Mitigation and Enhancement
Mitigation
Where ecological features are to be impacted by development activities, mitigation is likely to be required. The mitigation hierarchy is a sequential approach to limiting biodiversity harm: first avoid impacts, then minimise them, restore affected areas, and offset only residual impacts.
Mitigation requirements may be described in ecological impact assessment or in standalone reports such as:
- Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMP)
- Landscape and Ecological Management Plans (LEMP)
- Method Statements
Enhancement
There may be a requirement to provide biodiversity enhancement measures within a development such as bat, bird or insect boxes, hibernacula for small animals or gaps under boundary walls and fences for hedgehogs. These are typically prescribed within a biodiversity enhancement scheme.