Who we are

Johns Associates was set up as an environmental consultancy in 2007 and has grown organically from a team of two into a vibrant, multi-disciplinary organisation with a global perspective.  Our head office is located in Bradford on Avon, UK.

We’re a diverse and growing group of motivated, highly skilled professionals with a substantial depth of experience across different environmental and social disciplines. We invest heavily in our people through training and professional development. As a company we’ve attained a wide range of accreditations and won environmental awards for our work. This is supported through the use of cutting edge technology and a can-do attitude. Johns Associates and its team have a range of professional accreditations and memberships that demonstrate our accountability and the professionalism of our work.

We work pragmatically to find the most effective solution for you and your project and our approach is based on the understanding that capable, happy, well supported staff work well with you and deliver high quality work.

The whole company engages in activities that benefit our local environment and community. That extends our positive influence beyond our commercial work.

We won the ICE Environment and Sustainability Award in 2013, and more recently were delighted to be awarded the CIEEM 2018 Best Practice Award for Large Scale Mitigation and/or Enhancement in partnership with Drew Smith Ltd and Sovereign Housing Association Ltd. We were also finalists in 2017 for the Royal Town Planning Institute’s “Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment” award, for which the same scheme was Highly Commended. We achieved the Investors in People Platinum standard in May 2020.

Johns Associates is a Registered Practice with both CIEEM and the Landscape Institute.

If you’re interested in joining the team, click here to see our current vacancies.

Matt Johns, BSc (Hons) MSc CEnv FGS MCIEEM MIFM


Matt is an experienced chartered (CEnv) environmental consultant and business leader specialising in Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Risk Assessment and CDOIF, biodiversity, environmental design, environmental planning, geomorphology and water management. He has a strong grounding in project direction and management, quality assurance systems, bid development, business management and staff development.

Matt holds a wide range of protected species licences, is a RYA Level 2 Powerboat Handler and CAA PfCO UAV Pilot – which all come in handy!

Key sectors include Professionals, Sports, Aviation, Defence, Water, Construction, Property, Local Authorities, Government Agencies, Estate Management and Industry.

His collective experience stems from a genuine passion in what he does and for the environment and people, academic and commercial sectors, wider training and experience provided while serving in the Royal Naval Reserve and as a Parish Councillor, seizing the moment, taking opportunities, working with inspiring people and on inspiring projects, his wonderful family and growing and developing a successful business.

Through his work, Matt strives to enable his client’s ambitions, realise cost effective and pragmatic solutions, as well as promoting innovation, environmental enhancement and social and economic benefits.

Never one to sit still, Matt has started a part-time PhD in Environmental Geochemistry and Geomicrobiology at the University of Manchester. His research is focusing on optimising carbon sequestration and ecosystem service delivery through wetland habitat restoration in Mountains, Moorland and Heathlands.

Liz Johns, BSc (Hons) MSc CEnv MCIEEM MRSB


Liz is the founder of Johns Associates and has led the company from its inception. Liz is an experienced ecologist and environmental manager, with a strong background in environmental biology, aquatic resource management, ecology, (both terrestrial and aquatic), impact assessment and Environmental Risk Assessment and CDOIF. She has held full membership of CIEEM since 2001, Chartered status (CEnv) since 2005 and has 25 years’ experience in both the public and private sectors. Liz trained as an aquatic ecologist and spent the first 6 years of her career as an ecologist with the Environment Agency, where she undertook ecology surveys and provided comments and advice on planning applications, capital works schemes and applications for a range of Agency consents as well as attending pollution incidents. On moving into the private sector, Liz gained a wealth of experience in large-scale infrastructure projects, including pipelines, rail and road schemes, strategic residential developments and utilities.

Away from her technical work, she oversees the financial direction and day-to-day management of the company.  She is able to combine her understanding of environmental regulation with the commercial needs of our clients to ensure Johns Associates delivers robust and efficient services.

 

Vernon Button, BSc (Hons)


Vernon joined Johns Associates as Commercial Director in November 2018. He provides leadership in business development, bid writing and bid management.

He is skilled in communicating at Board level in Government & private sectors and has a wide-ranging background featuring senior roles in Business Development (Sales, Bidding, Commercial), Consultancy, Project Management and Operations. Vernon’s sector expertise includes Environmental, Facilities Management, Criminal Justice, Healthcare, Logistics and Food.

Vernon has previously worked for Bilfinger Europa Facility Management as Director of Bid Management and as the Business Development Director at G4S and Reliance and this wealth of experience helps drive Johns Associates’ capabilities in co-ordinating and securing successful large bids and framework opportunities.

Jason Holmes, BA(Hons) DipLA PG Cert. (Urban Design) CMLI


Jason is a Chartered Landscape Architect and leads the Landscape service at Johns Associates. He possesses a dual qualification in landscape architecture and urban design with over 25 years of design and construction experience. He has worked on a wide range of schemes from urban regeneration to education projects and brings a wealth of creative and practical expertise to his work.

Recent project experience includes a LVIA to support an EIA for a solar farm project in Dorset, a new cemetery for Salisbury, a major upgrade for a golf club in the Cotswold and the design and coordination of detailed proposals for residential and mixed used developments, including a four-star Hilton hotel in the centre of Bournemouth.

Jason has gained considerable experience through managing a broad portfolio of projects from concept through to implementation and on-going management and has been the landscape design lead on numerous education, residential, urban regeneration, and public realm projects throughout the UK.

 

Tessa Pepler, BSc (Hons) MSc MCIEEM


Tess joined Johns Associates as a Principal Ecologist in 2019.

Tess is a skilled ecologist and project manager, with over 15 years’ experience in ecological consultancy. She has held full membership of CIEEM since 2006, and has survey licences for bats, great crested newts and dormice. Tess has extensive experience of undertaking ecological surveys, including Extended Phase 1 Habitat Surveys, botanical surveys and a range of protected species surveys, including water vole, badger, bats, great crested newts, dormouse, otter and reptiles and of acting as the ECoW for a range of projects and species. She is experienced in supervising contractors on site, maintaining site records and delivering toolbox talks. Tess has been involved in numerous strategic developments across the UK, providing advice and interpretation of ecological data to inform site master-planning and development design, to presenting ecological constraints and opportunities clearly. Tess takes pride in developing strong working relationships with client teams and wider project stakeholders, including contractors, regulators, local authorities and local community and interest groups. At Johns Associates, Tess acts as the Lead Mentor to junior colleagues, providing support and guidance as they develop their skills, as well as managing project requirements to ensure tasks are delivered on time and to budget, and that they are completed with maximum ecological benefits and net gain. Tess is experienced in producing PEA reports, Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA), BREEAM Assessments, Habitats Regulations Assessments, Ecology chapters of Environmental Statements and a range of ecological management plans.

Helen Crome, BSc (Hons) MA CMLI


Helen joined Johns Associates in January 2023 as a Senior Landscape Architect.

As a Garden Designer and Landscape Architect she has experience of working in small and large teams on a range of  projects and across a broad spectrum of sectors, including housing, leisure, education, public open spaces and historic gardens. A Chartered professional with over 10 years experience, Helen has produced LVIAs and detailed planting schedules. She has a keen interest in the arts, nature and sustainable living.

Helen is responsible for managing her own portfolio of projects at Johns Associates, as well as supporting Jason and Liz.

Lexi Dowson-Wallace, BSc (Hons) MSc ACIEEM


Lexi has been working in ecological consultancy for six years and joined Johns Associates as a Senior Ecologist in May 2022. She has a good working knowledge of the sector and associated legislation and policy, a professional approach to client liaison with experience managing a range of projects including householder applications, solar projects and large-scale residential developments.

Lexi is experienced in conducting a variety of surveys with a specialism in Biodiversity Net Gain and ecological impact assessment. She holds a Level 2 bat licence, Level 1 GCN licence and is skilled in QGIS and in producing robust technical reports including PEAs and EcIAs to CIEEM standards and has assisted in the preparation of European Protected Species Licence applications.

Ellie Hack, BSc (Hons) MSc ACIEEM


Ellie joined Johns Associates in May 2022 as a Senior Ecologist. 

She has 7 years experience in Ecology based roles, with three of those being in ecological consultancy. Ellie is particularly skilled in designing and implementing advanced field surveys for bats, and developing complex bat mitigation and compensation schemes. Ellie is confident at managing sites whilst working as an Accredited Agent on both EPS and BMCL licences, and is adept in leading large teams of contractors, delivering Toolbox Talks, using a range of soft demolition techniques, and designing and installing bespoke bat compensation features on a range of different types of buildings. Ellie holds her Level 3 & 4 Bat Survey Licences, allowing her to use all bat survey techniques including trapping and mist netting. She is an active member of the local bat groups, running various projects looking at bats within Bradford-on-Avon, including hibernation surveys, swarming, and bat box schemes.

 Ellie is experienced in producing technical ecological reports including Ecological Impact Assessment, PEAs, LEMPs and BREEAM assessment, and surveying for protected species including great crested newt, badgers, dormice and reptiles.

 Ellie is  an Associate Member of CIEEM, an NPTC qualified tree climber and holds a Level 1 great crested newt licence.

Myles Sedgwick, BSc (Hons) QCIEEM


Myles joined Johns Associates in March 2020 as an Assistant Ecologist and holds Qualifying membership of CIEEM. He has recently been promoted to Consultant Ecologist and has three years’ experience in the ecology sector undertaking protected species surveys (bats, GCN, reptiles, badgers and dormouse), data analysis and report writing and has acted as an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) for small-scale projects. He is currently working towards his great crested newt survey licence, and has a particular interest in badgers, having been involved in a number surveys (including bait marking studies) and licensed sett closures. At Johns Associates, Myles is developing his project management skills by assuming responsibility for delivering small-scale projects to time and to budget, undertaking detailed desk studies and producing Preliminary Ecological Appraisal reports.

Myles enjoys running, cycling, golf and tending to his houseplants.

 

Anna Byatt, BSc (Hons) MSc QCIEEM


Anna joined Johns Associates as an Assistant Ecologist in January 2022 and has since been promoted to Consultant Ecologist. She has nearly three years experience of ecological survey, particularly protected species (including badgers, reptiles, great crested newt, birds and bats), Phase 1 Habitat Survey and UKHab. Anna also has experience of producing Preliminary Ecological Appraisal reports and undertaking Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments using the Defra Metric 3.1. She has acted as the Ecological Clerk of Works for construction and rail projects.

Liz Smart, BSc (Hons) DipLA


Liz joined Johns Associates as an Assistant Landscape Architect in May 2022 and holds Associate membership of the Landscape Institute. She has over 3 years experience in consulting and a background in horticulture spanning 9 years. Professional experience has included assisting with a range of projects from concept to completion. Liz has a keen interest in horticulture, sustainable design and creating landscapes for a positive impact on mental and physical well-being of communities.

Key skills including design and drawing up of concept and detailed design packages with a focus on planting plans, including schedules and specifications, and editing Landscape Management plans and specifications.

Liz has experience in projects spanning urban regeneration, residential, private estates and commercial developments.

Alice Wynne-Griffiths, BSc (Hons) QCIEEM


Alice joined Johns Associates as an Assistant Ecologist in October 2022 and has been involved in a number of projects since then, including taking on the management of several small-scale projects for new and existing clients. Alice has nearly two years experience in ecological consultancy, including protected species survey, producing technical reports (such as PEAs, desk studies and Preliminary Roost Assessments for bats), and has assisted colleagues with EPS licence applications and the development of detailed mitigation designs and strategies.

Alice has undertaken bat call analysis and produced subsequent statistical R-reports since joining Johns Associates, and is working towards her Level 1 bat licence.

Kate Arsac England, BSc (Hons) MSc


Kate joined Johns Associates as an Assistant Ecologist in April 2023 and is currently completing a Certificate in Ecological Consultancy. Kate will be building on previous survey assistant and volunteer experience to build her skills in habitat and protected species surveys, completing desk studies and writing PEA reports.

Tina Woodham


Tina is a dedicated Business Manager, with 30 years of financial experience in growing organisations.

Tina has broad industry experience including but not limited to Partnerships and Non-Profit organisations. Skilled in all aspects of financial management with success in developing robust standards, internal controls, and processes while minimising risk. Excellent at juggling multiple tasks and working under pressure. Accomplished in collaborating with leaders to develop business, financial and growth strategies. Motivated, resourceful, and well-organised with an excellent leadership and team building record.

During the past 20 years Tina has been very much involved in the growth and development of two organisations, the former being a start-up charity in the Education sector, which has grown from 1 to 5 Farms across the UK. The latter was an Architectural Practice which has seen exponential growth in the sector both in the UK and abroad. This has enabled her to develop and embed her Accounting, management and team building skills.

At Johns Associates, Tina leads the Business Services team, working closely with the Directors to ensure the continued sustainable growth of the business.

Mandi Reeves


Mandi joined Johns Associates in June 2020 as a member of the Business Services team. She currently works as the Senior Credit Controller, with primary responsibility for credit control within the company.

Mandi has nearly 20 years experience within finance, with a strong background in Purchase Ledger and Sales Ledger, working in various industries including Telecommunications and Charities.

Having completed 22 years in the Armed forces, Mandi has used the skills she gained to specialise in Finance, embracing the chance to re train and take on a new career which she has done successfully.

Rebecca Davies BA (Hons)


Becki joined Johns Associates as our Practice Administrator in July 2022. With 15 years experience in office administration, Becki keeps everything organised and running smoothly as part of the Business Services team.