At Instream Consulting, we work with our clients to protect fish. We do more than that too, though! We're freshwater ecologists, which means we work in rivers, lakes, and wetlands, and we study living things and what affects them.
If you're planning a development anywhere near a stream, a drain, a piece of wetland, a lake, the ocean, native vegetation – pretty much anything other than a grazed paddock suburban street – you’re likely going to need to engage an ecologist.
Yes, but you usually need to do a site visit too. It's good to think of this from a risk perspective, both in terms of ecological values from low to high value, and the likely impacts of your development from a low potential impact to a high impact.
How do I find a good ecology consultant? It all comes down to being an informed buyer. There's three ways you can do this.
Should I involve a small specialist ecology consultancy or a large multi-service company? There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and it depends on your requirements.
No, ecologists don’t need professional accreditation in New Zealand. Ecologists can get professional accreditation, but it's not a requirement for them to work.
One of the main problems with consultants is that they can be expensive, and they may not answer the question that you've asked.
The cost for engaging an ecologist in New Zealand largely depends on project complexity.
Why do some ecologists charge $100 an hour while others charge $300 or more an hour?