Guidance and regulation

How to apply to import, export or re-export endangered animal and plant species on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) list.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 1 July 2022

How to assess a planning application when there are protected species on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 25 October 2023

How to assess a planning application when there are ancient woodland, ancient trees or veteran trees on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Forestry Commission and 1 others
• Updated: 14 January 2022

How to assess a planning application when there are bats on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 14 January 2022

What you must do to avoid harming bats and when you’ll need a licence.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 29 March 2015

How to assess a planning application when there are great crested newts on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 26 July 2022

How to assess a planning application when there are reptiles on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 25 October 2023

How to register to keep captive schedule 4 birds, when to ring them and when to microchip them.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 23 May 2023

How to assess a planning application when there are badgers on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 14 January 2022

Register for a licence to survey great crested newts for research, conservation or development projects.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 1 January 2024

How to assess a planning application when there are otters on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 14 January 2022

Register for a licence to survey bats using torches for research, conservation or development projects.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 6 March 2024

Guidance on the methods that can be used to help manage wild birds like geese, gulls and pigeons without a licence.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 26 April 2019

How Defra and Natural England license the control of certain wild bird species.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 14 June 2019

How to assess a planning application when there are water voles on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 21 December 2022

How to assess a planning application when there are wild birds on or near a proposed development site.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 14 January 2022

The conditions you must follow if you carry out cage trapping and dispatch of wild birds under Defra and Natural England licences.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 1 January 2024

Get advice from Natural England on planning proposals that will require a protected species mitigation licence and what charges apply.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 3 May 2019

Ecologists can use European protected species (EPS) policies on development sites to benefit EPS by changing survey, mitigation or compensation methods.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 14 January 2022

Find out what experience and references you need to support your application or registration, and what form your referees need to complete.

• From: Natural England
• Updated: 10 October 2023