Management of invasive non-native species

Rob Harrison-Lacey

Ecology Director, Southern Ecological Solutions (SES)

Rob has been working in environmental consultancy as an ecologist for more than 16 years. He joined SES in 2024, having worked with a wide variety of public and private sector clients. Although he specialises in ecology, his technical knowledge includes environmental net gain and natural capital. Rob regularly manages and coordinates large-scale botanical surveys, UK Habitat Classification and National Vegetation Classification (NVC) studies. His specialist interest in upland and aquatic habitats resulted in accreditation by the Environment Agency for river habitat surveys and River Condition Assessment (RCA) and Modular River Physical (MoRPh) surveys.

He has significant experience in protected and invasive species surveys and is a frequent speaker at conferences and external training events on the topics of protected species, biodiversity net gain and invasive species and biosecurity. Rob has worked under licence for various protected macrophyte and macroinvertebrate species (tentacled lagoon worm, slender naiad, floating water-plantain and river jelly lichen) and holds Natural England class licences and/or European protected species mitigation or disturbance licences for great crested newt, white-clawed crayfish, water vole and badger.

Thomas Edwards

Associate Director, Southern Ecological Solutions (SES)

Thomas’s passion for growing food in his garden and allotment sparked his journey into horticulture, and what started as a hobby soon snowballed into now 15 years in the green space management sector. At SES, he spends his time running, developing and implementing works, including site surveying, reporting and covering all treatments and applications for the control or eradication of invasive weeds. He finds that the invasive weed department is a dynamic and fun area of work to be in and that working with plants is a joy.