With 2021 truly underway, we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on the events of last year, and take a moment to appreciate all the progress, hard work and incredible support we and our clients have been involved in.
Covid-19
The ever-present cloud of Covid-19 has loomed over us as well as many other businesses. We’ve increased our virtual delivery on services and broadened our scope of work to assist our clients in this difficult time; the aviation and travel industry having been impacted enormously.
We, like most other teams, have had to adapt our work styles to accommodate the change in climate. Becoming Covid-safe has offered us a new outlook on the methods of delivery we are able to offer our clients on some services, increasing our digital abilities through necessity.
Team Development
Earlier last year we mentioned the addition of beekeeping to the services we provide one of our clients, and we didn’t stop there. Additionally, our staff underwent training for flow-gauge measuring and water-quality sampling, power-boat use and biodiversity net gain.
In early 2020 we said farewell to a member of staff, Charlotte, who had helped develop the relationship with our client-based workforce with major airport Heathrow. Despite some Covid-related complications causing delays to the recruitment, we were finally able to welcome new staff member Emma to our team in June.
Emma joined us during what can only be described as an abnormal year. Working alongside fellow Biodiversity Conservation Officer Charlie on-site with our client, she too has set herself up as an essential and enthusiastic member of our close-knit company.
Biodiversity Team
As with many areas, our Biodiversity Team have had to contend with increased site abuse in the form of littering, arson and anti-social behaviour. Having increased their presence on social media to ensure a positive and strong communication link with local residents and communities, the resilience and enthusiasm of locals has not least been inspirational but vital to the reduction of the impact on these areas. Not only have we been harnessing the involvement of client locals, but we’ve been employing assistance from self-employed industry personnel to professional businesses, broadening both our connections and support network for others.
As our workload increased, we saw ourselves purchasing valuable new equipment to better deliver a variety of services. With habitat management being the primary winter service for our Biodiversity Team, we have begun the journey into electric equipment. By using battery-operated machinery, we offer a more environmentally sensitive approach to delivering many arboriculture tasks, through reduced noise pollution and emissions.