What Ecus does

Ecus, now operating as Cura Terrae Land & Nature following a January 2025 rebrand, is a Sheffield-originated multidisciplinary environmental consultancy serving UK developers, housing associations, infrastructure operators, energy and water utilities, local authorities, and planning/architecture firms. The firm delivers environmental services across the full project lifecycle — feasibility and options appraisal, design development and consenting, construction, operation, and decommissioning — through seven integrated practice areas: Arboriculture, Archaeology & Heritage, Biodiversity Net Gain, Ecology, Environmental Assessment & Consenting, Habitats, and Landscape. Services span protected species surveys and licensing, Environmental Impact Assessment under IEMA Quality Mark, BNG feasibility and design work, habitat creation and restoration, landscape and visual impact assessment, and heritage advisory services.

Technically, Ecus uses digital field data collection software (OTISS), CAD/GIS platforms (QGIS, Coreo), and the Statutory Biodiversity Metric to execute BNG calculations, and was the first consultancy to adopt the Mycelia (Verna) platform for BNG assessments. The firm holds ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certifications, Constructionline Gold, CIfA archaeological accreditation, RISQS rail supplier status, IEMA EIA Quality Mark, and SSIP / SafeContractor health-and-safety accreditations — a credentials stack that is effectively a precondition for tendering on regulated UK infrastructure and public-sector environmental work.

Revenue is generated through professional consulting fees billed via direct engagement with enterprise clients, supported by dedicated business development directors and practice-area leads across arboriculture, archaeology, ecology, environmental assessment, habitats, heritage, geophysics, green infrastructure and landscape. Ecus became part of the Cura Terrae group in 2022 and now operates as the group's Land & Nature division within a ~350-employee, 14-site UK group; in July 2025 the division acquired EnviroCentre, a leading Scottish environmental consultancy, extending its geographic and capacity footprint.

Name

Ecus

Legal name

Cura Terrae Land and Nature Limited

Website

https://ecusltd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ecus, now operating as Cura Terrae Land & Nature, is a UK multidisciplinary environmental consultancy serving developers, housing associations, infrastructure operators, utilities, local authorities, and planners across the full project lifecycle through seven integrated practice areas: arboriculture, archaeology, biodiversity net gain, ecology, environmental assessment, habitats, and landscape.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consultancy Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

EIA/ESIA Documentation & Technical Studies (Air/Water/Noise/Traffic) (EUAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Environmental & Permitting Execution Services (Erosion Control, Habitat Mitigation, Compliance) (EUAEADAL), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMP) & Permit Compliance Support (EUAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Environmental consultancy services
• Ecological surveys
• Biodiversity net gain
• Arboriculture assessments
• Landscape architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consultancy Services: Professional consulting fees for environmental assessment, ecological surveys, archaeological services, landscape architecture, habitat management, and arboricultural services. Services delivered across the full project lifecycle from feasibility through to decommissioning.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ecus (now Cura Terrae Land & Nature) delivers multidisciplinary environmental consultancy services spanning ecology, the historic environment, environmental impact assessment, landscape architecture, habitat creation and restoration, and arboriculture. Services are provided across the full project lifecycle from feasibility and options appraisal through design, consenting, construction, and operation to decommissioning, serving developers, infrastructure operators, local authorities, and conservation bodies in the UK.

Product overview

Ecus, now operating as Cura Terrae Land & Nature, is a multidisciplinary environmental consultancy offering seven interconnected service offerings delivered across the entire project lifecycle from feasibility through to decommissioning. The service portfolio includes Arboriculture Services (tree surveys, BS:5837 assessments, tree protection plans), Archaeology and Heritage Services (desk-based assessments, geophysics, excavation), Biodiversity Net Gain Services (habitat surveys, statutory biodiversity metrics, landscape proposals using QGIS and Coreo), Ecology Services (protected species surveys, HRA, EcIA), Environmental Assessment and Consenting Services (EIA, expert witness, planning support), Habitat Services (habitat creation, restoration, wetland/peatland work), and Landscape Services (masterplanning, LVIA, hard/soft design). These services are delivered by multidisciplinary teams that collaborate across disciplines to provide comprehensive environmental solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arboriculture Services Professional tree surveying and arboriculture reports including BS:5837 Tree Surveys, tree condition surveys, duty of care surveys, arboricultural impact assessments, tree protection plans, and arboricultural clerk of works services. The team uses digital data collection software including OTISS together with CAD and GIS.
• Archaeology and Heritage Services Independent guidance and support across the historic environment, including archaeology, historic buildings, and historic landscapes. Services span desk-based assessments and geophysics through to full excavation and fieldwork management.
• Biodiversity Net Gain Services Comprehensive services supporting clients in achieving Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets, including baseline habitat surveys, river condition assessments, design stage reports, landscape proposals, and habitat creation and maintenance. Uses tools like Coreo and QGIS for habitat mapping and analysis.
• Ecology Services Terrestrial ecological survey services from Preliminary Ecological Appraisals through to protected species and BNG assessments. Includes Habitats Regulations Assessments, Ecological Impact Assessment, and expert ecological advice across England, Wales, and Scotland.
• Environmental Assessment and Consenting Services IEMA Quality Mark certified environmental assessment and consenting services including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening, scoping, and Environmental Statements, expert witness services, and support across Development Consent Order, Hybrid Bill, and Town and Country Planning regimes.
• Habitats Services Habitat creation, restoration, and management services to support and enhance natural environments and offset ecological impacts from development projects. Includes woodland creation, wetland creation, pond restoration, peatland restoration, and protected species mitigation.
• Landscape Services Registered Landscape Institute practice providing professional landscape design and planning services. Services include landscape character assessment, landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA), hard and soft landscape design, landscape masterplanning, and landscape management plans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ trees and shrubs planted for Hope Valley Railway Upgrade including 1km of new hedgerow
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mycelia (Verna)coreTechnology or IntegrationFirst consultancy to adopt Mycelia platform (Verna) for Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments. Integration enables enhanced BNG calculations and assessments using the platform's digital tools.
• Volker Rail and Story ContractingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on Hope Valley Railway Upgrade for Network Rail, delivering biodiversity net gain for railway upgrade works including planting 40,000+ trees and shrubs.
• Arboricultural AssociationcoreOthersAll staff are members of the Arboricultural Association and hold Professional Tree Inspection qualification, maintaining professional standards.
• Cura Terrae GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcus rebranded as Cura Terrae Land & Nature in 2022, becoming an integral part of Cura Terrae - a leading UK environmental group. Benefits from group resources and expertise across 14 sites with approximately 350 employees.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tyler Grange: UK multidisciplinary environmental consultancy offering ecology, arboriculture, landscape architecture and BNG services to developers and infrastructure clients; the closest like-for-like UK specialist peer for Ecus' core practice areas.
• Aspect Ecology: Chartered ecology consultancy covering protected species, BNG, arboriculture and Habitat Regulations Assessments across England and Wales; competes head-to-head with Ecus for ecological survey and licensing work.
• Thomson Ecology: UK-wide ecology consultancy with strong BNG, protected species and habitat management services; overlaps with Ecus across ecology, arboriculture and biodiversity delivery to infrastructure and development clients.

Broad incumbents

• RSK Group: UK-headquartered environmental and engineering consultancy group with 15,000+ staff operating across ecology, EIA, BNG, geosciences and land remediation; a much larger incumbent that competes on framework bids and has been acquisitive in the same specialist market.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy with significant UK environmental assessment, ecology and BNG practice serving the same infrastructure and developer clients as Ecus, often bidding for the same EIA frameworks.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with a major UK environmental planning and ecology practice; competes for EIA and BNG work on infrastructure programmes. Notably WSP also appears as a named Ecus client in the supplied data, reflecting both collaborative and competitive dynamics.
• Jacobs: Global consultancy with UK environmental services (EIA, consenting, ecology, BNG) across transport, water and energy clients; a typical competitor for major infrastructure environmental frameworks.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consultancy with substantial UK environmental assessment, ecology and landscape practice; operates across the same development and infrastructure project types as Ecus.
• AtkinsRéalis (formerly Atkins / SNC-Lavalin): Major UK infrastructure and environmental consultancy serving rail, highways and energy clients; competes with Ecus for EIA, ecology and landscape services on large public-sector frameworks.
• Stantec: International consultancy with UK environmental planning, EIA and ecology offerings; serves similar infrastructure, water and development clients and competes on multimodal framework bids.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ecusenvironment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecus-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ecus