Academy9 Awarded CIEEM “Best Practice – Knowledge Sharing” 2023 Award
We are delighted to announce that our Academy9 programme has been awarded the “Best Practice – Knowledge Sharing” award at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) Awards 2023.
CIEEM is the leading professional body that represents and supports ecologists and environmental managers across the UK, Ireland and overseas.
Protecting the Natural Environment
The natural environment is at the heart of any major highways project like the A9 Dualling programme. With the landscape of the Highlands being one of its most celebrated features, it is vital that we do all we can to maintain it and all of the living things within it.
Ecologists and environmental experts are key contributors in the planning and design phase of an infrastructure project; they provide the engineers with information that will help them plan the project in a way that best protects the natural environment.
Ecologists will carry out environmental surveys in the area where construction is planned, looking for signs of animals and important plants. We would want to ensure that species originally from the area (native species) are maintained, as they are better able to survive the weather conditions in that area and provide habitats for local animals.
When planning to build new infrastructure, we want it to enhance the lives of people while respecting the environment that surrounds the project. It is an aspect of planning and design that is not always at the forefront of people’s minds when they think about construction, however it is a vital component to supporting the natural world and ensure it is able to flourish in the future.
“The plants and animals don’t have a voice that can be heard, so we are that voice for them.”
An Ecologist, Academy9 Roadshow event
Learn More
You can learn more about how our ecologists and environmental experts feed into a project like the A9 dualling in our Roadshow II resource. Here you will find pre-planned, teacher-led sessions that give an insight into the wildlife on the area surrounding the A9, as well as the environmental considerations that a highway construction in a rural area can encounter.
Test Yourself
Why not give our drag and drop activity below a go and test your environmental vocabulary?
We love sharing our knowledge with all of you and we look forward to continuing to do so, to the best standard of practice, for years to come.
As always, please get in touch with us if there is anything you think the Academy9 team could support you with.
The Academy9 Team
Use the form below to ask how Academy9 can help you. Please note that this mailbox is monitored regularly. We will respond to all enquiries as soon as possible.
