Projects

Site surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment

We carry out surveys of botanical composition, structure and state at a range of scales, using maps, aerial photographs, transects and grid survey. Supported by our GIS Unit and using satellite-based GPS for site location, output can be generated in a number of ways, including maps, contour diagrams and the presentation of point survey data. We have expertise in National Vegetation Classification, the survey of rare and protected species, and the assessment of impacts of herbivores on upland habitats.

Recent projects:

Botanical survey in relation to proposed windfarm development, Caithness.
Based on a grid survey, an assessment of the site was carried out to record the presence and percentage cover of higher plant species and bryophytes, and to classify the vegetation according to the NVC. The distribution of notified species was also recorded and an assessment of the hydrology of the site carried out. The output included NVC map information, a description of the soil types present, the hydrology of the site, and the potential impact of the proposed development on the peatland ecosystem.

Glen Fender Meadows SSSI: Management, Grazing Impact and Future Options.
An investigation to assess the impact of current management on the designated site. Options for the alternative management of the site were explored and costed, based on reducing impacts on sensitive habitats, while providing continuance of income generated from the grazing management of the site.

Fealar Estate, Perthshire: a land use and management impact study.
Impacts of wild and domestic herbivores were assessed, along with the effects of peatland drainage carried out in the recent past. Recommendations were made concerning sustainable management and restoration of designated habitats.

Assessment of grazing and trampling impacts in native woodlands, West Sutherland Deer Management Group area.
While scattered and limited in extent, the approximately 150 remnants of native woodland in the West Sutherland DMG provide an essential link with the past. They also present an opportunity to conserve and enhance a valuable habitat that has been much reduced over time by the combined effects of human activities and the grazing of wild herbivores and domestic livestock. A baseline assessment was carried out in 2002 and a photo archive created to provide a comprehensive record of the current status and act as a catalyst for appropriate management action to be taken in the future.