Natural England - Wildlife Management and Licensing Service

Wildlife Management and Licensing Service

The Wildlife Management and Licensing Service has three main roles:

What we do not cover

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To read more about our work see our leaflet Wildlife Management and Licensing - Balancing the needs of people and wildlife. We are committed to providing a high quality service. So that people know what they can expect with regard to customer service we have published the details of our service standards pdf document. We regularly monitor our performance against these standards and our performance statistics will be published at 6 monthly intervals.

All of our guidance, best practice guides and information relating to Wildlife Management and Licensing is given in the List of Regulatory Guidance, Best Practice and Information excel document. Each entry provides a link to the documents. Publication of this list is part of the Government’s commitment to the Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation.

Seasonal tips

Great crested newt surveys

Ensure survey equipment is properly disinfected between different site visits
With the onset of spring, hundreds of surveys will now be undertaken in ponds across England. Due to the risk of spreading disease through these surveys, all surveyors should be aware of, and follow, the ARG-UK guidance on how to minimise the risk of spreading disease (particularly Chytridiomycosis) between amphibian populations. Further guidance on chytridiomycosis in relation to licensing can be found in our FAQs pdf document.

Surveys during unseasonably cold weather
Natural England are aware of the cold temperature constraints at present and recommend that surveys are only carried out under suitable weather conditions, in accordance with the great crested newt mitigation guidelines. If this means that sufficient surveys cannot be carried out during the usual ‘peak’ period between mid-April and mid-May, Natural England will accept such surveys, provided that the constraints are fully explained in any licence application. Natural England would still expect that surveys should be spread over the survey season as much as possible, and would not recommend surveys of ponds are begun at the end of the survey season in June.

Latest news

  • (14 July 2010) Natural England’s Wildlife Management & Licensing Service have published their Service Standards pdf document outlining what people should expect with regard to customer service from our team. Our performance statistics which measure success against these targets will be published at 6 monthly intervals.

  • (24 March 2010) In February 2010, Natural England ran two stakeholder EPS Focus Group events in Birmingham to encourage developers and ecologists to share their experiences of EPS licensing and suggest ways of improving the process and the service. A summary of the discussions pdf document records the outcomes of the events. It includes stakeholder thoughts on what works well with Natural England licensing and what works less well and possible solutions put forward by the attendees on how the system could be improved.  Following the Focus Group event we have hosted a similar event with Natural England licensing staff to develop our ways of working. We will keep customers informed on our progress.

  • (5 May 2010) Great crested newt method statement. Apologies for delays to the publication of the revised great crested newt method statement template, with a reformatted survey section. Natural England expect it to be available and ready for use by mid-June. Please ensure that you always download a new method statement template with each great crested newt mitigation licence application to ensure that the most up to date template is being used.

  • (4 May 2010) Natural England's online electronic application system for science, conservation and education licences has now been re-enstated following maintenance work. Apologies for any disruption caused.

  • (6 April 2010) On 1 April 2010 The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 came into force. These are now the principal means by which the Habitats Directive is transposed in England and Wales. This updates and consolidates all the amendments to the Regulations since they were first made in 1994. There are few changes that effect licensing and advice (except in the marine environment - see news item below). However, please note that restructuring to make the legislation easier to understand has resulted in alterations to the numbering of the various provisions.

  • (22 March 2010) Important changes to wildlife licensing in the marine environment:  From the 1 April 2010 the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will be solely responsible for wildlife licensing in the marine environment. View more information on the changes.

  • (12 March 2010)White-nose syndrome in bats. Following the positive identification of G. destructans on a bat in France, the WNS guidance for UK Bat Workers has been revised to include sampling techniques and a revised surveillance form. A copy of the revised guidelines is available on the BCT website. As a precautionary measure, all UK bat workers undertaking hibernation checks are asked to follow the decontamination procedure after each site visit (contained in Appendix IV of BCT’s White-nose Syndrome: Guidelines for Bat workers).

  • (26 January 2010) Revised guidance on over mitigation pdf document has been added to the Natural England Website - Dispelling the myths: providing unnecessary “over-mitigation/compensation” will not help to secure a Natural England European Protected Species mitigation licence.

  • (21 January 2010) On 8th January 2010, Natural England called for restraint to avoid activities that will cause unnecessary disturbance to birdlife already suffering as a result of the cold weather. Conditions have improved, birds have largely recovered over the past few days. The period of voluntary restraint has ended. Natural England thanks all those who offered their cooperation and participated in reporting conditions.

  • (14 January 2010) A revised Great crested newt method statement has been added to our website -GCN WML-14-2 excel document.
    The format of the survey section within this method statement template is currently being revised and is likely to be added to the website toward the end of February or beginning of March 2010. Please always down load the latest version of the method statement template from our licence application pages to ensure the most up to date version is being used.

  • (8 January 2010) England calls for voluntary restraint on licensed shooting during the severe cold weather spell
    In 1983, an alerting system and its criteria were agreed by conservation agencies for the voluntary and statutory suspension of shooting and disturbing waterbirds during periods of severely cold weather. This system is explained on the JNCC website at: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-2894

    It is recognised that at times of severe cold weather, disturbance through e.g. certain types of licensed action can add to the physical stress that birds are already suffering due to reduced feeding opportunities from frozen ground, etc. and that such additive disturbance can lead to increased mortality.

    For the duration of the severe cold weather we are experiencing, Natural England is asking those licensees, with licences allowing the shooting of wildfowl and other waterbirds, to voluntarily suspend their shooting activities. Licences will remain valid and are not being revoked at this time. This request does not apply to other licensed activities.

    Queries can be emailed to severe.weather@naturalengland.org.uk.

  • (7 January 2010) European Protected Species Applications
    Due to the adverse weather conditions and resulting staff shortages, there may be some delay in processing of applications. However, Natural England are working as quickly as possible to ensure we meet the needs and expectations of our customers.

  • (23 December 2009) Natural England has now published the 2010 series of General Licences issued under wildlife legislation. The licences incorporate changes announced in September following a public consultation, therefore we strongly recommend that those intending to rely on the General licences read them to ensure they understand and can comply with the terms and conditions.

  • (15 December 2009) Change to 'Experience in bat mitigation: Guidance for ecologists' pdf document. Natural England has updated its guidance on experience required for those applying for bat licenses (mitigation), would applicants please ensure they read this new guidance.

  • (30 September 2009) Natural England has published a summary of the responses to the consultation on General Licences issued under wildlife legislation. View the summary and the announcement of the decisions we have reached.

Additional guidance for survey and mitigation licence applicants
Over the last few weeks we have launched some new guidance for our customers applying for survey and European protected species mitigation licences:

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