Isabel Murphy
Isabel is an Assistant Ecologist for MAB and also a Qualifying member of CIEEM. She began working for MAB in May 2024 as a Seasonal Ecologist throughout the bat survey season before starting a permanent role in September 2024.
Isabel achieved a BSc (Hons) in Biology from Northumbria University in 2021, and in 2023 graduated from the University of Sheffield with an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation.
She is currently working towards her Natural England Bat Survey Class licence.
Heather Castle
Heather is an Ecologist for MAB, she is a Qualifying Member of CIEEM and holds a CL17 Natural England bat survey Class 1 licence.
Pursuing her interest in nature and wildlife, Heather gained several botany-related qualifications after her degree and achieved a distinction in her ETUK Certificate in Ecological Consultancy.
Heather conducts habitat surveys for PEAs, EcIAs and BNG for a wide range of sites across the region, using UKHabs and QGIS.
In addition to this, Heather performs surveys to identify potential bat roosting habitat, leads dusk activity surveys and produces related reports.
Heather plans to continue developing her bat and botanical skills this year. Having also trained great-crested newt ecology and surveying; she aims to gain more experience in this area.
As an advocate for wildlife and conservation, she volunteers at her local nature reserve and supports local wildlife groups.
Rachel Boulton
Rachel is an Ecologist for MAB, she began working with MAB as a seasonal surveyor in May 2023 before taking on a permanent role in August 2023. She holds a Natural England bat class survey licence and has experience undertaking assessments such as PEAs, EcIAs and Biodiversity Net Gain assessments using UKHab classification. She is also a Qualifying member of CIEEM.
Rachel achieved a BSc (Hons) degree in Biology from the University of Stirling in June 2023. Her university course covered a wide range of modules, including, but not limited to: Animal Behaviour; Behavioural Ecology; Biodiversity; Plant Ecology; Conservation Biology; and Statistical Analysis
Alice Brown ACIEEM, BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation
Consultant Ecologist at MAB Environment & Ecology Ltd.
Alice is an Associate member of CIEEM and holds a First Class BSc (Hons) degree in Ecology and Conservation.
Alice is an experienced bat surveyor and holds a Natural England Class Survey Licence CL18 (Bat Survey Level 2). She has undertaken bat surveys for a range of sites and developments across North Yorkshire for 4 consecutive survey seasons. Alice is also working towards her Level 1 Great Crested Newt licence; to support this she has completed Great Crested Newt licence training with Froglife.
She is also experienced in habitat surveys, and undertakes PEAs, EcIAs, and BNG assessments using the Statutory Metric for developments and uses QGIS for site habitat mapping.
Training Alice has completed includes Vegetative Grass Identification with the Field Studies Council and Using UKHab for Biodiversity Net Gain (Advanced) with UKHab Training. Prior to her time at MAB, she also undertook volunteering with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which included a range of habitat management techniques.
Giles Manners MCIEEM CEnv
MCIEEM, CEnv, BSc Biological Sciences (Hons Zool), MSc Env. Sci.
Director of MAB Environment & Ecology Ltd.
Giles is a Chartered Environmentalist, a full member of CIEEM since 2001, and a registered consultant under the Bat Mitigation Class Licence scheme.
He has been licensed by Natural England as a bat consultant since 2005 (Class survey licence Level 4) and also holds a Natural England trainer license (Volunteer Bat roost visitor Level 2). Additionally, he holds a survey licence for Great Crested Newts (Class survey licence Level 1). Giles has now been accepted onto the Bat Earned Recognition Project.
He is also trained and experienced in UK Habs mapping, QGis, woodland management, farm conservation management (ADAS farm advisor for 5 years), upland vegetation assessment, bird surveying, and water vole capture and displacement.
Giles is also a qualified assessor for River Condition Assessments.
Ione Bareau
MCIEEM, BSc Biological Sciences (Hons Zool)
Director of MAB Environment & Ecology Ltd.
Ione previously worked for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) as a reserves officer. She has completed management plans for nature reserves/SSSIs on behalf of Natural England (NE) and YWT for ponds, meadows, woodlands and orchards. Ione is licensed to survey bats and Great Crested Newts, and holds a NE volunteer bat roost visitor licence. She is also a registered bat carer.
Ione is experienced in badger licences, reptile surveys, plant identification, NVC surveying, meadow restoration and management and landscape design. She has undertake training courses in wildflower meadow creation and management (RHS) and has an interest in environmental education, having completed her Forest schools level 3 qualification in 2013 .
Previously, Ione specialised in countryside stewardship and farm environment plans and still undertakes mid tier applications for farmers and landowners.