The short answer is none, both of the above surveys refer to the same thing. Read on to find out why.

Many of my clients (and graduate ecologists) have been confused by the jargon used by ecologists or councils. One major source of confusion is the difference between an Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey and a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, sometimes just shorted to and Ecological Appraisal’; or incorrectly to ‘Phase 1 Habitat Survey’ (which is incorrect as a Phase 1 Habitat survey is just a plant survey – the extended part refers to protected species aspect).

Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey and a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal are terms which are used interchangeably for the initial (or ‘baseline) ecology survey for a site; which will take into account habitats and protected species.

So why the confusion?

In my experience, modern wildlife ecology (a relatively new concept in science, historically speaking) is still rife with nomenclature changes and trends which typically proceed new ideas and new industries. Much like the explosion of annoying clickbait news cycle phrases like… Clickbait, or ‘fake news’, or, ‘infodemic’.

Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA – sometimes even PEAR, the extra R for ‘report’) is simply the newer and more ‘trendy’ name for an Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey.

What other ecological consultancy terms have been put through the trend mincer?

• Nocturnal bat surveys are the same as emergence and re-entry bat surveys.
• Bat scoping and Preliminary Roost Assessments (PRA) are the same thing.
• Precautionary Working Methods (PWM) and Reasonable Avoidance Methods (RAM) are the same thing.

Another that comes to mind, which is less important for a developer to know, is ‘BAP priority habitats’ and ‘BAP priority species’ from the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP), which listed important habitats and species that need additional consideration when it came to conservation and developments.

What happened to UK BAP? Get ready for some jargon mincing! The UK BAP was succeeded by the ‘UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework‘ in July 2012. This moved most of the BAP species and habitats into Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006. So, you may see in ecology reports ‘NERC priority species/habitats’ or simply ‘priority species/habitats’ – which will mean those listed in the NERC Act. See below for the NERC Act 2006 Priority Habitats, which many council documents will still refer to as ‘BAP Habitats.’