Written by Fiona Torrance, Farmland Biodiversity Advisor
With most of Scotland managed for agricultural use, the biodiversity crisis will not be solved using nature reserves alone. Much of the responsibility for addressing this issue will be burdened by land managers across the country. Some may find this overwhelming, but if you manage land and have a passion for the environment, there are actions you can take and the GWCT’s Scottish Advisory team can help you achieve your environmental goals through a variety of services that we offer.
Over the past few years, our team has seen an increase in requests for biodiversity assessments. As awareness spreads, people have become much more interested in not only what wildlife and habitats they have on their ground, but crucially, what condition these are in. A property may have features such as margins, hedges and cover crops across the estate, but if these are not managed correctly, there may be fewer benefits for biodiversity than you might expect.
The GWCT’s Scottish Advisory team can undertake biodiversity assessments tailored to your own interests and requirements, identifying key habitats present, how they are performing for the natural environment and providing recommendations for measures that can be undertaken to enhance desired outcomes, resulting in improving resources for nature. By using a combination of desk-based study, walkover visits and data collection through the Epicollect app, we can provide clients with a comprehensive report with site specific recommendations. Utilising Epicollect allows us to capture GPS-linked data points with photographs, allowing us to map features and understand how they relate to the landscape, and to provide specific recommendations for improvement.
Biodiversity assessments can be completed for any size of property, with previous clients stretching from small land holdings to vast estates. Whether you’re looking for advice on habitat improvements or how you can increase a particular species, GWCT has ecologists who are specialized in a variety of fields, meaning we are able to undertake a broad spectrum of works across Scotland.
If you would like to discuss your requirements and how the process works, please contact scottishadvisory@gwct.org.uk.
For more information on this and the other services we offer, please click here.