Welcome to the Ecology Academy podcast, hosted by Richard Dodd. In this episode, we delve into the role and responsibilities of an Ecological Clerk of Works. With summer in full swing, ecologists are busy with surveys and monitoring projects across the UK and beyond. Whether you’re in the UK or elsewhere, this episode is packed with valuable insigh…

In this insightful episode of the Ecology Academy podcast, we explore the fascinating world of district licensing in ecological conservation with Sarah Garratt and Andy Buxton from NatureSpace. We delve into Sarah's contribution to NatureSpace's strategic licensing approach and Andy's role in the conceptualization of district licensing. Additionall…

Welcome to an enthralling episode of the Ecology Academy Podcast, where host Richard Dodd is joined by special guest Nikki Glover, a Senior Ecologist at Wessex Water renowned for her innovative newt detection techniques. Our dynamic conversation delves into Nikki's essential contributions to large-scale development infrastructure projects, her dive…

Welcome to the Ecology Academy podcast hosted by Richard Dodd. In this episode, we delve into the transformative journey of Jon Cranfield, a herpetofauna specialist and director of Herpetologic Limited. Starting from his childhood passion for ecology, we journey through his extensive experience dealing with protected species and examine his commitm…

Welcome to a special series of the Ecology Academy podcast, dedicated entirely to understanding the fascinating world of great crested newts. As spring arrives, we delve into in-depth discussions with leading experts to shed light on this unique species. Over the upcoming weeks, we'll be presenting interviews with established authorities in the fie…

Join us in this informative episode of the Ecology Academy podcast, hosted by Richard Dodd, as we explore the complexities of the rapidly changing world of ecology. We delve deep into recent ecological developments, updated guidelines, new regulations, and the impact of technological advancements on the field. This episode aims to inspire listeners…

***HAPPY NEW YEAR*** In the first episode of 2024 Richard talks about how to maximise getting the hire process right and how to avoid or minimise biases. In the podcast Richard outlines the following key stages: 1. Identifying the Need for a New Role 2. Creating a Detailed Job Description 3. Advertising the Role 4. Screening and Shortlisting Candid…

In this episode Richard interviews Jim Mullholland and talks about veteran trees, bats, training, virtual Preliminary Roost Assessments (PRA's), research into veterinisation of trees and can we do better in looking for bats, plus so much more! Jim observes that since the commencement of the Bat Tree Habitat Key project, our knowledge of tree roosti…

Richard interviews Neil Middleton from BatAbility Courses and Tuition. Together they talk about bats, business and some life tips on how to deliver presentations and overcoming the fear of other people's opinions. Bio Neil has substantial experience in business management, consultancy, people development, training & the associated skills associated…

In this episode Richard talks with Peter Wharton of Wharton Natural Infrastructure Consultants Ltd. on the joys and challenges of leading and managing a small consultancy business. Pete openly talks about his journey, including his education, career and mental health. The conversation discusses the importance of values, resilience and fortitude, di…

A very short episode this month as we all take a well deserved rest after a busy survey season. Richard reflects back and thanks all our wonderful guests for spending time talking about their work and life. Season 3 will commence in October and we are looking for guests and co-hosts for the show. If either of those interest you, then email richard@…

How to Build Skills and Confidence for Life: Coaching and Mentoring In this episode, our host, Richard Dodd, delves into the world of coaching and mentoring, exploring their definitions, roles, applications, and how to choose between the two. We also share success stories and discuss potential challenges in these relationships. Finally, we provide …

The Role of an In-house Ecologist In this interview Richard talks with Rosie about her role as an in-house ecologist. Together they discuss the differences between the role of working as a 'clean' consultant ecologist and those of the in-house 'expert' within a company or organisation. The challenges of working in a creative and visual way, as oppo…

Richard talks on today's show with Jeremy Smith on why we should take data seriously. On the show Jez tells us why we need to think and ask more questions to help solve real life problems such as biodiversity loss. Jez Smith Jez is a research ecologist for the British Trust for Ornithology using data analysis to help understand the trends in bird d…

In this episode Richard interviews the highly engaging and enigmatic Suzi Cross, Managing Director for Ecosulis. About Suzi Suzi Cross has been Managing Director of Ecosulis Ltd for the last few years, having first joined the company in 2004 as a Senior Administrator. She specialises in Quality, Health and Safety, Employee Engagement and Wellbeing …

In this episode, Richard 'talks' to ChatGPT. He talks about what he's been using ChatGPT for and what it could be used for. What is ChatGPT ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence language model developed by OpenAI. It is designed to process natural language input and generate responses in natural language. It has been trained on a vast corpus of tex…

On today's podcast Richard discusses the opportunities and challenges of a dual-discipline career with his colleague, Misho Baxendale. Misho is a dual-qualified environmental consultant, working across both ecology and arboricultural disciplines working at Wildwood Ecology, based in Stroud. Misho openly discusses the skills needed in both disciplin…

Career exploitation refers to situations in which an employer or work environment takes advantage of an employee for their own benefit, often at the expense of the employee's well-being and long-term career prospects. This can take many forms, such as paying employees less than they deserve, not providing adequate opportunities for growth and devel…

We all need to make plans, but more importantly take action in implementing them! This episode is not aimed to help you set goals, but instead it is focused on how to be a better manager. Whether you are a first line manager or a senior executive, we all need the tools to help us support ourselves and others. If you're just starting out, you can do…

During this episode, host Richard Dodd interviews Dr Nicholas White, Principal Adviser on Net Gain for Natural England, and discusses what skills we need as ecologists to help deliver Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). We get to hear Nick's insights into the Environment Act and the delivery of BNG, the newly updated biodiversity metric, standards, and gu…

This month’s episode is from a discussion which was recorded as part of a live Q&A session for students at Nottingham Trent University during the delivery of our six-week Career Accelerator for Aspiring Ecological Consultants course for 2nd and final year students studying for a BSc in Wildlife Conservation. Throughout the six weeks, students gaine…

Welcome to the first episode in a brand new season of the Ecology Academy podcast! In this month's episode we focus on delivering everything you need to know about the UK Habitat Classification System (UKHab) and why, as a digital ecologist, it matters. Our Guest Our guest on this episode is Paul Losse of Salix Ecology. Paul worked as a Conservatio…

We are taking a well earned break in September before springing back with a brand new season in October 2022. Thank you to all of you for listening throughout the past year (and a bit). It's time for our annual appraisal... so what did you find of most value this season and would like us to do more of in the future? What did not really resonate wit…

A not to be missed interview with Stuart Newson, lead scientist for the BTO Acoustic Pipeline, which brings cutting-edge sound identification of bats and other nocturnal wildlife to your desktop. During the interview, Richard discusses Stuart's love for big data analysis and problem solving and his work with the BTO. We talk about his career profil…

Richard Dodd interviews two students (Rachel Smith and Nina Baranduin) who have just completed their second year Ecology and Conservation degree course at Nottingham Trent University. During the interview we discuss their individual reasons and decision to go to university, their experience of studying under Covid-19 restrictions, placement year op…

How NOT to quit your job: what you should consider before you leave and what managers should consider helping you stay. Quitting is hard, but for many of us we will do it at least once as part of our career journey. But how do you do it? There is no real guidebook or company policy or procedures, and there are few people you could talk with to disc…

Recorded in March 2022, Richard gets to go outside and records the passionate voice of Emma Williams, the mycological advocate. During the interview Emma introduces us to a few species we found during our time out in a damp woodland near Caerphilly, South Wales, but more importantly about why we should take fungi seriously. We get to talk about the…

Richard Dodd hosts a panel discussion between UK protected species licence holders including: Ash Harris - Principal Ecologist / Director at Ecological Services Ltd (Torfaen) Grace Dooley - Head of Ecology at Environment Systems Ltd (Ceredigion) Tilly Tilbrook - Director at Integrated Ecological Solutions Ltd. (Bristol) Sarah Parkin - Ecologist at …

#BehindtheB To celebrate B Corp month Richard gets to discuss many of his passions including beer, biodiversity and, of course, businesses as a force for good. Take away messages include why choosing to buy from and work with B Corps is good for you and the planet and how Stroud Brewery have invested so heavily into brewing organically which benefi…

Richard interviews Neil Davies, Consultancy Manager with TR33 Limited, an environmental company that provides full tree, grounds and estate maintenance services. Neil is passionate about trees and woodland and their function in both the built and natural environment. Drawing on 25 years in the industry, his aim is to provide pragmatic expert advice…

A Happy New Year to you all. In this first episode of 2022 Richard Dodd talks about how identifying good and bad habits can help you achieve more in 2022. Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/atomic-habits-the-life-changing-million-copy-1-bestseller/9781847941831?aid=2999 The Myth of Multitasking by Dave Crenshaw: https://uk.…

The final episode of 2021 and Richard reflects back on the guests we have chatted with over the past six months! In this episode Richard talks about the top 5 downloads of the year and what to expect in 2022, before offering up advice on how to achieve your one BIG goal for 2022. Thank you to you all for listening - this podcast really is for you, …

Having discovered a passion and fascination for the world of dogs and detection in her previous role as a dog handler and trainer at a leading international detection dog company, Rachael Flavell embarked on a new journey to focus primarily on conservation and the use of dogs to assist in ecological surveys and to help fight wildlife crime. Paws Fo…

Joshua is a pioneering young ecologist and science communicator with a background in botany & conservation, and a 1st class degree in BSc Ecology. Now venturing into the world of entertainment and running his own YouTube channel, in addition to appearing on well-known shows such as BBC Springwatch, the ONE Show, BBC News, Sky News, Channel 4 News, …

Born in Cornwall in 2005, fellow B Corp, Green & Blue, are leading the way in designing beautiful, stylish products, that help wildlife. Here we talk to Faye Clifton, Director, about her passion for this innovative company and how to plan, build and manage beautiful housing and gardens that support the environment. Recorded 24 November 2021…

Richard Dodd talks to two members of the Wildwood team, Ian Weller and David Withington, whom have both completely changed to a new career in ecology. They discuss their respective journeys, driving forces and experience to date.By ecologyacademy

Richard interviews Tom Butterworth, who is the Technical Director for Biodiversity, leading the work on Biodiversity Net Gain for WSP, a leading global environmental engineering company.By ecologyacademy

Sally Hayns, Chief Executive at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) talks about why this professional body was established, what it has achieved over the last 30 years and why Sally has no plans to step down anytime soon. Our conversation includes their career framework document, mentor scheme, protecting the tit…

During this 'fireside chat' with Ivi Szaboova, Principal Ecologist at Wildwood Ecology, we discuss the role of a senior member of the ecology team - skills, qualities, traits and behaviours, as well as how Ivi and her team have coped since March 2020 when Covid-19 sent us into the first lockdown. Ivi's journey to ecology is both inspiration and ins…

MKA Ecology works in many areas, from large scale restoration and rewilding projects to working with local councils on their site management. Their main work is at the interface of development and sustainability, undertaking a range of projects and always under the mantra that 'every site matters'. Recorded 10 May 2021.…

Podcast interview with Rob Oates, Director and El Capitan of Arbtech Ecological and Arboricultural Consultancy. Website: https://arbtech.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertoatesdotcom/ Recorded 02 October, 2020.By ecologyacademy

Interview with Julia Baker, Biodiversity Technical Specialist at Balfour Beatty; one of the major infrastructure contractors in the UK. Julia has designed and delivered Biodiversity Net Gain for a variety of projects including large and small scale, rural and urban. Julia is the leading author of the UK’s Good Practice Principles on Biodiversity Ne…

Interview with Jake Jones, who discusses his early career journey as a graduate from Cardiff University to gaining a permanent full time position with Wardell Armstrong in Cardiff during a global pandemic. The challenges and opportunities. Mindset and skillset developed along the way. Recorded 09 October 2020. Interview with Richard Dodd.…

Richard Dodd introduces the podcast and what you can expect from the next couple of months as we delve into the wonderful world of ecology. Send your podcast suggestions to hello@ecologyacademy.co.ukBy ecologyacademy

The Ecology Academy podcast is a show where we get to talk and learn about all things ecological, including interviews with top ecologists (both employers and employees), those working with ecologists, and also aspiring and inspiring career-seeking individuals setting out to make a difference. The show aims to provide you with insights, advice, and…