The Team

Jeremy James MSc, BSc (Hons), CEnv, MIEEM
Principal Ecologist & Company Director
Since graduating in 1990 he has held a range of public and private sector posts. Prior to establishing Bowland Ecology he was a team leader and Associate Ecologist at RPS Plc where he was responsible for managing a team of ecologists with an EIA focused remit particularly working in the highways and landuse sectors. Before joining RPS he was a catchment ecologist with the Environment Agency (North West Region). He has further public sector experience gained through a post as a SSSI notification officer with the Countryside Council for Wales. In the mid 1990s he was Senior Ecologist with a University based consultancy where he specialised in botanically based projects including EIAs and research based studies. He has a very strong background in EIA at all levels, and is an experienced vegetation ecologist. He also specialises in protected species ecology and holds Natural England licences for great crested newts, water vole and bats. He has worked throughout the UK and overseas in Tomsk Province, Siberia. He is a former Vice Convenor of the NW Section of IEEM.

Ellen Partington MRes, BA (Hons), MIEEM
Senior Ecologist
Ellen has a first class degree in Zoology from the University of Cambridge and completed her MRes in Ecology & Environmental Management at the University of York. Prior to joining Bowland Ecology in 2007 Ellen spent over 2 years working as a Consultant Ecologist for AMEC Earth and Environmental and prior to this, the Environmental Advice Centre Ltd. She has wide ranging experience of EIAs from small schemes to large developments. She has extensive experience of working with water vole, this species was the focus of her MRes. Ellen holds Natural England licences for bats, great crested newt, sand lizard and natterjack toad. She is currently the practice’s lead point for bat work. Ellen is a project managing ecologist who is responsible for projects from inception to completion.

Alice Helyar MSc, BSc (Hons), PhD, AIEEM
Senior Ecologist
Alice has a first class degree in Environmental Biology from the University of St Andrews. She also has an MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management from Oxford Brookes University and completed her PhD studying the effects of control on the ecology of American mink (Mustela vison) at the University of York in 2005. She joined Bowland Ecology from CCW where she was responsible for providing advice and responses to consultations on designated sites, protected species and wider countryside issues within the Brecon Beacons National Park. She also led a proactive management project on Bleanlyarn & the reactive work arising from the USK Bats site SAC and River Usk SAC. Prior to her post at CCW Alice has held roles at the Central Science Laboratory and FWAG (Farm Surveys). Alice is a project managing ecologist who specialises in mammal survey, ecology and mitigation. She holds a Natural England Scientific Licence for bats.

Lyndsey Husband MSc, BSc (Hons), CEnv, MIEEM
Senior Ecologist
Lyndsey has a first class degree in Environmental Biology from Manchester University and an MSc in Environmental Impact Assessment, Auditing and Management Systems, from the University of East Anglia. Prior to joining Bowland Ecology Lyndsey's previous posts have included: Waterways Planner - Ecologist with Christchurch City Council in New Zealand; and Senior Ecologist at White Young Green, where she spent four years. Her recent projects have included quarry restoration, hydropower schemes, wind farms, hospital redevelopments, BREEAM, residential, commercial and light industrial schemes. She is the holder of a Natural England bat license and a great crested newt licence.

Emma Kilduff BSc (Hons), AIEEM
Ecologist
Emma has a degree in Ecology from Bangor University and has been employed in the environmental sector since 2005. She joined Bowland Ecology from United Utilities plc in 2009. At UU she was responsible for managing projects and carrying out protected species surveys, including bats, water vole, otter, badger and amphibians. She is a project managing ecologist who specialises in Phase 1 survey, amphibian survey and mitigation. Emma is also a trained Map Info GIS user. She holds a Natural England Scientific Licence for great crested newts and has extensive experience of supervising complex amphibian mitigation schemes.

Jo Bates MSc, BSc (Hons)
Field Ecologist
Jo has an MSc in Ecology and Management of the Natural Environment from the University Of Bristol, and a BSc (Hons) Environmental Biology and Geography from the University of Hull. She has been working with Bowland Ecology since 2007 and is responsible for organising surveys, and working as part of the survey team for a range of protected species surveys, including bats, water vole, otter, badger and amphibians. She has extensive experience of bat work in conjunction with East Yorkshire and East Lancashire Bat Groups, including roost visits, bat handling, detector work and sound analysis. Jo also specialises in badger work, holds badger licences and is the current chair of Lancashire Badger Group. Jo is also a Lancashire County Council Volunteer Ranger – responsible for dealing with and assisting members of the public and various conservation tasks.

Gemma Howard BSc (Hons), AIEEM
Technical Officer
Gemma joined Bowland Ecology after completing her degree in Environmental Geography at the University of Lancaster in 2006. Her main areas of work are amphibian survey, desk studies, technical support to projects and GIS. Gemma has been involved in all aspects of amphibian projects from scoping surveys through to Natural England licensed mitigation works. She is highly competent in the use of MapInfo and provides GIS input into all relevant projects. In addition, she is a licenced amphibian worker and also undertakes bat surveys.

James Segar MSc, BSc (Hons)
Assistant Ecologist
James has an MSc Environmental Consultancy (Newcastle University), and a BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology and Oceanography (Southampton University). He joined Bowland Ecology in 2008 and is responsible for organising surveys and working as part of the survey team for all protected species surveys, including bats, otter, water vole, badger and amphibians. He is also responsible for carrying out desk studies and assisting in the production of reports. James is a trained MapInfo GIS user.                      

Fiona Coombes
Office Manager
Fiona joined Bowland Ecology in spring 2008 to take up the position of office manager. Fiona brings a wealth of experience of financial management and administration to the business. Whilst Fiona manages the smooth day to day running of the business her primary focus is credit control.