Project Portfolio
The following provides a selection of recent relevant projects HEL staff have delivered:
- Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Bidwells: HEL have recently completed PEA surveys across Scotland at numerous proposed small-scale housing development sites, including under Local Authority Call for Sites consultations. Follow-up surveys for Ecological Impact Assessment have been undertaken at various sites, including dusk emergence surveys for roosting bats and eDNA surveys for great crested newt.
- Peatland ACTION Peatland Condition Surveys – Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA): HEL have delivered peatland condition surveys for CNPA for a number of sites during 2022 - 2025. Along with peat depth, peatland condition assessments have been completed that include condition/feature type and dimensions, vegetation cover surveys and Herbivore Impact Assessments (presence of dung, prints, browsed shoots).
- Ecological Impact Assessment of Woodland Creation Proposals, RTS Forestry: Across several proposed mixed native and commercial planting locations in Perthshire and Stirlingshire HEL have recently undertaken EcIAs with survey and assessment of protected mammals, breeding birds, Schedule 1 raptors and black grouse. NVC/GWDTE survey, mapping and assessment have also been completed.
- Tree Bat Roost Climbing Surveys, Jacobs: During 2022 – 2025 HEL’s licensed bat surveyor team have undertaken initial and follow-up climbing bat roost surveys of trees along the route of the A9 dualling scheme.
- Fish and FWPM Habitat Surveys, Avian Ecology Ltd: During 2022- 2025 HEL have undertaken fish habitat and freshwater pearl mussel suitability surveys of over 10 proposed wind farm sites throughout Scotland. Surveys include the classification and mapping of all watercourses/waterbodies within site boundaries.
- Ecological Clerk of Works, Taylor Wimpey West Scotland: Over the last 5 years HEL have provided ECoW services on a housing development site in North Lanarkshire. Water vole and great crested newt translocations with accompanying habitat creation have formed an integral part of the development.
