Ecology Surveys

The Ecology Surveys involve visual inspection of the river and its banks and floodplains to work out which plants and animals have made their habitat on or near to those areas where we might construct flood protection measures. This is very important as many of the species which are native to Ettrick and Yarrowdale are protected and we are promoting this Scheme to maintain or enhance the built and natural environment in which it is constructed. All watercourses which flow into the River Tweed are designated as being Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and St Mary's Loch is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). All this means we need to carry out a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and work out ways in which we can mitigate the impacts of construction.