About us
Drawing upon a life-long interest in plants and over 8 years' as a multiple award-winning ecologist, Josh Styles MSc AMRSB MCIEEM began British Botany as the trading name of Styles Ecology Ltd during 2023. British Botany strives to offer a broad spectrum of competitively priced services, from habitat and botanical survey to Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) assessment and Biodiversity Net Gain to training and events bookings.
A little more about Josh…
During his time at Edge Hill University, Josh became well-known as an ambitious and enthusiastic individual, and went on to achieve a number of scholarships in recognition of his work ethic, proactive volunteering, and contribution to the university itself. This included the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Study Prize which was awarded alongside his 1st class degree in BSc Ecology for attaining the single highest aggregate mark across the Faculty.
After completion of his undergraduate degree, Josh went on become a Senior Ecologist and Botanical Specialist for a small consultancy based in Formby, Merseyside. Here he was responsible for a large number of projects, including complex schemes mediating approaches to Biodiversity Net Gain, the survey, assessment, mitigation of impacts over a large range of habitats, including a suite of globally important habitats such as fixed sand dune, boreal heath and degraded raised mire.
Josh later received a Distinction in his MSc Biological Recording and Ecological Monitoring at Manchester Metropolitan University, having progressed on to two large ecological consultancies where, in recognition of his extensive experience and understanding of UK terrestrial habitats, was given the role of Principal Ecologist, Botanical Specialist and Botanical Training Lead. In this capacity, Josh led on the upskilling of staff with regards to habitat and botanical survey and assessment and rolled out FISC assessment nationally. Josh regularly carried out specialist habitat and botanical survey across Britain over a range of habitats, including those which are cryptic and/or of very high conservation importance such as transition mires, blanket mire, European dry heaths, Molinia meadows, calcareous grasslands and ancient woodlands. He remains one of few people in the country to have been involved in the licensed survey, assessment and/or mitigation for specially protected species such as floating water-plantain (Luronium natans), field wormwood (Artemisia campestris) and viper’s-grass (Scorzonera humilis).
In addition to his extensive experience as an ecologist over more than 8 years’ consultancy experience, he sits on a number of professional committees such as the north-west Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) committee, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) Training and Education Committee and BSBI FISC working group. His interest and expertise does not exclusively relate to complex infrastructure or other development projects, but also includes conservation. Josh actively volunteers for a range of local conservation charities, including the North-West Rare Plant Initiative which he established in 2017, and is actively involved in training and education. Josh’s enthusiasm to impart knowledge has been widely recognised both in the training he offers regularly, and also during television and radio appearances on programmes and stations such as BBC Countryfile, Channel 4 Dispatches, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 and CBBC Blue Peter.