Any Environmental Manager, Consultant or Ecologist interested in working on a Phase 1 habitat classification and associated field survey techniques are likely to be interested in the “Handbook for Phase 1 Habitat Survey – A technique for Environmental Audit” published by the United Kingdom’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
The publication provides a relatively rapid system to record semi-natural vegetation and other wildlife habitats. Each habitat type/feature is defined by way of a brief description and is allocated a specific name, an alpha-numeric code, and unique mapping colour. The system has been widely used and continues to act as the standard ‘phase 1’ technique for habitat survey across the UK.
The Phase 1 habitat classification and associated field survey technique provides a relatively rapid system to record semi-natural vegetation and other wildlife habitats. Each habitat type/feature is defined by way of a brief description and is allocated a specific name, an alpha-numeric code, and unique mapping colour. The system has been widely used and continues to act as the standard ‘phase 1’ technique for habitat survey across the UK.
The content of the Phase I Field Manual is included in the main A4 Phase 1 Handbook. Both were published first in 1990 by the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC): later versions, with limited additions, have been produced by JNCC
The great benefit of this publication is that it is freely available to encourage wider knowledge of Phase 1 Surveys and the implementation of consistent good practice.
A copy of the “Handbook for Phase 1 Habitat Survey – A technique for Environmental Audit” can be downloaded here & a corrections list (January 2016) can be freely downloaded here.
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