Summary
Join CIEEM and we chat to Bat Conservation Ireland about their recently published guidance document: Bat Survey, Assessment and Mitigation Guidelines for Onshore Wind Turbines in Ireland
Description
This webinar introduces the Bat Survey, Assessment and Mitigation Guidelines for Onshore Wind Turbines in Ireland (Bat Conservation Ireland, 2026), a new best practice framework that localises recognised UK and European guidance to the Irish ecological, legislative, and climatic context. The guidance addresses the full project lifecycle, from desktop study and site risk categorisation through to survey methodology, impact assessment, mitigation design, and post-construction monitoring.
This session will highlight what has changed since the previous BCI guidance, why those changes matter for practitioners, developers, and planners alike, and what the new framework means in practice — from survey effort standards tailored to Irish weather and species ecology, to the correct sequencing of Appropriate Assessment under People Over Wind.
Jason is an Associate Director ecologist with over 15 years' experience in bat ecology, specialising in Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment for major infrastructure and renewable energy projects across Ireland and the UK.
His work spans bat survey strategy, collision risk modelling, and mitigation design, with particular expertise in navigating the complex interface between Irish planning law, Habitats Directive obligations, and evolving best practice guidance. He has led ecological inputs to multidisciplinary project teams across a wide range of consent pathways, including projects requiring Natura Impact Statements and Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment.
