All wild bird species and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and The Conservation of Habitat and Species Regulations 2019 (EU Exit Amendment), so knowing if you have and active bird nest within a tree prior to felling or pruning works is necessary to avoid prosecution.

Ecologists typically advise on the timing vegetation works so they do not take place during the active breeding season. However, this is not always possible and tree removal and vegetation clearance is quite often required during the nesting season, which falls between March and September (inclusive).

We provide a range of services to both forestry and arboriculture ensuring compliance with the law. These include pre-clearance nest checks conducted using various methods, including thermal imaging, the day before or on the morning of work, as well as the option of having an Ecological Clerk of Works present throughout the vegetation works, if the vegetation is too dense of difficult to access before commencement.