Wildlife and the law

Planning and environmental law relating to wildlife is a complex area and ever evolving. If you’re a resident, you don’t need to know the law in order to respond to a Local Plan or a planning application. If you want to explore this area further, try the planning section of The Wildlife Trust’s website. Be aware that any website is not necessarily up-to-date and the results of AI searches may not be accurate, so you may need to seek professional help if you are making legal arguments.

If you are making a planning application where there are likely to be impacts on wildlife, you should seek advice from a professional ecologist.

The Trust will not recommend specific planners, ecologists, or other professionals, but you can get help on selecting someone suitable from the following bodies:

Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)

Chartered Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Management (CIEEM)