'Bat man' off to flying start

It's not every businessman who needs to learn how to climb trees for a living. But Shropshire's Ross Jones has started a business which is certainly unconventional and definitely "batty".

The farmer's son from Colebatch, Bishop's Castle, has launched Star Ecology, providing specialist advice on bats and newts.

As an environmental ecologist specialising in commercial bat surveys, he hopes his expertise will soon be in big demand from developers wanting to stay on the right side of the law.

The 28-year-old graduate produces ecological surveys for the protection of wild animals as part of the planning process and his aim in life is to make sure protected species, including bats, barn owls and newts, don't lose their habitats to new developments.

Bats and newts are his specialism and he is licensed to carry out bat surveys in England and Wales.

Where trees containing bat roosts need to be felled, developers have to obtain a licence from Government department Defra and Dr Jones has had special training in tree climbing using rope access to search out the roosts.

He explained: "As bats are protected by law any developer must take their habitats into consideration. It is my job to carry out surveys to look for them. They often roost in trees so I spend a lot of my time climbing them.

"They can also live in the lofts of domestic properties, and a recent case involved a group of semi-detached houses being knocked down in Halesowen. I found long-eared bats living in the roof space of one of the houses therefore the builder had to provide for them by leaving room in the loft of one of the new houses for them to occupy.

"As both bats and newts are protected species I have had to apply for a licence to handle them. Where brownfield sites are being developed I go along and check out any ponds and ditches for the presence of newts.

"I try to help limit the builder's impact on a colony of newts by trapping the newts and re-locating them in a new pond which the developer must create."

He launched the venture last June but because he lacks training in running a business he is tapping into the expertise of advisers at Business Link West Midlands.

Now he has turned to Business Link West Midlands for support in marketing his business. And, after attending a business planning course last summer, he is getting his name established.

He said: "I have found the help that I have received invaluable. They sent me a host of information when I first set up my business and I am still on a big learning curve. I've had differing advice from lots of different people, but I feel that the Business Link West Midlands advice is more relevant and it is information that you can trust."

Ross has been advised by Brian Baker, an adviser from Business Enterprise Support Ltd, one of Business Link West Midlands enterprise providers, to help build his business knowledge.

Mr Baker said: "This is a very unusual business and it's something I had never come across before. I think his services are going to be very much in need because the environment is such a popular cause right now.

"Recent changes in the law state that developers wanting to do something with an old building must have it cleared environmentally before starting work. With the right support Ross should have a great future ahead of him."

Business Link West Midlands is expected to help over 70,000 businesses and individuals thinking of starting a business with information, with a further 16,000 receiving intensive support by 2010.

This level of support is expected to generate a £400 million improvement to the economic performance of the West Midlands.