Staff Profiles

Claire joined the team in February 2018 to head up and build our ecology unit, thereby increasing our in-house capabilities to provide a multi-disciplinary service to our clients. Having worked in the industry for over ten years, Claire brings with her a wealth of consultancy and project management experience from across the private, local government and utilities sectors.

With a keen interest and proven track record of designing and implementing bespoke solutions to ecological constraints, Claire offers a highly pragmatic approach to ecological consultancy.

Claire was the Project Ecologist / Ecological Clerk of Works for the construction phase of the Richborough Connection Project; an ambitious scheme and first of its kind for over 30 years in the UK, involving the installation of 60 new pylons throughout 2018 between Canterbury and Sandwich, Kent. Other past projects have included management and delivery of multi-phased and mixed-use private development schemes, solar sites, single-unit developments and a major call-off ecology contract for UK Power Networks across their southern and eastern regions.

Claire holds Natural England survey licences for multiple species and is the named ecologist on dormouse and badger Natural England mitigation licences. This combined with field expertise gathered from a variety of consultancy work and over 14 years of voluntary experience with local conservation groups means that Claire is able to provide high level technical advice across a wide range of projects of varying scales, backed up by local ecological knowledge. Indeed, Claire provides training to others working towards their dormouse and great crested newt class licenses.

• Full membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
• MSc (Research) Biodiversity Management, with a focus on conservation genetics of white-clawed crayfish in south-east England and the implications for Ark sites
• BSc (Hons) Wildlife Conservation, first class
• Natural England class licences for: hazel dormice, bats (level 2), great crested newts and white-clawed crayfish
• Named Ecologist on Natural England mitigation licences for hazel dormice and badgers
• Vice-chair, committee member, social media officer and dormouse licence trainer for the Kent Mammal Group.
• Member and surveyor with the Kent Bat Group and Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group
• Dormouse monitor for the People’s Trust for Endangered Species

Claire also provides CPD talks on ecology to existing and new clients, so please do get in touch if this is something you might be interested in.

claire@daa-arboriculture.co.uk

Tel: 07568 411939

Abi is a Chartered Arboriculturist with more than 10 years of tree-related experience. Highly commercial, with an in-depth understanding of the complexities of development work both large and small, she brings this expertise to contribute to a project team, delivering up to date, robust arboricultural advice. She is skilled at producing clear and comprehensive supporting reports and plans for clients within specified timescales.

Abi brings Local Authority experience as a Tree Officer, as well as experience in private practice. Projects range from single unit planning applications, London basement planning applications, to small and larger phased residential and commercial developments. Other recent work includes Tree Preservation Order and Conservation Area issues, tree risk assessment, tree management plans and strategies, landscape schemes, veteran tree management and subsidence matters.

In 2008 she was awarded the coveted Lockhart Garrett Trophy for obtaining the highest marks in the UK for the premier tree qualification, the Professional Diploma in Arboriculture. Additionally she has a Masters in Architectural Engineering.

• Holder of the Professional Diploma in Arboriculture (RFS) and awarded the Lockhart Garratt, RFS Trophy for outstanding student of the year.
• HND Landscape Design and Management.
• 1992 M.Eng.(Hons) Architectural Engineering,
• MICFor – Chartered Arboriculturist

abi@daa-arboriculture.co.uk

Tel: 07761 818721

Michael is an experienced arboriculturalist with more than 10 years as a contractor, managing private estates and providing services for local authorities around the South East, and five years helping to manage the National Elm Collection in Brighton and Hove.

In private practice he then honed his surveying skills, becoming a talented assessor of ‘Resistograph’ data collected from contentious and degrading trees. He has a keen interest in TPO and conservation area applications, having submitted them frequently.

His previous experience includes collaboration with landscape architects to deliver reports that cover the “bigger picture” as well as immediate concerns, and heading up a large London scheme with an international developer.

Since joining David Archer Associates in November 2016 Michael has quickly built excellent relationships with clients through site visits and consultations.

• Proficient with AutoCAD
• Lantra Professional Tree Inspectors certificate/ PTI
• Arboricultural Association Certificate: BS5837- Advanced: Tree Assessment for Planning
• Currently studying part-time for ABC Level 4 Diploma in Arboriculture

michael@daa-arboriculture.co.uk

Tel: 07544 042143

Greg is an arboriculturalist with more than ten years of experience. He began his career working as an arborist including time spent working in New Zealand which rubbed off on Greg kindling his interest and appreciation for the exotic, plants and trees native to Australasia and the southern hemisphere. 

Greg has extensive experience of managing large tree populations having worked for two local authorities as a tree officer. He is experienced in the inspection and hazard assessment of trees and has been successful at implementing electronic tree management databases. 

Greg has experience of managing woodland and has implemented a UK Forestry Standard management plan for a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) woodland site. 

Having worked with a local authority Planning department Greg was able to expand on his experience of providing representations for Tree Preservation Order, conservation and development proposal applications. This afforded Greg the opportunity to influence major infrastructure projects through the appraisal and mitigation of the impacts of proposed development on trees including the development of Forge Wood, a new neighbourhood located in Crawley, and the development of a Network Rail operating centre and depot facilities for the Thameslink rolling stock programme at Three Bridges train station, Crawley.

• ABC level 4 Diploma in Arboriculture
• LANTRA Certificate in Professional Tree Inspection
• Member of the Arboricultural Association
• Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters
• Member of the Australasian plant society

greg@daa-arboriculture.co.uk

Tel: 07783 005828