Ecological
Surveys Impact
Assessment
Conservation
NVC Phase 1 GIS
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HighlandEcologyecologicalconsultants |
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Ecological
Consultants, Ecological
Surveys
Stable Cottage, Strontian, Acharacle, Argyll,
PH36 4HZ |
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Close-up photograph of the bryophyte Orthotrichum cupulatum on Stirling Castle walls. As well as photography we also do film work. Recent clients include:
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Ecological Consultants based in Central and Western Scotland |
Consultants: Please click on the links below to get an up to date summary of their experience.
Tim Rafferty, MIEEM, CEnv
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Based in central and western Scotland, we are two freelance ecologists with many years of experience carrying out work throughout Scotland and also England. We are able to carry out a wide variety of services, ranging from Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) on construction sites, baseline vegetation surveys on uninhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides. Environmental and Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) Over the past 5 years we have been increasingly developing this role to the stage where it now constitutes over 90% of our work. We have have been employed as contracted environmental and ecological clerk of works with Hydroplan and Gilkes Energy Ltd on around 20 different projects of varying sizes with construction companies such as Morgan Sindall, DA MacDonald and MAM. We have also been employed as ECoW on met mast installations for AMEC on the consented Stornoway Windfarm project. Tim Rafferty is a full member of the Association of Environmental and Ecological Clerk of Works (AEECOW). Vegetation Ecological Surveys (NVC and Phase 1), Site Condition Monitoring The bulk of our work through our early years has been for Scottish Natural Heritage carrying out baseline NVC surveys throughout Scotland. This has given us wide insights into natural and semi-natural habitats and the effects of land management. More recently for SNH we have done a number of SSSI Site Condition Monitoring surveys, Habitat Condition Assessments and red deer impact surveys. We have also carried out numerous NVC surveys for the National Trust for Scotland, NTS.
Windfarm Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA/EcIA)We have carried out detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (ecological components, EcIA) surveys for several large windfarms in Scotland and provided input to several Environmental Statements. We offer the following services:
In 2008 one of our main projects was to carry out vegetation surveys and provide input to the Environmental Statement ES for the proposed Viking Energy windfarm on Shetland, the largest proposed onshore windfarm in Europe. As well as highly detailed NVC footrpint survey and wider scale Phase 1 survey we also devised and carried out a new blanket bog activity survey. Bryophyte surveyIn addition to normal vegetation survey we also offer specialised lower plant survey for mosses and liverworts. For example we produced a bryophyte flora for the Glencoe mountains of Scotland compiled from all available historical records (for National Trust for Scotland). Geographical Information Systems (GIS)Highland Ecology use the latest version of Manifold GIS (V8) to digitally map and reference survey data. We can supply datasets in most common GIS formats. We have been pioneers in the use of the iPad iGIS app in the field and this has transformed our fieldwork in terms of increased accuracy and efficiency of capture of field data. Alien Plant Survey and Control (Japanese knotweed etc.) We have carried out extensive river catchment surveys of alien plants (Japanese knowtweed, Himalayan balsam, giant hogweed) around Edinburgh for SNH. We have also provided advice on control and ecological clerk of works services to MacAlpines. Summary of ecological surveys and other types of work:
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