SMEC has experience and extensive capabilities in undertaking assessments of the biological environment. SMEC’s ecologists have undertaken studies of terrestrial and aquatic environments throughout NSW, Australia and overseas. The company undertakes the field component of ecological assessments as well as data analysis, interpretation and technical report writing. SMEC staff have extensive experience in addressing environmental legislation (State, Commonwealth and International) with particular emphasis on how this relates to the biological environment.

 SMEC’s ecological capabilities include:  

biodiversity studies; habitat assessments; species specific impact assessments; monitoring and management programs; land capability and constraints assessment; and ecological components of general environmental assessments.

Field techniques used for ecological investigations include hair tube analysis, scat analysis, trapping, spotlighting, call playback and recording and ultrasonic bat detection. Vegetation can be mapped and assessed at a variety of levels such as individual species, populations and communities. To assist with these studies SMEC uses technology such as global positioning systems and remote sensing using satellite imagery. GIS technology is used for producing ecological maps.

A library of reference texts and computer records are used in addition to data collected in the field. Where necessary external experts in specific fields are utilised to support and extend SMEC’s capabilities.