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ESS Ecology collaborated with Morrison Construction and the City of Edinburgh Council, enabling the construction of additional classrooms under the Rising Rolls 3 programme.
Method Statements were provided for Protected Species Surveys for new class room developments at eight Edinburgh Primary School sites.
The primary schools where the new class spaces have been created are: James Gillespie's (four classrooms), Clermiston (four), Flora Stevenson (three), Gilmerton (four), Pentland (three), Ratho (four) and Wardie (two).
Surveys at five of these eight schools were carried out to assess the potential of trees identified for felling to provide roosting habitats for bats. Trees with high suitability for bat roosts were retained if at all possible, otherwise a licensed bat surveyor undertook an examination, ensuring an absence of hibernating bats prior to tree felling.
The school grounds and surroundings were also evaluated for their habitat potential for other protected species such as badger, otter, water vole and birds. In addition, ESS Ecology carried out badger surveys prior to the construction of new classrooms at Blackhall Primary School.
Recommendations were made to increase and protect the biodiversity of each school, building upon initiatives at several of the schools have existing wildlife gardens with bird/bat boxes, feeders and 'invertebrate hotels'.
ESS Ecology helped to guarantee that these projects were completed in time for the start of the new school year, while safeguarding the ecological diversity of the development areas.
ESS Ecology is proud to have been a part of these projects, helping to ensure continued sustainable development of community projects around Edinburgh.
