Peatland ACTION FW02 Field Ecologists Framework

The NatureScot‑led Peatland ACTION programme is a Scottish Government initiative designed to accelerate the restoration of degraded peatlands across the country, thereby enhancing carbon sequestration, biodiversity and water‑quality benefits. The current call concerns the appointment of Field Ecologists who will operate within this framework, providing specialist expertise to support species and ecological survey activities that underpin restoration interventions on eligible peatland sites. These professionals will collaborate closely with the Peatland ACTION Technical Team and Project Officers situated nationwide, helping to ensure that restoration work is evidence‑based and ecologically sound.

The role requires field ecologists to collect, analyze and report on biological data for a portfolio of peatland restoration projects. Their work will involve conducting species inventories, habitat assessments and monitoring protocols that guide restoration planning and adaptive management. The contract is recurrent, with additional notices to be issued before the current term expires, and will be awarded on a quality basis that emphasises key personnel expertise.

Applicants must possess advanced skills in peatland ecology and be able to conduct comprehensive species and habitat surveys.

NatureScot work to improve our natural environment in Scotland and inspire everyone to care more about it. We work to ensure that all nature in Scotland - our key habitats and landscapes, all our green space and our native species - are maintained, enhanced and bring us benefits. Our priority is a nature-rich future for Scotland and an effective response to the climate emergency.
Peatland ACTION funding - from Scottish Government - primarily supports on-the-ground peatland restoration activities and is open for applications from eligible land managers who have peatlands that would benefit from restoration. There are no geographical restrictions or target areas for Peatland ACTION funding. Peatlands are an iconic part of the Scottish landscape and have many benefits for people and nature. Healthy peatlands provide important ecosystem services including storing and sequestering carbon, supporting unique and specialised biodiversity, improving downstream water quality, and regulating water flow to provide natural flood management. In contrast, damage to peatlands reduces or reverses these benefits. For example, degraded peatlands release stored carbon and are a major global source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Peatland ACTION is led and funded by Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with NatureScot, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority, Forestry and Land Scotland, and Scottish Water.
Since 2012, Peatland ACTION has set over 66,000 hectares of degraded peatland on the road to recovery, but this effort needs to accelerate rapidly in the coming years to help address the twin crises of the climate emergency and biodiversity loss.
The appointed Field Ecologists will work with the Peatland ACTION Technical Team and Project Officers located across Scotland to help support species and ecological survey requirements for Peatland ACTION restoration sites.

Information about variants:

Variants will be accepted: No

Information about options:

Options: No

Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:

EN

Conditions for opening of tenders:

Date: 06/11/2026

Local time: 12:00

Information about recurrence:

This is a recurrent procurement: Yes

Estimated timing for further notices to be published:

Prior to the expiry of the contract including any extension periods exercised.

This contract is divided into lots: No

Description of the procurement:
The primary role for the appointed Field Ecologists will be to carry out protected species surveys on request, which may include surveys for breeding birds (including Schedule 1 species), raptor roosts, mammals, freshwater pearl mussel, reptiles, or plants.
Field Ecologists must be suitably skilled and experienced in carrying out a range of species surveys of this nature. Surveys conducted prior to peatland restoration work commencing on site will be used to plan the restoration work and ensure all project personnel (agents, contractors / workers) are aware of the presence of any protected species on site and any mitigation and licensing requirements.
Surveys conducted during restoration works will also be used to provide continued ecological support to project personnel, including mitigation requirements, safe working distances/buffer zones, preparation of species protection plans and may include giving toolbox talks.
Place of performance:
NUTS code:
UKM
Award criteria:
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Geographic Region / Weighting: Information Only
Quality criterion: Key Personnel / Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion: Data Management and Submission Processes / Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion: Capacity and Resourcing / Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion: Health, Safety and Remote Site Working / Weighting: 15%
Quality criterion: Sustainability / Weighting: 5%
Quality criterion: Fair Work First / Weighting: 5%
Price / Weighting: 30%
Duration of the contract:
Start: 18/01/2027
End: 31/03/2027
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Annual extension available until 31 March 2031