Independant Ecological Consultancy
Bristol
We believe that good ecology and good business are not in conflict. Nature is resilient - given the right conditions, it recovers, adapts, and thrives. Our job is to understand those conditions, and to help you work with them rather than around them.
Ecology Consultancy
Full lifecycle ecological support - Preliminary Ecological Appraisals/UKHab, protected species surveys & licensing. Habitat & species mitigation and design.
Biodiversity Net Gain
Biodiversity Net Gain assessments, habitat condition surveys & statutory biodiversity metric calculations - practical support for developers and landowners.
Rewilding & Habitat Restoration
Habitat design, restoration planning, and long-term monitoring - for land of any size.
ISO 14001:2026 Advisory
Biodiversity gap analysis and transition support for the new environmental management standard.
TNFD Nature Risk
Nature risk screening, LEAP assessment, and disclosure support for corporates and investors.
Nature is not a
constraint.
It's an opportunity.
Every project is a chance to leave things better. We help clients see beyond mitigation - towards genuine nature recovery, whether that's a single hedgerow or a landscape-scale rewilding scheme.
About
Experience · Knowledge · Credibility
Director
Sean Flynn CEnv MCIEEM
Sean has 24 years' experience delivering a wide variety of projects across infrastructure, defence and residential sectors. He holds survey and development licences for bats, great crested newt, water vole and dormouse in England and Wales, and has an extensive track record of stakeholder engagement with Natural England, NRW, and local planning authorities.
A deep understanding of ecological systems, combined with fluency in planning law and policy and a practical grasp of business constraints, puts Sean in a strong position to bridge both worlds - delivering outcomes that are ecologically sound and commercially realistic.
About Greenbank Ecology
We provide the full suite of ecological services, from initial walkover surveys, detailed protected species & habitat condition surveys, impact assessment, and species licensing, through to nature-based solutions and biodiversity net gain. Based on solid field science and an understanding of development processes we provide pragmatic solutions.
For landowners and developers we deliver clear, practical ecology advice; for corporates and financial institutions we translate ecological complexity into structured, decision-useful outputs.
Given the right conditions and management Nature will find a way - for this to happen requires understanding and solid, pragmatic advice.
Our Services
Ecology consultancy · Biodiversity net gain · Nature risk advisory
Ecology Consultancy
Full lifecycle ecological support - from initial appraisal through to planning consent, licensing, and condition discharge.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal
A site walkover to assess ecological value and identify potential constraints. Required at the outset of most planning applications - sets the scope for any further surveys needed.
Protected Species Surveys & Licensing
Detailed surveys and repporting. Where impacts are unavoidable, we handle the licence application and mitigation design.
Ecological Impact Assessment
A systematic evaluation of likely effects on ecological receptors. Typically required for EIA development - we produce reports that stand up to scrutiny from LPAs and statutory consultees.
Habitat & Botanical Surveys
Phase 1 habitat surveys, UKHab & habitat condition assessments. The evidential foundation for BNG and EcIA.
Tree Climbing Bat Surveys
Aerial inspection of trees for bat roost features - undertaken by licensed bat ecologists working alongside experienced tree climbers.
Ecological Clerk of Works
On-site ecological supervision during construction to ensure licence conditions and mitigation measures are properly implemented.
Habitat Creation & Restoration
Design and specification of new or enhanced habitats to deliver biodiversity net gain, offset requirements, or planning conditions.
Biodiversity Net Gain
Practical advice on biodiversity for landowners and developers.
Biodiversity Net Gain - Mandatory in England
Mandatory for most planning applications in England under the Environment Act 2021. Early engagement is key - we advise at feasibility stage to avoid costly surprises later.
Biodiversity Audit
A baseline assessment of biodiversity value across a landholding or portfolio. Used to inform BNG strategy, land management decisions, and corporate nature reporting.
ISO 14001:2026 Advisory
Helping organisations get ahead of the new biodiversity and ecosystem requirements in the 2026 standard.
Biodiversity Gap Analysis
An assessment of your current EMS against the new biodiversity and ecosystem requirements in ISO 14001:2026 - identifying what needs to change and how to prioritise it.
ISO 14001:2026 Transition Support
Hands-on support to integrate biodiversity and ecosystem assessment into your EMS ahead of the May 2029 transition deadline.
TNFD Nature Risk
Nature is ESG's next frontier. Supporting corporates and financial institutions with nature-related risk assessment and disclosure.
Nature Risk Screening
A rapid assessment of nature-related dependencies and impacts across your operations or portfolio.
LEAP Assessment
A structured assessment using the TNFD LEAP methodology. Produces the evidence base needed for nature-related financial disclosure.
Nature Risk Disclosure
Support preparing TNFD-aligned disclosures for annual reports, investor communications, and regulatory filings.
Rewilding Our Future
Nature recovery · Habitat restoration · Landscape thinking
Nature doesn't need permission to recover. It needs space, time, and the right conditions. We help create those conditions - for landowners, communities, and organisations ready to think beyond the baseline.
Rewilding is a bold, optimistic vision - not managing decline, but restoring dynamic, self-sustaining ecosystems. By stepping back and letting nature lead we can revive the shifting mosaics of forest, grassland, and scrub that once defined our landscapes. This isn't just good for biodiversity - it's a cost-effective route to capturing carbon, mitigating floods, and building climate resilience. Whether at landscape scale or in a local community space, rewilding brings wildness back into our world and reconnects people with nature.
The question isn't whether nature can recover. It's whether we'll give it the chance.
At Greenbank Ecology, rewilding runs through everything we do. When we design habitat creation schemes, we think about connectivity and natural succession, not just species lists. When we advise on BNG, we push for outcomes that genuinely build ecological resilience, not just tick boxes. And when clients come to us with land and ambition, we help them find the most ecologically meaningful path forward - whatever scale that looks like.
We work with private landowners, farmers, estates, housing developers, community groups, and organisations looking to make a meaningful contribution to nature recovery. There's no minimum threshold for ambition.
What rewilding looks like in practice
Habitat baseline & opportunity mapping
Understanding what's there now, what nature wants to become, and where the two meet within a working landscape.
Habitat restoration & creation
From grassland restoration to scrub management, wetland creation to woodland expansion - practical plans grounded in ecological evidence.
Connectivity & landscape planning
Rewilding is most powerful when it connects. We help identify and design ecological corridors and stepping stones at any scale.
Monitoring & adaptive management
Long-term ecological monitoring to track recovery, demonstrate outcomes, and adapt management as nature responds.
BNG & biodiversity credits
Where rewilding aligns with biodiversity net gain requirements, we help unlock the financial value of your land's ecological potential.
Landowner & community support
Rewilding works best when people are behind it. We support landowners, estates, and communities through the process from vision to delivery.
Get in touch
Project enquiries · Survey bookings · Advisory conversations
Greenbank Ecology Ltd
Based in
Bristol & beyond
Typical response
Within 24 hours
Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) · MCIEEM
Licensed: bat, GCN, water vole, dormouse
Registered in England & Wales No. 17189250
ICO Registration: ZC159357
Privacy Policy
How we collect, use and protect your personal data
1. Introduction
Greenbank Ecology Ltd is committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Greenbank Ecology Ltd is registered with the ICO as a data controller (registration reference: ZC159357).
2. Who we are
Greenbank Ecology Ltd · Company No. 17189250 · 23 South Court Woodlands, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 4NH · sean@greenbankecology.com
Queries about this policy should be directed to Sean Flynn, Director, at the email above.
3. Personal data we collect
- Names, job titles, and employer details
- Business email addresses and telephone numbers
- Correspondence relating to instructions and project delivery
- Information about land interests, planning applications, or development proposals
- Contact details and professional information for subcontractors and suppliers
4. Lawful basis for processing
We process personal data on the following lawful bases under UK GDPR Article 6: contract performance; legitimate interests; legal obligation; and consent where applicable. Consent may be withdrawn at any time.
5. How we use personal data
To deliver ecological consultancy services; manage client relationships; engage subcontractors; issue invoices; comply with regulatory requirements; and communicate relevant updates where a legitimate interest or consent applies.
6. Data sharing
We do not sell personal data. We may share data with subcontractors; professional advisers; regulatory bodies such as Natural England or NRW where required by licence conditions; and where legally required.
7. Retention
Client and project records: seven years from completion. Correspondence and contact data: three years from last contact. Financial records: six years from the relevant financial year end.
8. Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, or port your personal data, to object to processing, and to withdraw consent. Contact us at sean@greenbankecology.com. We will respond within one month at no charge. You may also complain to the ICO at ico.org.uk.
9. Cookies
Our website may use essential cookies. Where non-essential cookies are used, we will request consent.
10. Changes
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always available on this page.
Greenbank Ecology Ltd · Company No. 17189250 · ICO Registration ZC159357 · sean@greenbankecology.com