Ecological services are currently being provided to Viridor Waste Management Ltd at one of their 70+hectare landfill and recycling sites within the East of England. The site contains several working areas in differing stages of restoration and landfill, from unprepared to completed and restored landfill cells. The landfill site was found to support a range of protected species including a large meta-population of great crested newts, badger setts, reptiles and nesting birds.

An area of restored landfill was re-instated and managed as mitigation habitat for the great crested newt population which included creating areas of rough grassland and several ponds. Clarkson & Woods has been working closely with Viridors site management team to ensure that steady progress is made in the capture and translocation of newts from future landfill cells into the mitigation area. A total of 5km of newt fencing has been provided on site to contain the newts and ensure that working areas remain free from constraints. Once the landfill has reached capacity all cells will be restored as low grade agricultural land with a total of ten new mitigation ponds.

Clarkson & Woods also provide general assistance to Viridor in the ecological management of the site including undertaking management of the great crested newt receptor area, providing ecological advice where required and great crested newt population monitoring. Badger surveys and a badger sett exclusion have also been undertaken to allow works to proceed within certain landfill cells.