Here's How a Species Protection Screening Works
A screening for nationally protected species is a comprehensive desk study. Ecogain’s species conservation experts review your operational or project area and gather relevant data. They then assess which affected species may be present in the area based on various sources of information, such as:
- Find data from SLU Artdatabanken, including classified information.
- Regional data from county administrative boards and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
- Ecogain's own survey data from across the country since 2001.
- Our species conservation experts’ experience and knowledge of the area’s conditions for nationally protected species.
The report identifies which nationally protected species may be present in the area, whether a survey or a species protection exemption may be necessary, and what reasonable next steps should be taken. How a specific species should be managed in practice is part of the next step, along with conducting a survey and an assessment.
The screening is based on expert knowledge and existing data. Therefore, no fieldwork is required, and a screening can be requested year-round, regardless of the species’ season.
Benefits of Species Protection Screening
The results are summarized in a brief memorandum, which you can then use in your ongoing planning and in your dialogue with permitting and regulatory authorities.
If the screening shows that the area has no known occurrences and is assessed to have low potential for the species in question, the findings can be used for further assessment and in discussions with authorities. If, on the other hand, the presence of the species in question in the area cannot be ruled out, you will be notified of any surveys or further investigations that may be necessary.
If you place your order well in advance, you’ll know this while the timeline is still flexible, and you can schedule a site survey, a species protection exemption, or a legal assessment.
A screening determines whether protected species may be present in the area—or whether there are no known occurrences and the area has low potential for these species.
That way, you’ll have a well-founded assessment to bring to the discussion with the agency.
It’s worth having both answers early on.
David Israelsson, Head of Consulting at NVI
The screening has a fixed price of 20,000 kronor per business or project area, and it typically takes about ten business days. The price applies to both small and large project areas. This means you know how much the assessment will cost before you place an order, and you don’t need to request multiple quotes to find out where you stand.
Species conservation issues that arise late in the permitting process are more difficult to address. The review takes time, and a survey can only be conducted during the species’ active season. If you know early on what applies to your area, you can adapt your operations and avoid project delays. Therefore, a screening provides valuable flexibility and the ability to steer the project.
Protected species may be present—what's the next step?
The results of a screening will indicate whether—and, if so, what—measures are appropriate to take. This, in turn, depends on which species are involved and how your planned or ongoing activities may affect the area.
- Field survey of affected species
If the existing data is insufficient, you may need to supplement it with fieldwork. In that case, the project timeline will be determined by the season for that specific species or those species. - Species Conservation Assessment
Based on a field survey, this report identifies the location of the species of conservation concern, the extent of its presence, how it uses the area, and how it is affected by the project. It is used as supporting documentation for permit applications, applications for species protection exemptions, or as a well-founded argument that an exemption is not necessary. - Legal Advice
Whether an exemption is required at all, and how the transitional rules apply to an ongoing case, is a legal matter. Ecogain’s attorneys have backgrounds in land and environmental courts and law firms, and can provide reliable and effective guidance when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Screening for Nationally Protected Species
A screening answers a specific question, which means you can get an answer quickly. Based on known sighting data and the conditions in the area, Ecogain’s species conservation experts assess whether species covered by the change to the national protection status may be present within your operational or project area. You’ll receive a well-reasoned assessment in a brief memorandum, including a recommendation on whether a survey or an exemption may be necessary.
No. The Species Protection Regulation has been amended in several respects, and the screening concerns one of them: the new national list of protected species. The regulation’s provisions, which are based on EU law, remain unchanged and apply regardless of what is included on the national list.
The fixed price is 20,000 kronor per operational or project area. This price applies to both small and large project areas. The cost is therefore known before work begins. If you have multiple areas, they are priced individually. The screening does not replace either a species protection assessment or a species inventory—it determines whether either of these is necessary.
Under normal circumstances, a screening takes about ten business days. The screening is based on existing data and requires no fieldwork, which means it can be conducted year-round, regardless of the species’ season. A survey, however, if needed, is dependent on the season.
The memorandum describes what is a reasonable next step based on the results of the screening. This may involve a field survey of the affected species, followed by a species protection assessment to serve as the basis for a permit application or an application for a species protection exemption. Sometimes, however, the focus is instead on a legal assessment of whether an exemption is required at all. The point is that you find this out in time, while the timeline is still manageable.
Yes. The memorandum can be used as a basis for dialogue with the regulatory or permitting authority. If the area has no known occurrences and is assessed to have low potential for the species in question, this will be stated in the assessment. The memorandum can also be added to an existing or previously submitted application. However, it does not replace a field survey when the presence of the species cannot be ruled out based on existing data.
Processing times vary by county and depend on the complexity of the case and how complete the supporting documentation is. As a practical planning estimate, you should expect at least half a year, and in some cases closer to a year. Added to this is the time needed to prepare the supporting documentation. If a survey is required, the species’ season determines when it can be conducted.
Contact us for more information
Would you like to learn more or schedule a screening? David Israelsson is the contact person at Ecogain. Let us know your area of business or project, and we’ll schedule a brief consultation and get started.
Learn more about what the new rules mean: New rules for nationally protected species