GCN eDNA testing
GCN eDNA analysis made easy with our professional end-to-end service
Tell us more about your project
We’re ready to deliver your GCN eDNA services
Thousands of samples processed every year
Same-day dispatch for kits ordered before 11 am
Dedicated customer service team
Great Crested Newt eDNA Surveys
A recognised method for confirming the presence of Great Crested Newts in ponds during mating season is the application of eDNA testing. You can be confident knowing we follow Natural England’s approved protocol (WC1067), ensuring our tests meet regulatory requirements.
Please note: eDNA sampling kits for GCN testing are ethanol kits in line with Natural England requirements. These differ from the filtration kits used for our other eDNA services. Following Natural England approved protocols, NatureMetrics GCN eDNA Sampling kits have a shelf life of 3 months, meaning you can store your kits for most of the season.
How do the NatureMetrics GCN eDNA kits work in the field?
1. COLLECT
2. STORE
3. SEND
Our user-friendly GCN eDNA service includes your iDNAture sampling kits and convenient tracking of orders with my.naturemetrics
Watch our GCN eDNA video below to learn more about the GCN eDNA testing experience with NatureMetrics.
Why NatureMetrics?
Strict adherence to the Natural England protocols for GCN eDNA.
The NatureMetrics sampling App lets you collect and submit field data on the go.
An efficient service: Place your order by 11 am for next day delivery. We release results on time and as quickly as possible, even if this is before your chosen turnaround time.
A partner who goes that extra mile for you. We understand the timely challenges associated with GCN sampling and in the past have hand-delivered kits all over the country when couriers were unable to assist.
State-of-the-art eDNA facilities that will process your samples to the highest quality.
Flexibility: no need to book an analysis slot for your samples, we have the capacity to process your samples whenever they arrive.
Guidance throughout all stages of your project cycle.
Robust quality controls performed throughout the process, exceeding the basic quality checks that are required by the Natural England GCN protocol.
We work with you to make sure invoicing is compatible with your internal systems.
NatureMetrics:
Behind the Science
We operate across more than 6,000 sqft of specialist eDNA facilities, enabling us to achieve a highly conservative and unidirectional workflow that is specially designed to eliminate contamination.
We use our state-of-the-art facilities for extracting DNA from environmental samples within a positive-pressure cat.7 cleanroom. DNA from all samples gets stored here, whilst a subsample gets transferred to a separate area for qPCR analysis.
See how the standard of our operations enabled us to achieve a 100% proficiency testing score (for the past five years!), when you step Inside NatureMetrics.
“Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful tool for providing biodiversity data. Only a few years ago ecologists were undertaking four separate site surveys to confirm the presence or likely absence of great crested newts in aquatic habitats. The advancement of eDNA technology revolutionised our approach to great crested newt surveys, and now only one site visit using an eDNA sampling kit is required to confirm the presence or likely absence of great crested newts. This makes a huge positive difference in terms of efficiency, cost, health and safety, and the carbon footprint of our surveys.”
– Luke Gorman – Professional Head of Ecology/Associate Director (Ecology) – Atkins
“In 2020, IES Consulting was contracted at very short notice to undertake eDNA testing on three sites in South Gloucestershire. We were right up against the end of the water sampling season, and Nature Metrics pulled out all the stops to make sure we had the test kits in time, including sending out new kits on a same day delivery when the original courier failed to deliver as promised. The customer service was exceptional, and the turn around times for the results was swift. They really pulled out all the stops to make sure we didn’t miss the end of the survey window. I have no hesitation in recommending them to all our clients, and we will be using Nature Metrics again in 2021.”
– Tilly Tilbrook MSc CEcol MCIEEM, Director, IES Consulting
Environmental DNA
Animals leave traces of DNA in water. This ‘environmental DNA’ can be captured by filtering the water with our custom-designed eDNA sampling kits. The filter is then sent to our laboratory for analysis according to the services you select.
We offer a wide range of biodiversity solutions
eDNA from water
DNA from soils and sediments
Invertebrates
