Great Crested Newts are a European Protected Species (EPS), protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is a criminal offence to capture, kill, or disturb them, or to damage their breeding sites or resting places.
Importantly, GCNs use both ponds for breeding and terrestrial habitats—such as long grass, scrub, and woodland—for foraging and hibernation. This means they can be a material consideration for your project even if there is no standing water directly on your site.
Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) Assessments: A standardized scoring system used during a site walkover to assess the likelihood of a pond supporting GCNs based on its physical characteristics.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) Sampling: A modern, efficient method where we collect water samples to detect GCN DNA. This provides a definitive "presence or absence" result with just one site visit.
Population Assessments (Traditional): When presence is confirmed, we conduct evening torchlight surveys, bottle trapping, and egg searches to determine the population size and distribution.
Mitigation & EPS Licensing: If your project will impact GCN habitat, we manage the full European Protected Species License (EPSL) application and design mitigation strategies, including installing newt-proof fencing and creating compensatory habitats such as hibernacula.
Great Crested Newts are a European Protected Species (EPS), protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is a criminal offence to capture, kill, or disturb them, or to damage their breeding sites or resting places.
Importantly, GCNs use both ponds for breeding and terrestrial habitats—such as long grass, scrub, and woodland—for foraging and hibernation. This means they can be a material consideration for your project even if there is no standing water directly on your site.
Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) Assessments: A standardized scoring system used during a site walkover to assess the likelihood of a pond supporting GCNs based on its physical characteristics.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) Sampling: A modern, efficient method where we collect water samples to detect GCN DNA. This provides a definitive "presence or absence" result with just one site visit.
Population Assessments (Traditional): When presence is confirmed, we conduct evening torchlight surveys, bottle trapping, and egg searches to determine the population size and distribution.
Mitigation & EPS Licensing: If your project will impact GCN habitat, we manage the full European Protected Species License (EPSL) application and design mitigation strategies, including installing newt-proof fencing and creating compensatory habitats such as hibernacula.