Our Team
Ethos has a strong in-house team of ecologists, environmental consultants and technicians who are able to deliver the full range of services offered. We also have an extended network of trusted associates across a range of environmental disciplines, enabling us to work on large environmental projects with multi-disciplinary teams.
Managing Director
Jim Phillips BSc (Hons), MA, MCIEEM
Jim is a practising ecologist and also has substantial experience in parks and countryside management. He has an honours degree in Environmental Biology and a Masters degree in Management and is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. Jim founded Ethos in 2013 and continues to lead and grow the company with the support from his highly skilled team of environmental professionals.
Jim’s experience in ecology covers a wide range of projects and clients and his focus is on interpreting relevant policy and legislation to ensure projects are delivered efficiently and meet the needs of the client. He holds survey licenses for bats and great crested newts in England and Wales and is a registered consultant on Natural England’s Bat Low Impact Class License (BLICL).
Jim is an experienced Project Manager having been involved in a wide range of green space-related projects including Heritage Lottery Fund programmes; service development and planning; business planning; green space strategies; Green Flag assessments and applications; open space assessments; and, staff training and parks management plans.
Principal Ecologist
Charlie Fayers BSc (Hons) ACIEEM
Charlie is a practising ecologist with 8 years’ experience in biological fieldwork. Charlie graduated from Newcastle University with a First-Class Honours degree in Zoology before continuing to work in conservation, eco-tourism and ecology. This work has involved positions as a site manager for a macaw conservation organization, wildlife guide aboard a charter boat, and a field ecologist based in Oxford. Charlie works as a Principal Ecologist for Ethos working on habitat and protected species surveys and holds protected species licenses for bats and great crested newts.
Principal Ecologist
Rachel Fayers BSc (Hons) ACIEEM
Rachel is a practised ecologist and conservationist with over 7 years’ experience in the field. After graduating from Newcastle University with an honours degree in Zoology; Rachel went on to pursue a successful and varied career with a focus on ecology, marine conservation and environmental education. In recent years, Rachel has worked on projects including a Heritage Lottery Fund application for the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, initiating an environmental education programme for a macaw reintroduction project in Costa Rica and working as a wildlife guide off the West Coast of Scotland. As a Senior Ecologist with Ethos; Rachel is responsible for undertaking comprehensive habitat assessments, protected species surveys and holds class licences for bats and great crested newts.
Senior Ecologist
Sarah Forsyth BSc (Hons) ACIEEM
Sarah has a broad range experience in ecological impact assessment and environmental planning, covering land development and infrastructure projects, from roles both in the private and public sector since 2002.
Sarah joined Ethos in 2018 as a Senior Ecologist and works with clients and consultant teams to provide ecological advice and support for development projects from planning through to implementation. This includes undertaking and preparation of ecological appraisals, EcIAs, Habitat Regulations Assessment, Ecological Management Plans, method statements and licence applications. Fieldwork experience covers habitat and protected species surveys – including badger, dormouse, reptiles, great crested newts (holder of Natural England Class 1 licence) and bats which are of particular interest to Sarah.
Prior to joining Ethos Sarah provided ecological planning advice for North Somerset Council as a County Ecologist on development applications ranging from individual householders to major schemes. Sarah also supported other Council services (policy, open spaces, highways, and enforcement) on matters related to ecology and nature conservation.
Earlier roles included Environmental Consents Assistant on the Network Rail’s Southern Region Power Supply Upgrade Project (from planning through to implementation); and over six years in consultancy with Peter Brett Associates (including secondment to Baker Shepherd Gillespie) as an Environmental Planner (co-ordinating EIAs) and as an Ecologist undertaking surveys, assessments, managing specialist sub-consultants and providing advice.
Conservation work over the years has included roles as a research assistant (University of Surrey: hedgehog translocation study, Outer Hebrides); WSPA: Asiatic black bear rehabilitation, Thailand); wild animal carer (Project Wildlife, California); and currently as an active member of both Avon Bat Group and Wiltshire Bat Group.
Senior Ecologist
Steph Green
Steph joined Ethos in June 2018 as an ecologist with over five years’ experience in ecological consultancy. She graduated from the University of Plymouth with a Masters degree in Environmental Consultancy and a Bachelors degree in Marine Biology.
Steph is a specialist herpetologist and holds a personal class licence to survey great crested newts. She also undertakes habitat assessments and surveys for protected species including bats, hazel dormouse, badger, otter and water vole. Steph also has extensive experience on site as an Ecological Clerk of Works and undertakes site supervision activities for Ethos.
Senior Ecologist
Matt Attrill
Matt is a Senior Ecologist who has over 7 years practical experience in professional surveys and the consultancy sector.
From joining Ethos Environmental Planning in 2018 he has worked on a range of projects covering a whole scope of species and project sizes.
Matt is versed in providing robust ecological advice for clients and their ecological needs. He has an expansive set of skills and knowledge which was gained from both the voluntary and commercial sectors.
Matt graduated from the University of Portsmouth in 2014 with a degree in biology, holds species licenses for both bats and GCN and continues to develop a depth of knowledge in species ecology and the planning processes.
He enjoys the challenge and variability of the ecological sector, where each site needs an individual approach.
Senior Environmental Consultant
Kate Spencer BSc (Hons)
Kate graduated from the University of Plymouth with an honours degree in Biological Sciences before joining Somerset Environmental Records Centre as a volunteer survey assistant, learning to identify and survey protected species and priority habitats. Kate then went on to work for North Somerset Councils’ Natural Environment Team. This role involved the management of a number of parks and open spaces including Green Flag Award sites and Nature Reserves; and providing ecological comments on planning applications to ensure compliance with wildlife legislation and policy. Kate now works as an Environmental Planner for Ethos, working on open space planning, and habitat and protected species surveys.
Environmental GIS Consultant
Luke Haskett BA (Hons), MA, PgCert
Luke is a GIS graduate with previous experience of working for the civil service and the oil & gas industry. He has studied GIS at post-graduate level at Birkbeck University and worked on a variety of projects from waterway mapping and hydrographic surveys to advanced web mapping and license applications. Luke is very motivated to apply the burgeoning GIS field to conservation and open space work at Ethos.
Luke works as the Environmental GIS and Data Manager for Ethos, where his workload is primarily focused on open space planning.
Ecologist
Kane Burchill
Kane is an ecologist with over 6 years practical field survey experience. Kane has an NVQ level 2 Certificate and Diploma in work-based environmental conservation and is currently working towards his Certificate in Field Ecology with Aberystwyth University. Kane is an active member of Avon bat group and a Qualifying member of CIEEM.
As an Ecologist with Ethos; Kane is responsible for undertaking comprehensive habitat assessments, protected species surveys and is a licensed bat worker.
Ecologist
Martin Smith BSc (Hons) GCIEEM
Martin retrained and graduated from the Royal Agricultural University on 2017 with a First-Class degree in Countryside Management (Wildlife and Ecology). Now Martin is an ecologist with over three years’ experience in ecological field survey and consultancy. Martin specialises in small mammals and has worked on several conservation projects including acoustic bat analysis in Namibia and small mammal trapping in Gloucestershire. Martin currently holds a Class 2 licence for bats and a class 1 Dormouse licence. At work Martin is responsible for undertaking comprehensive habitat assessments, habitat mapping, data analysis, report writing, and undertaking a range of protected species surveys.
Ecologist
Joel Sellors-Moore
Joel is an Ecologist and is new to the environmental planning sector with experience in a wide range of other industries. Joel is currently working towards a Master’s in Applied Ecology. Joel‘s work for Ethos is focussed on assisting with working on habitat and protected species surveys.
Environmental Consultant
George Clutterbuck
George is an Environmental Consultant with 4 years of surveying experience and is a qualifying membership of CIEEM. He also holds an NVQ Level 2 certificate in Work Based Environmental Conservation and is currently working towards a certificate in Field Ecology with Aberystwyth University.
George’s work at Ethos focuses on habitat and protected species surveys, open space mapping and working GIS.
Community Engagement Consultant
Emily Campbell
Emily is a Community Engagement Consultant and manages the consultation and stakeholder engagement side of our open spaces projects along with assisting with the wider elements of our open space studies. Previously, Emily worked as Sites Manager for Ecotricity, where she was responsible for managing landowner relationships for their renewable energy portfolio. Emily graduated from the University of Portsmouth with an honours degree in Geography.
Arboricultural Consultant
Laurence Wood
Laurence has worked within the arboricultural industry for over 25 years, spending his early career working on the continent. He has over 20 years experience working as an arboricultural officer and manager for two local authorities, The London Borough of Camden and Bristol City Council.
Laurence has extensive experience in contract management, surveying, tree management, planning policy and development. He also has considerable experience of community engagement and consultation and brings an in-depth knowledge of the planning system, tree-related statute and of the current related British Standards.
Laurence regularly provides arboricultural advice on development proposals in relation to trees and woodlands and is involved at all stages of the development process from strategic assessment and survey through to application and appeal. He has presented evidence at planning inquiries and hearings as well as preparing written representations.
Laurence trained at Merrist Wood College and is a registered user of the Quantified Tree Risk Assessment Methodology (QTRA)
Finance Manager
Bex Warwick-Smith
Bex joined us in October 2018 as our Finance Manager. As a qualified AAT Level 4 Accountant with a background in corporate management her role is to ensure the smooth running of all things finance at Ethos.
Office Manager
Lindsay Sellors-Moore
Joining Ethos in October 2018, Lindsay is the Office Manager and Jim’s PA, looking after the day to day running, and organisation of Ethos. Lindsay has over six years’ experience within this field.
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