has over 20 years of conservation experience including nearly 10 years as a Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust reserves officer. Dave holds NPTC qualifications in Level 3 chainsaw felling and Level 2 pesticides as well as tree climbing and he has also assisted with European protected species surveys and mitigation projects.
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Philip Bych | Land Management Supervisor
Philip joined the team after he graduated from Nottingham Trent University, where he completed a BSc in Wildlife Conservation. He has worked on numerous projects including creating wildlife ponds, building dipping platforms and constructing artificial badger setts and assisted with bat, reptile and GCN surveys.
Philip has over 10 years volunteering experience with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust as well as several years’ experience as a volunteer with hazel dormice and bats.
Philip has a Dormouse licence, is a NPTC Level 3 chainsaw operator and is Level 2 pesticide licence holder. In addition, Philip is an APHA qualified lay vaccinator for badgers, and has assisted the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust with their badger vaccination scheme
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David Vincent | Land Management Supervisor
Vinny joined us after completing an NVQ in Countryside Management and volunteering for the Trust and EMEC. Amongst numerous different jobs with the Land Management team he has helped create over 25 new ponds as mitigation for great crested newts, installed coir rolls to reinforce banks and increase the plant biodiversity of ponds and waterways and installed temporary amphibian fencing (TAF). Vinny has numerous qualifications including NPTC Level 2 chainsaw operator, tree climber, mewp operator, qualified excavator and dumper operation. Vinny is also an approved ECoW and has assisted the ecology team in a wide variety of European protected species surveys.
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Andrew Spreadbury | Land Management Assistant
Andy came to us after completing a Wildlife Conservation Degree at Brackenhurst and has gained a wide range of new skills and experience including Level 2 Chainsaw and ATV Driving. He has assisted with a number of protected species projects, in particular GCN pond installation and maintenance as well as numerous practical habitat management projects.
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Joe Foster | Land Management Assistant
Joe is currently working on completing his Degree in Zoology at Derby University and spends much of his spare time assisting the team with a wide variety of practical habitat management tasks and is a particularly proficient tree planter. He holds a Level 2 chainsaw and brushcutter licences, NPTC pesticides and ATV driving tickets.
Business Support
- Kelly Yates | Business Support Coordinator
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Sally Harrison | Client Relationship Lead
With over 30 years of experience across a range of industries, including aerospace and pharmaceuticals, Sally brings extensive expertise in Supplier and Key Account Management. She will serve as the primary contact for clients, leading client relationship management to support our ecology , project management, and land management teams.