ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Introduction
Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) is a process of identifying, quantifying and evaluating the
potential effects of development-related or other proposed actions on habitats, species and
ecosystems, through appropriate ecology surveys. It is a systematic and repeatable process
applicable to a wide range of projects.
EcIA mainly uses ecological science, drawing on traditional techniques of survey, monitoring,
functional analysis and predictive modelling. In other words EcIA uses science to help in decision
making and for environmental management. Importantly, it is used to present an assessment of the
ecological effects of any project which could affect biodiversity. EcIA is a scientifically rigorous
and transparent process. It should be undertaken by qualified professionals with an appropriate
level of experience in ecological survey and impact assessment who are recognised by a relevant
professional body such as National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
The EcIA must provide reliable and defensible information about, and interpretation of, the likely
significant ecological effects from inception to operation, maintenance and, where appropriate,
closure and decommissioning.
Through EcIA the developer/project proposer is made fully aware of matters such as site
designations, protected habitats and protected species, and their implications, before pursuing a
project.
The EcIA process can be fitted seamlessly into the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
process or it can stand alone

Importance of EcIA
 EcIA is a tool for environmental management especially, natural resource management e.g.
conservation of biodiversity. This is in response to increased pressure on natural resources
and native wildlife that are increasingly being overexploited. Biodiversity and abundance
of wildlife is therefore decreasing due to intensified human exploitation
 It aids in environmental legislation e.g. regulation of industrial activity, integrated pollution
control-ecological analysis, risk analysis.
 It helps to reduce species extinction rates which are on the rise worldwide.
 It contributes to reduction in environmental degradation, which has serious impacts on
human well-being and survival. Human beings depend, for their livelihoods on viability of
specific ecosystems e.g. rivers, wetlands, rainforests etc.

Uses of EcIA are:

 providing the ecological component of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) required
under EIA Regulations
 •demonstrating how a project accords with relevant planning policy and legislation where
an EIA is not required.

DEFINING ECOLOGICAL IMPACT

Ecological impact refers to the impact a project may have on the ecology of a site and its
surroundings. Many projects will have an impact in some way; therefore, it is important to identify
this and recognize whether they are considered to be positive or negative.

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Impacts are defined as “actions resulting in changes to an ecological feature”. When considering
ecological impacts, an ecology consultancy considers the habitats, species, and ecosystems which
may be affected within the site and the ‘zone of influence’ of the project.
The zone of influence is the area around the site that may be affected by the proposed changes
within the site. Impacts could include the removal or alteration of habitat, increased human
presence on or around the site, or the introduction of artificial lighting within the site.

FACTORS AFFECTING ECOLOGICAL IMPACT

 The extent and magnitude of the impact
 The duration and reversibility of the impact
 The timing and the frequency of the impact
EcIA PROCESS
The following are the key steps involved in EcIA;

SCOPING
Scoping is the process of determining the ecological issues to be addressed in the EcIA. It sets out
the methods and resources to be used and establishes the spatial and temporal limits for surveys
and assessments.
The first step in completing an ecological assessment is to complete a Preliminary Ecological
Appraisal (PEA), incorporating a Phase 1 habitat survey and a desk study. The PEA identifies the
habitats present on-site and the potential for any protected species

Scoping is essential to:

• establish an initial understanding of the baseline ecological conditions and the potential
significant effects that could arise
• determine and agree the zone of influence of the project and which important ecological features
could be significantly affected
• determine and agree the proposed surveys and methods for survey, evaluation and assessment
• determine and agree the content of the EcIA.

The final document is a ‘scoping opinion’, which summarises the specific advice of the competent
authority concerning the required coverage and content of the EcIA.

ESTABLISHING THE BASELINE

Ecological baseline conditions are those which exist in the absence of proposed activities. The
impact assessment determines how the conditions will change in relation to this baseline to
facilitate a clear understanding of the effects of a project.
The conditions that define the baseline need to be carefully considered. This is because the baseline
at the time when the project proceeds may differ from conditions that exist at the time an
assessment is made.
Assessing the impacts of any project and associated activities requires an understanding of the
baseline conditions prior to and at the time of the project proceeding or specific activities taking
place. It is the predicted baseline conditions at the time the project is being implemented that
dictates the baseline against which the impact of the proposal is assessed.
Examples of factors that should be used to identify potential changes in baseline conditions
include:

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• trends in species population and distribution
• rates of potential colonisation by new species and habitats
• ecological processes, such as succession
• trends in habitat quality e.g. resulting from pollution or pollution control
• environmental trends e.g. climate change
• management plans and conservation objectives for designated sites
• the effects of other projects

IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL FEATURES

The ecological features (habitats, species, ecosystem and their functions/processes) are important
and should be subject to detailed assessment. Such ecological features are those that are considered
to be important and potentially affected by the project. It is not necessary to carry out detailed
assessment of features that are sufficiently widespread, unthreatened and resilient to project
impacts and will remain viable and sustainable. However, efforts should still be made to safeguard
biodiversity in its entirety, as emphasised by the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Ecological features can be important for a variety of reasons and the rationale used should be
explained to demonstrate a robust selection process. Importance may relate, for example, to the
quality or extent of designated sites or habitats, to habitat/species rarity, to the extent to which they
are threatened throughout their range, or to their rate of decline.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Once all surveys are complete the likely impacts on protected habitats and species can be assessed.
The following is a summary of key areas to be covered.
• determine the importance of ecological features affected, through survey and/or research and
with
reference to available contextual information
• assess impacts potentially affecting important features
• characterise the impacts, e.g. extent, magnitude, duration, reversibility, timing and frequency
• identify cumulative impacts
• identify significant effects of impacts in the absence of any mitigation.
The surveys and research that are undertaken may indicate that the scope of the assessment should
be
adjusted and further studies carried out.

Predicting Ecological Impacts and Effects

The process of predicting ecological impacts and effects should take account of relevant aspects
of ecosystem structure and function. The ecological impacts and effects can be
described/characterized as follows:
• positive or negative
• extent
• magnitude
• duration
• frequency and timing
• reversibility.
Positive or negative

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Positive and negative impacts and effects should be determined according to whether the change
is in accordance with nature conservation objectives and policy:
• positive – a change that improves the quality of the environment e.g. by increasing species
diversity, extending habitat or improving water quality. This may also include halting or slowing
an existing decline in the quality of the environment.
• negative – a change which reduces the quality of the environment e.g. destruction of habitat,
removal of foraging habitat, habitat fragmentation, pollution.
Extent
The extent is the spatial or geographical area over which the impact/effect may occur under a
suitably representative range of conditions (e.g. noise transmission under water).
Magnitude
Magnitude refers to size, amount, intensity and volume. It should be quantified if possible and
expressed in absolute or relative terms e.g. the amount of habitat lost, percentage change to habitat
area, percentage decline in a species population.
Duration
Duration should be defined in relation to ecological characteristics (such as the lifecycle of a
species) as well as human timeframes. For example, five years, which might seem short-term in
the human context or that of other long-lived species, would span at least five generations of some
invertebrate species.
Frequency and timing
The number of times an activity occurs will influence the resulting effect. For example, a single
person walking a dog will have very limited impact on nearby waders using wetland habitat, but
numerous walkers will subject the waders to frequent disturbance and could affect feeding success,
leading to displacement of the birds and knock-on effects on their ability to survive.
The timing of an activity or change may result in an impact if it coincides with critical life-stages
or seasons e.g. bird nesting season.
Reversibility
An irreversible effect is one from which recovery is not possible within a reasonable timescale or
there is no reasonable chance of action being taken to reverse it. A reversible effect is one from
which spontaneous recovery is possible or which may be counteracted by mitigation. In some
cases, the same activity can cause both reversible and irreversible effects.

AVOIDANCE, MITIGATION, COMPENSATION AND ENHANCEMENT

Where potential impacts are identified, measures to avoid, mitigate or compensate for those
impacts will be recommended.

Avoidance and Mitigation

Negative impacts should always be avoided where possible, for example by deciding not to locate
a project in a particular area or making a change to scheme layout to ensure no negative impacts.
Avoidance can also be part of mitigation. Mitigation includes measures to avoid or reduce the
negative impacts of a project, for example careful timing of an activity to prevent an impact
occurring.
Avoiding and/or minimizing negative impacts is best achieved through consideration of potential
impacts of a project from the earliest stages of scheme design and throughout its development.
Many impacts can be avoided or reduced by consideration of alternatives.

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 Mitigation measures incorporated into the scheme design are often described as ‘embedded
mitigation’ or ‘mitigation by design’. This can include the re-design of the layout of the scheme,
or adjusting the location of certain activities. Mitigation by design is particularly beneficial as there
is greater certainty that it will be delivered.

Compensation
Compensation describes measures taken to offset residual effects resulting in the loss of, or
permanent damage to, ecological features despite mitigation. For example, it may take the form of
replacement habitat or improvements to existing habitats.
As a general rule, compensation should be focused on the same type of ecological features as those
affected and equivalent levels of ecological ‘functionality’ sought. There will be cases when it is
not possible to achieve ecological equivalence through compensation. Any replacement area
should be similar in terms of ecological features and ecological functions that have been lost or
damaged, or with appropriate management have the ability to reproduce the functions and
conditions of those ecological features. Compensation should be provided as close as possible to
the location where effects have occurred and benefit the same habitats and species as those
affected.

REPORTING
Once all surveys are complete, the results, interpretation, assessment and mitigation/compensation
are presented in a single detailed EcIA report, supported by detailed plans as required. The final
EcIA report (or for EIAs, the Environmental (Impact) Statement) should clearly set out all the
ecological information necessary for a robust decision to be made. Key aspects include a
description of the following:
• ecological baseline and trends if the project were not to go ahead, including the survey data used
to inform the baseline
• criteria used to evaluate ecological features
• criteria used to assess the significance of effects arising from the impacts of the project
• justification of methods used
• the identification of likely impacts (positive and negative) on ecological features together with
an explanation of the significance of the overall effects for each important ecological feature
• mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures
• legal and policy consequences
• identification of any limitations to the assessment, or the surveys which underpin it, and an
explanation of the implications
• a presentation of any analytical techniques used and the analysis itself.
The report should also set out the ecological monitoring required to:
• confirm the implementation of conditions/planning agreements
• audit predicted impacts against the actual situation
• take measures to rectify unexpected negative impacts and ineffective mitigation, compensation
and enhancement measures

LICENSING
Works will only be able to proceed under licence, usually obtained from NEMA. Any mitigation
or compensation measures for impacts on these species ultimately need to be approved by the
licensing authority (for works to proceed).