Environmental Statement volume 4 - Chiltern Evergreen3

4.4 ECOLOGYMethodologyIntroduction4.4.1 An assessment will be undertaken to identify any nature conservationconstraints to the development and opportunities to enhance the natureconservation interest of the site. The assessment will be undertaken as acombination of desk based assessment and field based surveys, withconsultations to be held with relevant statutory and non-statutoryorganisations to gather outstanding baseline data. Any mitigation measureswill be developed in consultation with Natural England and the localauthority.4.4.2 The relevant legislation, guidance and policies which will be consideredduring the assessment include, but are not limited to, the following:• Council Directive 97/62/EC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of WildFlora (the Habitats Directive);• Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds (the BirdsDirective);• Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations, 1994, as amended 2007;• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended by the CROW Act 2000;• Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) (2006) Guidelinesfor Ecological Impact Assessment (1)4.4.3 The desk assessment has already been commenced and the organisationscontacted to date have been listed in Section 3.4.4.4.4 An Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey of key habitats within the study area willbe undertaken in accordance with the methods described in Joint NatureConservation Committee’s (JNCC) Handbook for Phase 1 Habitat Survey (1993),and extended for use in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as describedin Institute of Environmental Assessment ’s (IEA, now IEMA) Guidelines forBaseline Ecological Assessment (1995).4.4.5 The Phase 1 Habitat Survey will cover any outstanding parts of the study area,not already included in the walk-through survey. The survey will describethe habitat types and typical plant species present within the study area whereworks will affect them. These descriptions will be accompanied by a Phase 1Habitat Map, which will show the location and extent of the habitat types, andtarget notes as appropriate for features of interest. Field signs of protectedspecies noted during the preliminary walk through and Phase 1 surveys orareas of suitable habitat for these species will be noted.(1) Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) (2006). Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment. IEEM,Winchester.ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 53 CHILTERN RAILWAYS LTD