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Reptile ID : |
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Kerfoot Member Joined: 13 May 2005 No. of posts: 1  View other posts by Kerfoot |
Posted: 13 May 2005 Hi, I'm an assistant consultant ecologist and am very interested in herpetology. I would very much like to specialise in reptiles but haven't had much experience with the British spp. Is anyone aware of forthcoming reptile surveying courses? I missed the IEEM ones in April but would really like to improve my reptile skills. |
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Chris G-O Member Joined: 14 May 2003 No. of posts: 36 View other posts by Chris G-O |
Posted: 15 May 2005 Hi. Bristol University organises one every April, and we (The Herpetological Conservation Trust) run it for them. This year we're doing a second one for them on June 7. I don't know the contact number at Bristol Uni but try their website. cheers Chris Chris Gleed-Owen, Research & Monitoring Officer, The HCT & BHS Research Committee Chair |
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calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351 View other posts by calumma |
Posted: 18 May 2005 I recommend that consultants stick to specialising in species that they actually know something about. My experience of many consultancy outfits in this country is that reptiles are treated as a cash cow, with a poor level of sevice offered that does nothing to promote species conservation. As an aside, I am so fed up with consultants hijacking courses that I offer to conservation volunteers that I am seriously considering not running any more. Lee Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant |
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jopedder Senior Member Joined: 24 Jul 2003 No. of posts: 55 View other posts by jopedder |
Posted: 19 May 2005 or perhaps running separate courses for trainee consultants and volunteers will alleviate your problem, rather than cancel them all together? |
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calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351 View other posts by calumma |
Posted: 19 May 2005 I don't really want to run any courses for consultants at all. I think that consultants should be paying professional level fees and attending courses that are designed to meet their needs. Isn't that what IEEM is for? The problem is that consultants are most likely to attend the cheapest courses available. The courses that I run are done for the fun of it, to encourage folks to go out and get involved in recording and practical conservation. They are not meant to provide guidance to consultants who then bucket the animals around the countryside. As I have said, I get fed up with consultants wasting my time by attending courses and denying opportunities to folks who will actually give something back to the conservation community. Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 19 May 2005 Crikey Lee you really feel strongly about these dam consultants! - so of which (all be it few) are actually interested in the animals - honest The EARG has members who are consultants but they also actively volunteer for EARG - undertaking surveys in their spare time - eventually obtaining their knowledge and experience to obtain a survey license of their own - this ultimately helps their surveying professionally - I rather see these few consultants at training courses and help them find cresties and other amphibians in Essex as part of the activities of EARG - granted consultants do the rounds with these workshops, and survey courses - I wouldnt want you to give up your training courses/workshops as we have lots of positive feedback about your course at Wat Tyler Country Park - we will be having members of DEFRA, Essex Police and others at the 28th May course - Please dont give up Lee -
JC Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351 View other posts by calumma |
Posted: 20 May 2005 Jon Remember I work as a consultant as well, so I know that some of us have a vested interest in the conservation of the animals  Unfortunately, there are very few herp consultants who contribute to recording and conservation in Kent. Those that do tend to be local experts, rather than employees of larger companies.
I am especially concerned that consultants go on one day courses and then believe that they are sufficiently qualified to obtain a licence for professional gcn work. Although you and I know that the licence merely permits the holder to legally undertake survey work, clients do not understand that point. In my experience, some consultants use the licence as proof that they are experts at undertaking the work. Due to this and other issues I have with the current licencing system, I no longer write references for new licencees. Lee Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant |
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David Dodds Member Joined: 24 Jul 2004 No. of posts: 7 View other posts by David Dodds |
Posted: 21 May 2005 Why not have a dual scale of fees for volunteers and professionals? I've seen this done with some success. Don't forget most consultants are just trying to earn a crust and probably do have a speciality where they probably do give something back to conservation. The bat project group I'm involved in (www.batml.org.uk) recently signed up our 100th volunteer and I'd estimate 70% of our volunteers are consultants, countryside rangers, biodiversity officers and other professionals, all giving their spare time to conservation.
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