Carcant windfarm
Habitat creation and restoration
The Wildlife Partnership have planned and implemented the creation of new habitats, reinstated areas damaged during construction and are restoring valley woodland on the Carcant windfarm site.
The Carcant estate is dominated by a mosaic of dry heath, acid grassland, marshy grassland, conifer plantation, enclosed pasture, and modified blanket bog. The estate has been managed for many years as a hill sheep farm.
The Wildlife Partnership acted as the Ecological Clerk of Works on this windfarm development for SSE during construction and has been involved in all aspects of the development and monitoring.
We designed the 25-year Habitat Implementation Plan with the following aims:
- To maintain the number of black grouse
- To maintain the number of breeding waders
- To restore semi-natural habitats
- To reduce rates of collision with turbine structures
We have worked with SSE, the landowner, the tenant farmer and local contractors to implement all management prescriptions including creation of scrapes for waders, scrub and treeplanting schemes for black grouse, fencing and blocking of drainage grips. We have also liaised with the tenant farmer on bird collision mortality surveys.
Carcant scrapes
Hedgerow planting