Recent Projects
Seagrass populations around the world have declined dramatically due to a variety of factors including nutrient enrichment of coastal waters. The Solway Firth Partnership recently commissioned Max and Siân to assess the status of seagrass populations of the Solway Firth and Loch Ryan. They have also undertaken a national research project on Scottish seagrass declines for NatureScot and are currently characterising all 11 Scottish Marine Regions in terms of coastal processes and associated habitats present in relation to national restoration planning.
Peatlands across Britain and Ireland have declined extensively over recent centuries due to harvesting for fuel, erosion and drainage for conversion to agricultural use. Max and Siân have undertaken assessments of raised and blanket bog SSSIs in England and have successfully completed a range of surveys including hydrology, vegetation communities (NVC), soils, and topography including LiDAR analysis to ascertain why sites are in unfavourable condition. Mitigation plans were developed to reduce erosion and aid the restoration of natural hydrological regimes.
Max and Siân carried out National Vegetation Community (NVC) surveys in the Upper Irthing catchment for the Forestry Commission and DEFRA’s Landscape Recovery Project. Surveys identified a variety of rare, species rich habitats including calcareous grasslands and upland hay meadows which will be used as the basis for future land management planning.
They have recently undertaken intertidal biotope surveys in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland for a range of projects including windfarms, harbour developments and a carbon sequestration scheme.Â
All Photos © Max Carstairs