Great Crested Newt Surveys

Background

Great crested newt (GCN) (Triturus cristatus) 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 led to the great crested newt being internationally recognised as vulnerable, threatened or endangered within the 37 different European states that it currently occupies.

The GCN is now protected under British law by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and GCNs are classified as European Protected Species (EPS) under The Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. 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 of waterbodies within 250 m or 500 m of the development (depending on the site and likely impacts) to ensure that both the species and habitat can be considered.

EMEC Ecology works with many different clients on GCN projects of varying scales, from small housing developments with just one pond, up to larger and more complex projects with 50 or more ponds requiring an amphibian survey.

Timing

Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys assess presence/likely absence of GCNs and can be carried out between mid-April and June (inclusive). ‘Traditional’ presence/likely absence surveys can 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. Three visits in this peak period are required if GCNs are found to be present and population assessment is required.

Methodology

Initial Assessment

Prior to any works that may impact on GCNs, EMEC Ecology will make an initial assessment to establish the potential presence of the species. This habitat assessment would determine the likelihood of GCNs being present and affected by the proposed works and may save the client considerable time and costs if further GCN survey is not required. If the assessment finds the potential for GCNs to be present, EMEC Ecology would recommend further survey to determine the presence or presumed absence of GCNs.

Great Crested Newt Survey

Pond assessment

The waterbody assessment will be in the form of a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) which enables a rapid assessment of the value and potential of a pond to support GCNs based on ten suitability indices including pond size, water quality, percentage of shade, percentage of aquatic vegetation, occurrence of fish and density of ponds in the wider landscape. This process results in a calculation of the habitat suitability between 0 and 1 (0 = low value, 1 = high value).

Waterbody assessments can be undertaken at any time of year, and will be conducted by a suitably experienced ecologist with an assistant when working near water.

Should any waterbody likely to be affected by the proposals be considered suitable for GCNs, if GCNs are considered likely to be able to disperse to the site if present within the waterbody, or if terrestrial habitat will be removed that would support GCNs if present, then further survey work will be required to confirm presence or likely absence (see below).

Survey methods include:

Environmental DNA Survey

Environmental DNA (eDNA) testing is a recognised survey technique for establishing the presence or absence of GCNs in ponds and ditches during the breeding season. Water samples will be taken from suitable waterbodies within 250 m to 500 m of the Site. The survey will follow the eDNA methodology and protocol guidelines (Biggs et al., 2014):

• The survey will be undertaken by a suitably licensed/accredited and experienced great crested newt surveyor with an assistant for health and safety when working near water;
• Testing kits will be sourced from one of the Natural England approved agencies, e.g. SpyGen, ADAS, FERA, Sure Screen Scientifics
• Water samples will be taken between 15th April and 30th June.

Please note, negative results returned from water samples taken outside of this period may not be accepted by the relevant local planning authority (LPA) and / or statutory body. Full amphibian surveys may be required if the eDNA results return a positive result for GCNs (which would incur additional costs).

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 GCNs in turbid or weedy ponds, where torchlight 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 GCN eggs.

Netting & Refuge Searches

If any of the three survey methods described above (torching, bottle trapping, egg searching) cannot be used, netting and refuge searches may be undertaken. A net is used to sweep through open water / submerged vegetation to capture newts, and terrestrial refuge habitats (such as logs and debris) are temporarily lifted to search for sheltering newts.

However, these methods are not utilised unless necessary as they can cause more disturbance than other methods.

All our surveys are carried out by surveyors holding GCN survey licences from Natural England.

Following the Survey

Report

We will provide a report, suitable for submission with a planning application, detailing the results of our survey and any required mitigation as soon as possible following the survey, however; should you have a specific date for submission of a planning application we will do our utmost to accommodate this.

European Protected Species (EPS) licence

If from the survey results the proposed activities are considered unlikely to result in an offence then no licence will be required and development works can proceed.

If the survey indicates that GCNs or their habitat is likely to be impacted by the development, a European Protected Species (EPS) licence may be required. EMEC Ecology can apply for this licence on your behalf. The EPS licence application requires the production of a method statement, completion of an EPS application form and sometimes also 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 that can help you to find the most appropriate solutions.

EMEC Ecology is also able to support you through a District Level Licensing application, if your site is eligible for this scheme.

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:

Temporary Amphibian Fencing

As part of protecting GCN 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. EMEC Land Management, our in-house practical conservation team, can install temporary amphibian fencing if required.

Habitat Creation

Should you require the creation of a pond, due to the loss of an existing pond or to enhance the ecological value of a site, EMEC Land Management can construct ponds and provide advice on management if required. This can also include the creation of terrestrial habitat for amphibians including the creation of hibernacula (hibernation sites) for GCNs. Further information on pond creation, hibernacula and other habitat creation measures are available on the EMEC Land Management website.

Monitoring Visits

Upon completion of the development works affecting great crested newts or their habitat, monitoring is often required 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.