Our work continues!
Our professional body The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) continues to work hard on our behalf, liaising with the Government, Statutory Nature Conservation Organisations, #developers and #planners to determine the best way forward to undertake planning-related ecological surveys and Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) services while protecting the health and well-being of our staff, customers and the wider community.
Following the new restrictions announced by the Government on Monday 23rd March, CIEEM have updated their guidance for #ecologists, available here: https://cieem.net/i-am/covid-19/?utm_source=GDPR+CIEEM+List&utm_campaign=80001cafce-CIEEM+eNews+2020.03.2424%2F3%2F20+4%3A44+PM&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6b23f028b5-80001cafce-148763793
Current advice is that ecological surveys can continue, “where necessary and where there is no clear risk to either the ecologists, other workers or the wider public. Under the new measures, travelling to and from work is still allowed, but only where this work absolutely cannot be done from home.”
Where ecological surveys can take place safely, they can proceed while observing all relevant current advice and restrictions including the avoidance of all face-to-face contact, handwashing, and maintaining at least 2m distance from other people at all times. The requirement to maintain a distance of at least 2m from other people means that where ecological surveys require more than 1 ecologist to be on site, they must travel in separate cars. This will result in some small increases to our costs but, as I’m sure most people will agree, this is the only way to ensure we can avoid transmission of the virus.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to all our clients for their understanding as we work together to #StaySafe #SaveLives
#WereInThisTogether
#StayHome #Covid-19 #Covid #Coronavirus #CoronaVirusChallenge #OpenForBusiness #KeepItLocal #WorkingFromHome #NorthernIreland #Ireland #Ecology #Ecologists #Nature #Planning #Architecture