Land & Habitats Consultancy
Professional Advice for
Resilient Landscapes
Land & Habitats Consultancy restore and manage wetlands and peatlands.
We work with people who value both business and nature.
As where habitats flourish - wildlife will follow.
Land & Habitats Consultancy
Operating across Scotland, working to create resilience within landscapes and enhance biodiversity, so business and wildlife thrive.
For successful project delivery, we form strong and productive working relationships with commercial corporations, landowners and managers, contractors, consultants, Government agencies and NGO’s.
To facilitate solid knowledge transfer, we provide a service that combines on-site management with professional advice.
We value local knowledge, specialist contractors, researchers and advisors.
Our clients include whisky distillers interested in restoring peatlands and wetlands – creating landscapes of living water.
Core Team
Andrew McBride CEnv.MCIEEM
Principal Consultant advising on project planning, site management, policy and development planning. Providing technical advice for strategic guidance and optimising potential.
Specialises in peatland and wetlands and integrating these with different habitat types. Plus extensive knowledge of a range of habitats and land management aspects.
Manages tender procurement and oversees the work of peatland restoration contractors and surveyors.
When working for NatureScot, Andrew provided policy and specialist advice for windfarms, roads infrastructure and agri-environment schemes and was part of the team who developed Scotland’s National Peatland Strategy. In 2012, Andrew established Peatland ACTION, building a team of Project Officers who implemented projects across Scotland.
Ellen McBride
Project Manager and Coordinator, whose strategic approach is based on experience of collaborating with ecologists, clients, contractors and organisations, whilst also taking overall responsibility for running the business.
Routinely onsite, to gain knowledge and an overview of the projects.
A published writer, experienced at interviewing individuals and organisations for research for educational publications and feasibility studies. Clients include Scottish Enterprise (Borders), The Peatland Restoration Foundation and NatureScot.
Ellen regularly edits reports and management plans, to ensure the technical content is comprehensible to a diverse range of individuals - as our aim is to promote understanding without compromising integrity.
We believe in making decisions from the ground up
Project Management Services
Habitat creation & restoration
We value
- Local knowledge
- Innovative approaches
- Professional experience
- Science and research
- Strong working relationships
Project Design & Development
Decisions from the ground up
- Feasibility scoping
- Site assessments
- Management plans
- Organise site surveys & research
- Councils & statutory bodies liaison
- Contractor engagement & supervision
Quality Control
Maintaining high standards
- Surveys and monitoring
- Risk Assessment
- Regular site checks
- Liaison with contractors
- Engagement of specialist providers
Business & Community
Engage & understand
- Reports and management plans
- Feasibility studies
- Professional guidance notes
- Educational publications
- Liaise with illustrators
- Steering committees
- Small scale demos and events
Finding a Way Forward
Options for funding
Our experience includes funding applications and managing budgets.
Present funding opportunities include:
- Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund (NRF)
- Peatland ACTION
- FIRNS – The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland
Land and Habitats Core Team
Working to create resilient landscapes
Andrew & Ellen established their first consultancy McBride Habitats in 1997.
Their aim remains the same – to provide professional advice combined with land management, with each informing the other to create resilient habitats.
Andrew McBride CEnv.MCIEEM
Principal Consultant
Andrew was inspired to change from being a commercial grower to an ecologist after attending a talk by the botanist David Bellamy. Coincidentally, Andrew’s first conservation job was at the Whitlaw Mosses, where David Bellamy took his university students for fieldtrips. He never did meet David, but did host a visit from the botanist Francis Rose, who wrote The Observers Book of Wildflowers among other publications.
Ellen McBride
Managing Director / Consultant
Ellen grew up on a country estate, within a farming village, immersed in the seasons and wildlife. After training and working as a commercial grower, she also decided to change direction after the David Bellamy talk, going onto study Industrial Design (Textiles) at Heriot Watt University. Fortuitously, a range of experiences that have contributed to her understanding of land management, project delivery and collaborating with ecologists!
Promoting a greater understanding of natural habitats
Please email us at:
info@landandhabitats.co.uk
The following information is always helpful:
- Project size
- Location
- Timescales
Thank you for dropping by!
Resources
Additional information
Project Information: Peatland Action
Video: What wetlands can do for you (SNH/NatureScot)
Video: How ‘sinks’ regulate the climate (CNN)