Vilas is a Director and ecologist at IES providing ecological services across southern England and Wales. Clients include multi-disciplinary consultancy, architects, planners and developers in residential, commercial and education sectors. He has a wide range of terrestrial habitat and species experience with particular expertise in bat ecology. He has extensive experience of development licensing including the use of the Bat Mitigation Class Licence (all Annexes).

Freelance Ecologist with experience delivering of a range of ecological consultancy projects. Holder of protected species licences for bats and barn owls in England and Wales and extensive experience with other protected species. Services provided include ecological survey and assessment through to preparing and implementing ecological site work and post-construction monitoring. Recent projects have included protected species surveys and advice in relation to property redevelopment and historic structure building maintenance, extended phase 1 habitat survey of green field sites and preparation of ecological management plans to meet planning obligations. I have worked with a range of clients from the private and public sectors on projects. These have included from large multi-purpose development and wide-area surveys to small sites with high nature conservation importance. I also advise clients in relation to Habitat Regulations Assessments for developments affecting sites of European ecological importance, and provides ecological support to schemes seeking BREEAM accreditation.

In this role Vilas advises colleagues in forward planning, development control and other departments on biodiversity and ecology matters and particularly in relation to local authority consents and council led activities. Vilas is also responsible for ensuring the council meets statutory obligations including integrating biodiversity within policy, providing up to date advice and guidance on the implementation of the biodiversity duty across all of the authority’s functions and providing appropriate training across the authority in respect of conserving biodiversity, protected species, statutory designated sites and other nature conservation matters.

As a Senior Ecologist with BSG Ecology Vilas was responsible for the management and delivery of a wide range of ecological consultancy projects. Such projects included desk and field based surveys and subsequent ecological assessment, advice and recommendations. He worked with a range of clients from the private and public sectors on projects ranging from large multi-purpose development and wide-area surveys to small sites with high nature conservation importance. He also advises clients in relation to Habitat Regulations Assessments for developments affecting sites of European ecological importance, and provides ecological contributions to BREEAM accredited schemes.

Vilas was responsible for managing and leading ecological consultancy projects from inception through to delivery. Clients included planning authorities, and a range of private sector clients, including utilities companies.

Vilas undertook botanical and habitat surveys using Phase 1 methodology, NVC, English Nature condition assessments and Adas plot methods. He also conducted protected species survey and assessment and delivered several GIS and desk-based research projects to public and private sector clients including Countryside Council for Wales.

Carrying out ecological surveys and producing survey reports for County Wildlife Sites across Somerset.