Ecology
PDP servicePDP provides specialist ecology services to support land development, restoration initiatives, and resource consent applications across New Zealand.
Our team of freshwater, terrestrial, and coastal ecologists and environmental scientists deliver surveys, impact assessments, wetland mapping, biodiversity protection, and ecological restoration.
We work alongside clients at every stage – from early planning and consenting through to construction and post-project monitoring – helping navigate environmental requirements while advancing sustainability outcomes.
Our approach is science-led, practical, and tailored, ensuring compliance, managing risk, and delivering resilient environmental results.
We work closely with iwi and local communities, integrating mātauranga Māori and local values into our project delivery.
Services that we provide:
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General ecological services
- Environmental screening
- Preliminary technical assessments
- Desktop studies
- Freshwater, terrestrial, wetland, and coastal surveys and assessments
- Ecological Impact Assessments, including Assessments of Environmental Effects
- Effects management through mitigation
- Biodiversity offsetting and compensation
- Resource consent condition development and compliance
- Ecology advice and input into engineering designs
- Ecological monitoring and management plans
- Restoration and reclamation plans
- Expert testimony for court and council hearings.
Freshwater
- Freshwater surveys (habitat, fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, periphyton)
- Water quality sampling
- Discharge and mixing assessments
- Stream Ecological Valuation assessments
- Fish screen and passage assessments
- Fish salvage and relocations
- Waterways enhancement and restoration designs
- Fish habitat offset plans
- Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards – ecological assessments.
Terrestrial
- Terrestrial surveys for flora, birds, bats, and herpetofauna
- Wildlife habitat assessments
- Wildlife Act Authorities applications
- Wildlife baseline studies
- Wildlife species/habitat management plans (flora, birds, bats, and herpetofauna)
- Invasive plant management
- Wildlife habitat enhancement, restoration and implementation plans
- Wildlife impact ecology (including risk assessments, bird strike reports, wildlife hazard management plans, and airport biodiversity plans).
Coastal
- Coastal surveys (fish, benthic invertebrates, and birds)
- Water and sediment quality sampling
- Coastal habitat surveys, mapping and assessments (such as seagrass and sand dunes)
- Effects assessments of marine, estuarine, and coastal habitats
- Coastal and estuarine mitigation, management and restoration
- Fish habitat offset plans
- Input into spatial planning and General Plan development.
Wetlands
- Wetland delineation assessments – including our purpose-built digital application for this purpose
- Wetland Ecological Value assessments
- Wetland Significant Ecological Area assessments
- Wetland management, enhancement, and restoration plans
- Pre-purchase / due diligence land use advice.
Related projects
Providing expert support for the New Zealand Aviation Wildlife Hazard Group (NZAWHG)
PDP serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) to the NZAWHG on behalf of CAA.
Ahuriri rural tributaries - Baseline environmental assessment
The Ahuriri Tributaries Catchment Group Trust (ATCGT) engaged PDP to establish the baseline conditions of the rural tributaries of Te Whanganui-a-Orotū (the Ahuriri Estuary).
Our ecology specialists
Anna Madarasz-Smith
Brendan Hicks
Cazz Grima
Jarred Arthur
Emma Willmore
Gemma Scott
Lizzie Civil
