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Wind energy has significant environmental benefits and government targets are driving forward the development of additional sites. However, there are potential ecological impacts and assessments to identify, avoid and mitigate these effects will be required through the planning process.

Larger developments require comprehensive ecological surveys to inform an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and our company is well placed to carry out these surveys for you. The first stage is normally to carry out scoping surveys to assess a range of potential sites and identify which are most suitable.

Most proposed wind farms will then require detailed botanical surveys to be undertaken, using the methods developed for the National Vegetation Classification (NVC). Such surveys can only be carried out by highly experienced botanists, who are capable of identifying the mosses, grasses and sedges that typify these upland plant communities.

Wind farms can also impact on bat and bird populations. Focused bat surveys will need to consider activity across and within a site and locate any roosts. Flight paths across sites also need to be identified and seasonal variation taken into account.

Specialist ornithological surveys are also often required to evaluate whether breeding, migrating or wintering species might be affected. Standard methods, such as those developed by Scottish Natural Heritage, will need to be employed.

Smaller applications for single turbines (microgeneration) often also require survey work - frequently focusing bat flight paths and roosts.