Environmental solutions
Protecting and improving habitats for wildlife and people is a national priority. We have been undertaking transformational change with partners across Scotland to deliver an environment where nature can flourish.
What we do
Our expertise can deliver the social, environmental and health benefits of enriched ecosystems. Addressing the biodiversity crisis also brings opportunities to improve outdoor places for people to engage with nature, whether it’s restoring peatlands or creating pollinator corridors that connect across our urban spaces.
Establishing habitats that target the recovery of a particular species mix may be the sole focus of a project. However, often this is incorporated into the aims of our greenspace enhancement and woodland initiatives.
Our work includes planting and management plans for woodlands, hedgerows, grasslands, wildflower meadows, wetlands and riparian habitats. We also create open mosaic habitats which benefit a range of species and that incorporate bare ground, short grasslands, hibernacula features, bee banks and bird nesting opportunities.
We work with park managers to alter grassland management regimes to allow the creation of pollinator friendly habitats, to increase and diversify the planting mixes, and support the creation of long term and seasonal wetlands in public parks.
We know how environments work on a landscape scale, how they deliver nature-based solutions and perform essential natural capital functions. This is particularly relevant when it comes to landscape-level projects to restore peatlands and woodlands.
We deliver peatland restoration projects that allow degraded peatland to return to biodiverse, rich carbon sinks that help to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Our woodland restoration projects deliver similar outcomes.
To do this effectively, these habitats require support, management and often specific interventions. We undertake the right actions for each environment to ensure that nature can flourish to its full potential and deliver multiple benefits for people, wildlife and the Scottish economy.
Habitat connectivity is an important factor in halting biodiversity loss in Scotland. The creation of habitat or ‘nature’ networks and habitat corridors at a landscape scale helps to address the issue of habitat fragmentation across urban areas, giving species a greater chance of success.
When developing projects, we use online mapping tools and local knowledge, alongside undertaking habitat surveys, to ensure that our projects and programmes enhance habitat connectivity.
We also harness the latest available data, using tools such as NatureScot’s habitat connectivity indicator to proactively identify key areas to target with habitat creation or enhancement work across Scotland.
Featured Project
Habitat improvement was just one of several aims of this project in Shotts Nature Park. The existing overgrown pond was opened up, while new seasonal wetland areas were created to attract greater diversity of flora and fauna. Access, signage and drainage were also improved. Read the full case study for more details.
Existing pond overgrown
New wetland being created
Pond opened up
Richer habitat
Our Services
Whether you need a full end-to-end solution tailored to your project, are looking to commission specialist services, or are seeking a long-term environmental partner, we have a solution for you.
We can provide a complete end-to-end solution, from inception to delivery and ongoing evaluation. This puts us in a unique position to help you develop your initial project idea, maximise its potential, and see it through to completion.
If you’re looking to add expertise or capacity in specialist areas, rather than across a whole project, we can provide services on a stand-alone basis across a number of specialisms.
We can provide key elements of your project, such as contract and grant management, feasibility studies, GIS data analysis and mapping, or any component part of our complete end-to-end solution. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
A great deal of our work is done with long-standing partners, who trust us to advise and deliver on long-term strategies to help achieve big goals on climate, biodiversity and social change.
If you have a vision or long-term objective and need an environmental partner to nurture it over years, not months, we’ll be happy to discuss this with you.
Whether you’re planning a habitat project or need advice on incorporating biodiversity strategies into a site plan, the first step is to speak to us.
Project examples
We’ve worked to create, enhance and connect habitats across the country. Browse the gallery for a selection of our work and visit the projects page for more in-depth examples.
Blogs
Read our selected blogs and project stories related to this area of our work, or browse all articles on our Blogs page.
From feasibility studies to forests, grant management to greenspace, we can help to make your project a reality. It all starts with a conversation, so contact us now to get started.
