Senior Staff
Senior consultants
Andrew McCarthy MIEEM CEnv
Managing Director, based in Exeter
Andrew set up the company in 1996 after having worked in the UK public sector, the Far East and USA for the World Conservation Union. Over the past fifteen years, he has supervised numerous EIA projects, including large-scale highways, housing, leisure and renewable energy schemes, and he has appeared as an Expert Witness. His main areas of ecological interest are botany, protected fauna survey and mitigation design, in particular for bats, great crested newts and dormouse, for which he is a Natural England and CCW Scientific licence holder.
Send an e-mail to this staff memberGary Oliver MIEEM CEnv
Director, Sheffield
Gary has over ten years' professional experience of ecology in the private sector. His main areas of expertise are EIA, ornithology and protected species ecology and mitigation, in particular with bats, great crested newts and reptiles. He has overseen the AMA involvement in many prestigious developments, including airports, industrial sites, major housing schemes and wind energy projects. Since joining us in 2001, Gary has developed the Sheffield team into a highly effective 12 strong unit and was awarded a directorship in 2006.
Send an e-mail to this staff member
Dr Stephen Holloway MIEEM CEnv
Associate, Exeter
Dr Holloway has sixteen years' professional experience in the private, university, public and voluntary sectors and joined AMA in April 2007. He has worked on a wide range of development-led projects over the past five years and his main areas of expertise are EIA, botany, coastal survey, habitat management and protected species survey and mitigation. He has particular expertise in BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes assessment.
Sacha Rogers MIEEM CEnv
Principal Consultant, Sheffield
Sacha has thirteen years' professional experience of ecology in the public and private sectors and is Principal Consultant at the AMA Sheffield office. Her research experience includes large-scale woodland and wetland creation and she has acted as expert witness at Public Inquiry. Her particular areas of expertise are in the aquatic environment and in EIA for major projects, including the proposed new runway at Gatwick Airport.
Simon Geary CEnv
Senior Consultant, Exeter
Simon has been with AMA since 2001 and specializes in ornithological survey and mitigation. His substantial field skills extend across a wide range of fields, including botany and protected fauna and he holds Natural England Scientific licenses for bats, dormouse and great crested newts. He has experience of major impact assessment projects, having worked with clients across a number of industry sectors, including highways, wind energy and leisure.
Tim Palmer MIEEM
Senior Consultant, Sheffield
Tim joined the practice in early 2006 and brings substantial field expertise to bear in projects across a range of industry sectors, including highways, industrial developments and wind energy schemes. His particular areas of expertise include ornithology, practical habitat management and protected species ecology and mitigation. He holds survey licenses for bats and great crested newt and has substantial experience in reptile ecology, survey and mitigation. He works alongside colleagues in planning and coordinating bird field survey in northern England and Wales, in particular with respect to wind energy EIA.
Lorraine Palmer AIEEM
Senior Consultant, Sheffield
Lorraine is a highly experienced field ecologist, with particular expertise in botany, bat and amphibian ecology and mitigation planning. She holds survey licenses for bats, great crested newt and dormouse and has substantial experience in European Protected Species licensing.
Mr Jo Pedder MIEEM
Senior Consultant, South East office
Jo joined AMA as a Senior Consultant and is overseeing development of the new Hertfordshire office. His experience has been gained on a wide range of high profile projects, including major new developments in the London area, including assessment of the effects of pipeline construction on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Area of Conservation. He is responsible for project management and field surveys, including scoping and Phase I habitat studies, specialist protected species surveys, production of European Protected Species licence applications, survey reports and mitigation plans.
Send an e-mail to this staff memberEleanor Weir MIEEM
Senior Field Ecologist, Exeter
Eleanor joined the company in early 2006, and has over five years experience as a professional ecological consultant, working on a wide range of schemes of various sizes in both the public and private sector. She has substantial knowledge of protected fauna, survey and mitigation, particularly bats, great crested newt and dormice, for which she holds Natural England and CCW Scientific survey licences. She has also had considerable experience of reptile survey and translocation, Phase I habitat survey and European Protected Species licensing.
David Scholefield MIEEM
Senior Field Ecologist, Exeter
David has worked for Andrew McCarthy Associates since February 2006 following several years working in consultancy in South East England. He is experienced in survey, mitigation and ecological clerk-of-works on large and nationally important projects including major highways schemes, large scale housing developments and pipelines. In 2006-07 he was the staff member responsible for managing the ecological element of a £200,000 gas pipeline contract through Devon. He specializes in protected species survey and mitigation and holds survey licenses for dormouse and great crested newt. He is a competent botanist, regularly undertaking ‘Extended’ Phase I habitat assessments and BREEAM surveys.
Amy Thristan (BSc (Hons) MIEEM
Senior Field Ecologist
Amy joined AMA in 2003 and specialises in botany, protected species survey and mitigation planning. She has worked on and supervised a broad range of projects, and has written ES chapters for large industrial developments and compiled European Protected Species licence applications. She holds a Natural England survey licence for great crested newt and has substantial experience of bat, water vole and badger survey and mitigation.
Alastair Campbell AIEEM
Senior Field Ecologist
Alastair has four years consultancy experience and has been with the practice since early 2007. He has been involved in a wide variety of projects, from small developments to large and nationally important road, housing and wind energy schemes.
He is currently responsible for carrying out protected species surveys, implementing mitigation, undertaking Phase I habitat survey and production of survey reports, mitigation plans, and Natural England licence applications.
He is experienced in all aspects of protected species survey including bats, badger, water vole, dormouse, reptiles and great crested newt. He is an accomplished ornithologist, and is currently project managing the Vantage Point Count elements of several AMA wind farm projects.