About Us
19 years of conservation expertise,
on the ground in Hampshire
Vesper Conservation & Ecology was founded by Rob West — a qualified ecologist and conservation manager with nearly two decades of hands-on experience. We’re a privately-owned company, which means you get experienced, senior-level expertise on every project, not a junior ecologist cutting their teeth.
founder & principal ecologist
Rob West
Rob’s career in conservation started where it should — out in the field. After graduating with a BA (Hons) in Environmental Studies, he joined the National Trust as a countryside warden, eventually progressing to lead ranger.That grounding in practical land management is what sets Vesper apart from desk-based ecology consultancies.
Over the following years, Rob built expertise across the full range of ecological surveys and conservation disciplines — from bat and great crested newt surveys to large-scale habitat restoration projects. He’s worked with wildlife charities, conservation organisations, private landowners, and development teams, and understands what each of them actually needs.
When you work with Vesper, you work with Rob. There are no layers of account management, no junior ecologists sent out unsupervised. Just direct access to someone who genuinely knows what they’re doing and cares about the outcome.
Why clients choose Vesper
Experience you can trust
19 years of fieldwork across Hampshire and the surrounding counties. We’ve encountered almost every protected species, habitat type, and planning scenario you’re likely to face.
A 100% planning success rate
Every planning application we’ve supported has been approved. We don’t over-survey, and we don’t under-survey. We give you what’s needed — no more, no less.
Honest advice
We’ll tell you if you don’t need a survey. We’ll also tell you clearly if something is going to be a problem, so you can make informed decisions early — not after you’ve started work.
Practical as well as academic
We’re not just a desk-based consultancy. Our conservation team can design a habitat and then go and create it. That combination of knowledge and practical delivery is rare.