The origins of Allen & Mellon Environmental

 

In 2004, Clive Mellon joined with Dave Allen who had set up an independent consultancy the previous year.  Originally the company focused on ornithological services, but the company soon developed its range of expertise to encompass a wide range of ecological surveys, management planning, training and advice. Allen and Mellon Environmental is now a recognised leader in the survey and study of lepidoptera (moths and butterflies).  We are based in Belfast but with our outpost in County Fermanagh we are well positioned to undertake projects in the NW cost-effectively.

 

Our Team

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Clive Mellon: Director
LLB Hons. MCIEEM

Clive Mellon has over 35 years’ experience in the environment sector with a career involving roles at Ulster Wildlife Trust, National Trust and RSPB NI where he was the Conservation Manager and Acting Director. A graduate in law from Queen's University Belfast he has a particular interest in environmental policy and legislation.  He is also an experienced field naturalist and ecologist with many years of experience in survey and monitoring including birds, mammals, habitats and lepidoptera. Clive is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). He is currently a member of the NI Moth Record Committee and has been a Trustee of both Ulster Wildlife and RSPB, where he was Chair of the NI Committee between 2015 and 2020.

Email: clive@allenmellon.com

Anna Hart: Consultant Ecologist
BA Hons. (Env. Science). ACIEEM

Anna worked with us on a range of projects for 10 years before joining us full-time as Consultant Ecologist in April 2022. Anna is our lead on entomological work but also does a range of other work including bat and badger surveys and GIS habitat mapping.

Anna graduated from the University of Ulster with 1st class honours in Environmental Science in 2014. She developed a particular interest and expertise in invertebrates, leading in 2015 to her appointment as TCV’s Natural Talent Trainee in Entomology, based at CEDaR. In early 2016 she worked with NMNI on the Vertigo Snail Pilot Study before becoming the Conservation Officer for Buglife in Northern Ireland until April 2022. She was awarded Associate Membership of CIEEM in March 2023.

Email: anna@allenmellon.com

Alistair Archibald: Assistant Ecologist (Seasonal)

BA Hons. (Marine Science)

Alistair graduated with a 2.1 in Marine Science in 2014 from the University of Ulster. During his studies he took the opportunity to join a research cruise on the RV Celtic Voyager, collecting sediment samples off the west coast of Ireland.  He found his passion for ecology while successfully undertaking a GIS based project for Carntogher Community Association and subsequent work carrying out bat surveys as an Assistant Ecologist. Alistair has a background in GIS and is experienced in using and troubleshooting a wide range of equipment including night vision aids for bat surveys.

Laoise Hunter-Martin: Assistant Ecologist (Part-time)

Laoise joined the team as an Assistant Ecologist for the 2023 season. She got involved straigtaway carrying out wind farm bat searches and has quickly become adept at using and managing night vision aids for bat surveys. Laoise graduated from the University of Plymouth with 1st class honours in Conservation Biology in 2023. During her studies she had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica to carry out work in the rainforest, which further ignited her passion for conservation and field work.

Dave Allen - Founder and Associate
HND (Env. Science) MCIEEM

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Dave Allen has over 40 years’ experience of working in the environment sector with particular expertise in habitat management, lepidoptera and ornithology. Dave studied Applied Ecology at Wolverhampton and went straight into contract work with RSPB in 1977. He moved to Northern Ireland in 1979 where he became a warden and then Reserves Manager for RSPB NI, before setting up as an independent consultant in 2003. He is a member of the moth record validation committees for both jurisdictions in Ireland and sits on the NI Marsh Fritillary Action Group. Dave is also a full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). Dave retired as a Director in August 2021 but remains as an Associate for specific projects.

Dr. Roy Anderson
Ph.D., B.Sc. Hons
Associate Ecologist

Before retirement Roy was a professional soils chemist at the Agri‐Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) with a strong interest in biodiversity, ecology and climate change. He is an expert in a wide variety of taxa but notably Coleoptera, Mollusca, Diptera: Syrphidae and Fungi: Ascomycotina. He has published several books and many scientific papers on invertebrate and fungal taxonomy, ecology and biogeography. Roy has a vast knowledge of habitats and sites throughout Ireland and there are few corners of the country which he hasn’t visited. He has worked with Allen & Mellon on many projects including Common Standards Monitoring of Invertebrate Assemblages on ASSIs (NIEA), biodiversity audits and invertebrate surveys of under‐recorded parts of Ireland (The Heritage Council).

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Dennis Weir
Associate Ornithologist

Dennis is one of Ireland’s foremost field ornithologists, with extensive experience both here and abroad, extending over four decades. He has participated in many formal bird surveys including Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) and single species surveys. Whilst he is freelance, Dennis has supported Allen and Mellon Environmental with dedicated services over the past 9 years. He has worked on a range of projects including:

  • Ornithological work at 15 wind farm projects undertaking both breeding and wintering bird surveys in addition to raptor flight activity assessment.

  • Breeding Wader Surveys

  • Tern foraging movements at sea 2009 to 2014

  • Breeding Seabird Census