Ecology and Biodiversity

» Ecology and Biodiversity

Umwelt has one of the largest nationwide teams of qualified and accredited ecologists in Australia. We provide a diverse range of services across the fields of biodiversity, terrestrial ecology, ecological restoration and rehabilitation, and aquatic ecology. Through all of our work we identify opportunities to minimise biodiversity impacts, enhance biodiversity outcomes, and contribute to nature positive planning.

Comprehensive Capabilities

For each project, staff are selected to ensure the best outcomes for our clients, meet government requirements and satisfy community expectations. Our deep capabilities, from the field to the office, encompass survey design and techniques; analysis of ecological data; ecological impact assessment; conservation; and comprehensive understanding of legislation and planning requirements.

Umwelt is consistently engaged to provide advice for complex and major projects. We undertake high-level ecological constraints analyses; strategic ecological offset planning; and the development and implementation of ecological assessments in accordance with legislative requirements and industry best practice. We are leaders in the development and implementation of biodiversity offset strategies across the country.

Leading, Licenced Professionals

Our staff are members of professional environmental and ecological organisations and are fully licensed and approved to undertake flora and fauna surveys, including collecting specimens (flora), and trapping and handling (fauna).

We have a passion for conservation and making a difference by producing innovative and comprehensive solutions that unlock key outcomes for our clients that span multiple environmental landscapes and contexts.

Biodiversity Offsets

Umwelt is at the forefront of biodiversity offsetting and long before it became mandatory, we have assisted our clients to achieve appropriate conservation outcomes through offset land management. Our ecologists have the expertise and relevant accreditations to apply any required state, territory and commonwealth offset policy to any project need. Our comprehensive offset services include ecological survey, suitability analyses/offset calculations, and reporting.

Rehabilitation and Restoration

Our team is skilled in ecological restoration projects, including vegetation/site management plans, large scale bush regeneration and mine site rehabilitation. Project planning is based on a robust understanding of pre-disturbance conditions, current site data, completion and performance criteria and regulatory requirements.

We have a solid history with rehabilitation monitoring, inspections and mapping which includes the use of LiDAR data, remote sensing and drone-based surveys.

Monitoring and Site Management

Umwelt works with clients to develop fit-for-purpose biodiversity monitoring and management plans. We define clear and achievable performance and completion criteria; deliver robust monitoring programs that identify trends and threats to compliance and project signoff; and provide recommendations to maximise biodiversity gain through best practice land management.

Services include floristic, vegetation condition and fauna monitoring; aquatic condition, macroinvertebrate and stygofauna monitoring; design and implementation of approved habitat clearing programs; nest box and habitat augmentation works; soil chemistry and pathogen testing; the design and implementation of translocation works; and statistical analysis and interpretation.

Aquatic and Marine

Our aquatic and coastal ecologists are skilled in fulfilling aquatic legislation and planning requirements in freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments. Clients benefit from our in-house ability to integrate aquatic and coastal ecology with terrestrial ecology, hydrogeology services, geomorphology and natural resource management, community, and cultural heritage.

We collaborate with other highly regarded aquatic ecologists on specific projects to ensure that a comprehensive service is provided.

Policy and Regulation

Umwelt’s national ecology team has extensive experience in the application of biodiversity policy and regulations Australia wide. Independent advice is regularly provided to government agencies and private companies on the application of biodiversity legislation, offsetting policies and assessment guidelines. We have contributed to numerous expert panels for government agencies in relation to threatened species; threatened ecological communities; systematic flora survey; ecological mine rehabilitation; biodiversity offsetting; ecological restoration; policy and legislation review; and biodiversity impact assessment.

Our National Ecology Lead, Travis Peake, is highly experienced in providing expert witness testimony at the Land and Environment Court, Federal Court and for government inquiry panels; and providing expert reporting for court matters. Travis was also recently appointed to the NSW Native Vegetation Panel, an independent body established to determine applications for approval to clear native vegetation.

Renewable Energy

Umwelt ecologists are industry leaders in ecological assessments specifically targeted to renewable energy projects and their impacts. They have a keen interest and specialisation in bird and bat utilisation surveys, assessments, and adaptive management plans for wind farms. Our bespoke risk assessment methodology can be applied to wind projects nationally. Each site’s comprehensive survey data is considered against key biological and conservation aspects of bird and bat species at risk.

Highly trained ecologists work alongside Umwelt environmental planners to deliver comprehensive, best practice ecological assessments and reports that help our clients attain approvals at local, state and federal levels.

Impact Assessment

Umwelt has led the delivery of impact assessment work across Australia for nearly 30 years. Our nationwide ecology team has the skills, expertise, and accreditations and licencing to deliver the full suite of high quality and technically sound biodiversity assessments. This comprises extensive vegetation surveys, complex vegetation community analyses and mapping, comprehensive fauna surveys and aquatic impact assessment.

We have vast experience delivering impact assessments across all major land development sectors including renewable energy, infrastructure, mining, quarrying, urban development, defence and government planning, and strategic assessment.

Bushfire

Umwelt offers a range of bushfire services, from bushfire planning to individual bushfire assessments. We work with individual landholders, private companies, government agencies and defence. Through a combination of desktop mapping and site inspection, Umwelt determines the bushfire attack level to quantify the risk to property and infrastructure.