15 Nov Promotion Of The Profession: Ecological Consultancy Lecture At Oxford Brookes University
BSG Ecology Senior Ecologist Jamie Peacock and Principal Ecologist John Baker presented a guest lecture to students attending the “Ecosystem degradation and management” module of the MSc Conservation Ecology course at Oxford Brookes University.
BSG Ecology has continued to contribute annually to courses run by Oxford Brokes as one of a series of guest lectures by external speakers from across the spectrum of environmental consultancy.
The lecture largely focussed on the evolving picture around Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). This included the evolution of the methods used for assessing BNG, including habitat survey types, the importance of criteria in condition assessment and the iterations of the metrics themselves. It also explored the evolving policy drivers behind BNG and the methods for monitoring its implementation, such as the importance of Landscape and Environmental Management Plans and monitoring against target conditions. Case studies were used to demonstrate these points, including the work carried out previously by BSG Ecology and LDA Design on the Headington Campus of Oxford Brookes.
A number of students on the course are looking to start a career in conservation in the UK, as such the presentation also discussed the diverse paths through higher education which are taken into consultancy and the skills required to enter into the diverse roles that are offered by the industry.
Marco Campera, Lecturer in Conservation and Biodiversity commented:
“The presentation from John and Jamie was very engaging and informative. Students had the chance to chat with Jamie and John and grasp an understanding of the role of ecological consultants and their important contribution in preserving ecological complexity and biodiversity.”
Guest lecturing is one of the ways in which BSG Ecology is actively seeking to engage the next generation of Ecologists, providing guidance for early career Ecologists on what roles are available in the industry, how to get the right experience and what to look for in an employer. Further information on this can be found here: What Do We Look For In Graduate And Early Career Ecologists?