• Team

    Team

Interested in becoming one of the team? Take a look at our current job openings

Looking for some handy tips for starting your career in ecology or ornithology? (We all had to start somewhere!) Here are some handy hints here

David MacArthur

Director

David is an experienced ecologist and company Director with over 20 years’ experience in the environmental sector.

David founded MacArthur Green in spring 2009 with a vision of building a leading specialist ornithological and ecological consultancy with the purpose of working with key partners and clients to have a positive impact on the environment. This involved helping important projects succeed (such as renewable energy developments) and supporting industry research and guidance to inform best practice.

David is recognised as one of the leaders in his field within the renewables industry. He has experience as an expert witness in both ornithology and ecology and his combined understanding of these issues can deliver considerable value for clients.

Before MacArthur Green David worked with the Scottish Government’s statutory nature conservation advisor (Scottish Natural Heritage) and with ScottishPower Renewables as their Senior Ecologist.

During his time with ScottishPower Renewables, David was responsible for managing ecological and environmental policy issues and working closely with key statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.  At Scottish Natural Heritage David held various roles.  These included Natura 2000 officer with responsibility for designating National and European Sites (SSSIs, SACs and SPAs) and an Area officer advising on fisheries and wind farm developments.

David graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1998 with a degree in Ecological Science with honours in Wildlife and Fisheries Management. He went on to gain a Diploma in Economics (with Distinction) with The Open University. He subsequently gained a Masters in Economics (with Distinction) from the University of Strathclyde, specialising in environmental regulation and policy.

Sarah Sanders

Senior Ornithologist

Sarah is an experienced ornithologist and has been the lead author (ornithology) of various high profile EIA Reports, Habitats Regulations Assessments, technical reports and Habitat Management Plans for various onshore projects including: North Kyle, Stranoch 2, Tangy IV, Gilston and Hopsrig wind farms, Islay – North of Scotland Reinforcement Project (overhead lines) and Speyslaw and Milton Airfield solar farms. Sarah also manages sites through pre-construction, construction and operational monitoring and has been involved at the following onshore wind farms: Andershaw, Blacklaw, Dersalloch, Glen App, Hadyard Hill, Middle Muir and Whitelee. Sarah’s key focus is onshore ornithology and she is involved in managing all aspects of large-scale development projects from the design and scheduling of field surveys through to consultation with SNH, EIA chapters/HRAs and post-submission support. Her technical skills include ornithology surveys (scheduling and undertaking), viewshed analysis, collision modelling, population modelling, PAT/GET modelling and breeding wader territory analysis.

Prior to her time at MacArthur Green, Sarah worked for RSPB Scotland for over two years at the Lochwinnoch Reserve and then as the RSPB representative within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Sarah also worked as a volunteer for RSPB Scotland during her time at university.

Sarah has a BSc in Zoology from Glasgow University, where she was involved in the 10th year of long running ring ouzel surveys in the Cairngorms.

Natasha Woest

Consultant Field Ecologist

Natasha is a consultant field ecologist for MacArthur Green, having joined us as an Ecologist and Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW). Before joining us, and during her studies, Natasha has worked in various roles as a Seasonal Ecologist and an Ecologist/ECoW with consultancies in the northwest of England.  She holds a great crested newt (GCN) licence Class 1 and conducts various protected species, peat, ornithological and phase 1 habitat surveys. From the field to the office, Natasha project manages ECoW projects and writes various ECoW and protected species reports.  Originally from Zimbabwe, Natasha’s passion for the wilderness led her to volunteer as an assistant Zoologist at a local museum, and a fundraiser/animal socialiser for an animal rescue, of which she is still very active with.   Natasha went on to gain a BSc (Hons) in Wildlife and Practical Conservation from the University of Salford.  She followed on to graduate with an MSc at the University of Salford, with the Natural History Museum London, in Phylogenetics, Taxonomy and Biogeography and discovered six new species of frog in East Africa.

Kirsty MacArthur

Director

Kirsty is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the legal and contractual risks concerning MacArthur Green.

A qualified solicitor, Kirsty specialised in environmental, planning and consenting matters in the renewables energy sector prior to joining MacArthur Green. Kirsty’s most recent career involved working as an Associate for international law firm Pinsent Masons LLP. During her time at Pinsent Masons, Kirsty was seconded to the ScottishPower Renewables legal team for one year. This experience provided Kirsty with a unique insight into the legal requirements of renewable energy developers, including work in relation to onshore and offshore wind, biomass and marine renewables. She provided legal advice in relation to the first tidal development in the world in the Sound of Islay for ScottishPower Renewables, and also in respect of a prototype wave development at EMEC.

Kirsty gained her Law degree in 2001 from Glasgow University, her Diploma in Law (Glasgow Graduate School of Law) in 2002 and qualified as a solicitor in 2004. During her career at Pinsent Masons, she was recognised an Associate to Watch in Environment by the Chambers and Partners Guide (2010 and 2011). She was noted as ‘exceptionally bright and enthusiastic’ in the same publication. Kirsty subsequently went on to gain a Diploma in Environmental Law and Management.

Lindsay Fergusson

Senior GIS Consultant

Joining MacArthur Green in 2013, Lindsay brought with him a passion for the outdoors and a proficiency in the use of GIS and Graphic design packages. He provides GIS and Mapping Support to the MacArthur Green Team on a variety of projects, creating and maintaining environmental data sets and producing ecological, ornithological and peat maps for technical reports and the survey team.

In addition to his GIS and Mapping responsibilities, he is also trained in protected species (Otter, water vole, badger, pine marten and bats), peatland habitats and electrofishing survey techniques, enabling him to undertake field surveys carried out at MacArthur Green.

Lindsay also plays a key health and safety role in the company, providing support for all Lone Working surveyors.

Lindsay completed a BSc in Physical Geography at the University of Glasgow in 2007, returning as a post graduate in 2010 to complete an MSc in Geoinformation Technology and Cartography. He is also a member of the Association for Geographic Information (AGI).

Eleanor Stacey

Senior Ecologist

Eleanor Stacey is a Senior Ecologist with a focus on ecology project management here at MacArthur Green. She is involved in managing all aspects of projects from the design and scheduling of surveys through to data analysis and reporting, in addition to carrying out various field surveys. Eleanor brings a diverse range of skills in project management, tendering, data management, technical reporting, operational planning and health and safety awareness.

Eleanor has a First-class degree from the University of Southampton in Marine Biology with Oceanography, with nine years of experience as Senior Hydrographic Surveyor prior to joining MacArthur Green. She has attained her Yachtmaster Coastal ticket, with commercial endorsement, and was responsible for the safety of vessel and crew at sea whilst skippering and leading hydrographic survey teams. Her previous roles have involved planning survey logistics (including weather, tide, access) for projects including renewables and construction, collecting survey information and reporting to clients. When not at work, Eleanor volunteers at the Firth of Forth Lobster Hatchery, raising awareness of marine conservation

Professor Bob Furness

Principal Ornithologist

Bob is an internationally renowned ornithologist with a 35 year track record of high quality research and project supervision"

Bob’s work at MacArthur Green has involved strategic projects developing methodologies to assess or mitigate interactions between seabirds and renewables, for clients such as Forewind, US Bureau of Ocean Management, Marine Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Natural England, and Defra. He has also worked on a variety of site-based projects where impacts on birds are of concern, and on a wide range of issues related to bird conservation and adaptive management, marine fish stock assessment and fisheries management.

Bob is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Glasgow, a member of the Board of SNH, appointed Chair of the SNH Scientific Advisory Committee, on the board of the British Trust for Ornithology and an honorary member of the German Ornithological Society. He serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals including Journal of Ornithology and Bird Study.

Bob chaired an international panel of experts appointed by the Danish government to advise on the monitoring of environmental impacts of their demonstration offshore wind farms at Nysted and Horns Rev and has co-authored several recent papers in scientific journals on assessing the cumulative impacts of wind farms on bird populations.

Kate Hobbs

Senior Ecologist

Kate is an experienced ecologist and a Chartered Environmentalist with diverse project experience, having authored and contributed to numerous ecological impact assessments, HRA, ES and other technical reports and deliverables for projects based in the UK and worldwide, including contributing to the delivery of major infrastructure schemes.

Prior to joining MacArthur Green, Kate worked for a large international consultancy where she gained a strong ecological foundation and robust survey skills from conducting field surveys over many years, as well as gaining experience in managing projects and leading teams. Field work included ecological walkovers, protected species surveys (badger, otter, water vole, red squirrel, bat, GCN, breeding birds), Phase 1 habitats, environmental screening assessments, badger bait marking surveys, mitigation monitoring (replacement badger setts and otter holts), and ECoW duties. Kate had a focus on protected species, notably otter, and technical report writing as well as data management and GIS. Kate used her skills and interest in GIS to improve efficiencies in data collection and analysis within the team, as well as innovatively using remotely-sensed data to analyse spatial biodiversity to inform sustainable development abroad.

Kate graduated from the University of Exeter in 2012 with a First Class honours degree in Zoology.

Ewan Beveridge

Consultant Field Ecologist

Ewan works as a Consultant Field Ecologist for MacArthur Green and is experienced in conducting a wide range of field surveys. These include ecological surveys for protected species (including bats, otters, water voles, red squirrels, pine martens and badgers), habitat surveys (Phase 1 and National Vegetation Classification) and peat depth/coring surveys. He also carries out a range of ornithological surveys, such as vantage point surveys and those for breeding waders and black grouse. In addition, he has acted as an Ecological Clerk of Works for several renewable and infrastructure projects, and carries out data analysis and reporting.  Prior to joining MacArthur Green, he had worked in various ecological and environmental consultancies around Scotland. Carrying out a placement within the Peatland Action Team at NatureScot in 2019 also allowed him to develop a sound understanding of peatland restoration. Ewan has a passion for the natural environment and his interest in ecology has been fostered through voluntary experience with several charities, including Scottish Badgers, Trees for Life and Whale and Dolphin Conservation.  Ewan holds a BSc in Zoology with First Class Honours from the University of Glasgow and a MSc in Ecology & Conservation with Distinction from the University of Aberdeen. He is also a Qualifying member of CIEEM.

Dr Mark Trinder

Principal Ornithologist

Dr Mark Trinder has established a strong reputation for the delivery of population models and analytical assessments for the investigation of potential impacts on bird populations, particularly in relation to renewable developments.

His role at MacArthur Green is to lead on the delivery of onshore and offshore renewable projects and provide statistical and modelling support for the whole team.

Mark undertakes ornithological impact assessments for offshore and terrestrial wind farms and tidal turbine developments. He has been centrally involved in various strategic and industry guidance work packages. These have included methods for ornithological cumulative assessment of wave and tidal projects (for The Crown Estate), population modelling of gannet (for the Strategic Ornithological Support Services) and strategic assessment of collision impacts on birds migrating through Scottish waters (for Marine Scotland).

Mark has previously worked for both a large environmental consultancy and also in the conservation sector for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

 

Dr Shirley Raveh

Senior Ornithologist

Shirley is a Senior Ornithologist working in offshore renewable team at MacArthur Green. Shirley’s brings value to our team with her extensive research experience, along with project management and data analyses.

Shirley has a PhD from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, followed by a range of Postdocs, which focused on understanding on how organisms respond to challenges in their environment. She has worked on a wide range of study systems, from insects to mammals in different continents to answer complex evolutionary and ecological questions.

Pieter de Jong

GIS Graduate

Pieter joined the MacArthur Green team in 2022 to support the GIS team and the rest of the MacArthur Green. Prior to joining MacArthur Green Pieter was a Production Manager of Water Infrastructure at various festivals around the Netherlands. He is also a very active volunteer at the Nocrich International Scout Centre in Romania where he founded an international hiking competition, for which he creates cryptic maps.

Pieter received an MA in Geography from the University of Aberdeen in 2019 and then became a post-graduate at the University of Glasgow earning an MSc in Geoinformation Technology & Cartography in 2021, with a dissertation looking at detecting different types of grasslands using remote sensing techniques.

Dr Ross McGregor

Principal Ornithologist

Dr Ross McGregor has more than ten years of experience working on the interactions of seabirds and offshore wind farms as a consultant and statutory advisor.

His role at MacArthur Green is to lead on the delivery of offshore renewable projects.

Ross has worked on a wide variety of offshore wind farms at all stages of their development; from risk assessments of proposed areas in Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) to decommissioning turbines. He has been closely involved in the development of collision risk modelling as part of the steering group for the first offshore specific model in 2012 to managing the development of a new stochastic model for Marine Scotland. Ross has undertaken environmental impact assessment (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Appraisals and Assessment (HRA) for offshore developments from small schemes to very large (400 turbine) proposals. Ross has also completed work for statutory advisors in the UK, including guidance on offshore wind farm survey buffer sizes, development of decision support systems (DSS) to aid communications of advice to government and assessment of designated sites boundaries. He has been an invited expert on several project steering groups including the development of power analysis tools, generic population viability analysis assessment and species sensitivity to disturbance.

In addition to offshore wind farm development, Ross has completed work for local authorities, harbour authorities and the Scottish Government. This has included reviews of the scientific evidence for designated sites (Orkney Islands Council), advice on assessment of a the HRA for a port master plan (Orkney Harbour Authority) and methods for combining impact estimates.

Ross has previously worked for HiDef Aerial Surveying, Natural Power Consultants and Scottish Natural Heritage. He has a PhD in Zoology from the University of St Andrews and a degree in Ecology from the University of Edinburgh.

Jason Mackay

Senior Field Ecologist

Jason is an ecologist undertaking a wide range of field surveys including National Vegetation Classification (NVC) and Phase 1 Habitat Surveys, Habitat and GWDTE monitoring, Peat surveys including Peatland restoration, Protected Species Surveys, and Ornithological Surveys. He has extensive experience of carrying out ecological survey work on major windfarm sites’ and large infrastructure projects such as the Central and Northern A9 dualling sections and the Skye Reinforcement project to upgrade 160km of new power line. His work also includes data analysis and reporting.  Jason previously practised as a solicitor specialising in Planning and Environmental law, and re-trained with the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) while extending his academic studies with the Open University, gaining a Professional Development Award in Ecological Surveying and HND in Natural Sciences respectively, focusing on specialist practical field skills in a wide range of ecological disciplines. He has a wide range of expertise in field ecology with the ability to design and implement ecological surveys. He has extensive understanding of the ecological and environmental issues that influence any habitat.  Jason is also qualified as a Marine Mammal Observer with experience of boat surveys for cetaceans and seabirds. He is also a qualified mountain leader, has a BA(Hons) in Commerce from Napier University and also holds a wide range of RYA accredited marine qualifications.

Taylor Hutchinson

Field Surveyor (Ecology / Ornithology)

Taylor works as a Field Surveyor (Ecology/Ornithology) for MacArthur Green and conducts a wide range of surveys throughout Scotland such as protected species, peat, water quality, vantage point, and breeding bird surveys.

Prior to joining MacArthur Green, Taylor worked seasonal ornithology and ecology surveys in the Scottish Cairngorms. He has also gained fieldwork experience outside of the UK catching bats with mist nets, conducting research on nesting hawksbill turtles in Tobago as well as 6 weeks in eastern Iceland investigating the diet composition of a not-so-friendly colony of arctic terns, and a much more friendly colony of puffins.

Taylor holds a BSc in Zoology (2019) and an MRes in Ecology & Environmental biology (2020), both from the University of Glasgow.

Rafe Dewar

Principal Ornithologist

Rafe has over 15 years of ornithology and ecology experience in the consultancy sector and has been the lead author of various high profile EIA Reports, Habitats Regulations Appraisals, technical reports and Habitat Management Plans for large offshore and onshore infrastructure projects, including Clash Gour, Glenshero, North Lowther Energy Initiative, Berry Burn and High Constellation onshore wind farms; East Anglia, ONE North and TWO, Galloper and Hornsea offshore wind farms; MeyGen Tidal development; A9 road dualling; and Grangemouth Flood Defence Scheme.

Rafe has managed projects through all aspects of large developments from scoping to public hearings, and operational monitoring.  His technical skills include ornithology and ecology surveys, collision risk modelling, population modelling, habitat management techniques, habitat loss calculations, R software programming and various data analyses.

Rafe graduated from the University of Glasgow with a BSc. (Hons.) in Zoology, and went on to gain a MSc. (Distinction) in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Edinburgh.

Miles Wheeler

Ornithologist

With over 20 year’s bird survey experience, Miles is a key member of the MacArthur Green ornithology team. He is field based and works on sites throughout Scotland, conducting the full range of ornithology surveys including Vantage Point, Scarce Breeding Birds, Black Grouse and Winter Walk Over.

As a committed birder, Miles has travelled extensively throughout the globe and his ‘life list’ is enviable. Prior to joining MacArthur Green in 2012, Miles had clocked up over 17 years working as a bird surveyor and recorder for projects managed by, amongst others, The British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Fraser Hickson

Ecology / Field Administrator

Fraser joined MacArthur Green in 2022 as an Ecology Field Administrator to help support the team during the busy summer period. Before joining the company, he was involved with a local refugee charity and, having learnt about the growing number of climate refugees, decided that he wanted to get involved with climate change prevention and mitigation.

Fraser studied Geography at the University of the Highlands and Islands where he achieved a BSc (hons) 2.1. For his undergraduate dissertation Fraser used GIS to map Lyme Disease hotspots and participant locations in order to determine who was most at risk and how much awareness participants had of the disease. He then went on to successfully obtain a MRes in Human Geography from the University of Glasgow, graduating in 2020.

Professor Jason Matthiopoulos

Principal Modeller and Statistician

Professor Jason Matthiopoulos holds a personal chair in Spatial and Population Ecology at the University of Glasgow.

He is a mathematical and statistical ecologist who carries out diverse work on animal behavioural modelling, analytical population and metapopulation dynamics, demographic inference from sparse population data, spatial population dynamics, the statistical modelling of species distributions and the modelling of individual animal movement.

He is currently working to develop efficient statistical methods for linking the dynamics of populations with their spatial distribution and resource availability. His academic work (more than 80 high impact peer reviewed publications) aims to integrate traditional mathematical modelling with modern statistical inference (e.g. hierarchical models, state-space models, hidden Markov models). His applied work (more than 30 government reports) has focused on the trade-offs between wildlife conservation and human priorities (e.g. efficiency and design of protected areas, environmental impact assessment, resource management compatible with conservation, and productivity/biodiversity trade-offs).

Since 1998, his work has been instrumental in the design of policy on mammals and birds by UK government departments (MAFF, DEFRA, JNCC, DECC, SNH, Forestry commission, SCOS). He is the recipient of several international awards for scientific excellence, has long-term experience as associate editor in top ecology journals (Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Biology Letters, Journal of Applied Ecology). Jason has authored the highly successful postgraduate textbook “How to be a Quantitative Ecologist: The 'A to R' of Green Mathematics and Statistics”.

Joyce Reid

Ornithologist

Joyce is a key member of the MacArthur Green ornithology team, with over 20 year’s bird survey experience. She is field based and works on sites throughout Scotland, conducting the full range of ornithological surveys including Vantage Point, Scarce Breeding Birds, Black Grouse and Winter Walk Over.

Prior to working with MacArthur Green, Joyce spent over 25 years working as a countryside ranger at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. Alongside other wildlife monitoring there she has been heavily involved in monitoring hen harrier in the Renfrewshire Heights SPA and the installation of CCTV nest cameras. An enthusiastic birder, Joyce has also assisted licenced ringers at Schedule 1 nest sites, including providing rope access to cliff nests.

Cara Wilson

Environmental Consultant 

Cara works as an Environmental Consultant for MacArthur Green. Prior to joining us she was employed by an international engineering and environmental consultancy as a Bid Coordinator, and also as an EIA Assistant within their Environment Team during her Master’s degree in Environmental Studies. In 2020 she held the role of Earth Hour Coordinator within the Campaigns Team at WWF Scotland.

Cara holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Geography from the University of St. Andrews and the Masters in Environmental Studies (University of Glasgow).

Brian Henry

Principal Ecologist

Brian has been with the team almost since MacArthur Green began, and is an experienced Principal Ecologist with a number of specialist survey skills and project management experience.

His main focus for MacArthur Green is on delivering high quality vegetation and habitat survey data, reports and impact assessments, with a particular focus on National Vegetation Classification (NVC) surveys. Brian also provides Phase 1 habitat surveys, GWDTE surveys, and Peat Depth and Blanket Mire Condition surveys. He has provided these surveys for a wide range of clients within the renewables, forestry, roads, housing and mining sectors. Recent large project examples include delivering the NVC surveys for both the Central and Northern A9 dualling sections, covering a survey reach of over 70km.

Brian is an experienced project manager, and manages a number of ecology, ornithology and peat projects to ES submission with preparation of associated ES chapters, EcIA’s and HRA’s.

He is also experienced in conducting and providing protected species surveys and licencing, fisheries habitat surveys, ornithological surveys, ECoW services, and species and habitat management plans and monitoring. 

Brian graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2005 with a First Class honours degree in Physical Geography.  He also gained a Masters degree with Distinction in River Basin Management from the University of Stirling in 2009.

Lisa Marshall

GIS Consultant

Lisa joined MacArthur Green in 2020 and provides GIS support to the whole MacArthur Green team. She processes and maintains a wide range of ecological, ornithological, hydrological and peat datasets, and produces figures for technical reports and the team going out in the field. She loves spending time outside and occasionally assists in the field doing peat probing work and bat detector collection.

Lisa has a MSc (with Distinction) in Quantitative Methods in Biodiversity, Conservation and Epidemiology (2020) and a Bachelor in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (2013) from the University of Glasgow. She is a member of the Association of Geographic Information (AGI).

Fiona Hutton

Ecology Field Administrator

Fiona joined MacArthur Green at the end of 2022 as Ecology Field Administrator.  Previous to this, Fiona lived and worked on the Isle of Canna, where she ran the Guest House, delivered the post and maintained the off-grid energy system, as well as acting as a director for the Community Trust. 

She gained a BSc Environment in 2004 from Glasgow Caledonian University and an HNC in Zoological Sciences from Aberdeen University in 2008.  Fiona has a strong passion for marine mammals and has undertaken a lot of survey work for Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust and Sealife Surveys on the Isle of Mull, as well as bottlenose ID in the Moray Firth.  She also worked for Scottish Wildlife Trust at the Loch of Lowes visitor centre in Dunkeld, where she enjoyed educating visitors on the local ospreys, red squirrels and pine martens

fiona.hutton@macarthurgreen.com
Judy McKay

Business Operations and Carbon Manager

Judy has a unique role in MacArthur Green. Her skillset means she is ideally placed to lead and manage the company operations and carbon emissions. Judy’s innovative thinking not only ensures the smooth running of the business, she also integrates the delivery of MacArthur Green’s environment plan into the day to day running of the business (and improving it). In particular, Judy’s diligent and creative thinking helps position MacArthur Green as a true leader in adopting Carbon Negative Business practices, whether in relation to our Carbon Management Plan or Lochgair Management plan or client carbon calculator assessments.

Jamie McPike

Consultant Ornithologist

Jamie is an avid birder and highly experienced surveyor, having conducted the full range of ornithology surveys across Scotland for over 3 years. Alongside his fieldwork, Jamie also manages MacArthur Green’s onshore ornithology data and assists with technical and scoping reports.  Prior to joining MacArthur Green in 2019, Jamie achieved a BSc Hons (First Class) in Applied Bioscience and Zoology from the University of the West of Scotland.

Jamie Balfour

Graduate Ecologist

Jamie joined MacArthur Green at the beginning of 2023. Prior to this, he participated in a number of voluntary positions including carrying out breeding bird surveys for the British Trust for Ornithology, investigating the use of road tunnels by hedgehogs in a project for the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and interned with an NGO in Belize surveying for crocodiles. He was employed as a seasonal ecologist in the summer of 2022, carrying out bat dawn and emergence surveys all over central Scotland and northern England.

Jamie obtained a BSc in Animal Biology in 2019 from Edinburgh Napier University, with his dissertation investigating the habitat preferences of African elephants in South Africa, before going on to achieve an MSc in Wildlife Biology and Conservation at the same institution in 2020.

Gillian Clark

Health and Safety Manager

Gillian Clark is responsible for the management of all Health & Safety matters within MacArthur Green, providing practical advice, support and recommendations regarding health & safety policy, procedures and legislation. Gillian helps MacArthur Green to build a closer working relationship and greater co-ordination with our clients on health and safety matters.

Gillian is a Chartered IOSH member with over fifteen years Health & Safety experience. She has worked as a consultant within the renewables sector, petrochemical industry, major civil projects, and conservation renovations (including Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage projects).

In addition to her role with MacArthur Green, Gillian also holds the role of Chief Executive for the Forestry Industry Safety Accord (http://www.ukfisa.com/).

Gillian has a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Further qualifications include NVW Level 4 Health & Safety, NEBOSH Environmental Management Diploma, and NEBOSH Health & Safety Diploma.

Sharon Stewart

Office Manager

Sharon’s role as Office Manager is pivotal to the smooth and efficient running of MacArthur Green. She not only runs our internal audits in accordance with the ISO management system and manages tendering and supplier databases, but also supports our busy field survey work by coordinating with landowners, making accommodation bookings and confirming site access. Sharon’s background working in legal, financial and insurance companies means she has an innate ability to diligently see things through to completion, leaving no stone unturned. Her proactive organisational skills means our team are fully supported in all of the work that they do.

Eilidh Simon

Graduate Ecologist

Eilidh joined Macarthur Green at the beginning of 2023. Eilidh will be working as an Ecological Clerk of Works, helping our clients meet ecological planning conditions for wind farm developments. Her role involves managing the risks on construction sites associated with biodiversity features, supporting clients with practical and cost-effective ecological advice to adhere to environmental legislation whilst safely progressing with the construction process. Prior to this, she worked for the Scottish Government in the Agriculture and Rural Economy department.

Eilidh has experience undertaking bat dawn and dusk surveys, ornithology surveys and many protected species surveys including badger, water vole and otter. Prior to joining MacArthur Green she collaborated with organisations such as The Conservation Volunteers, Loch Lomond National Park and the International Otter Survival Fund.   

Eilidh holds a BSc in Zoology with First Class Honours from the University of Glasgow (2021).

Dr Rob Sutton

Principal Hydrologist

Rob is a Principal Hydrologist providing input into a wide range of MacArthur Green’s projects including environmental assessments and ecological clerk of work services.

Rob has over ten years’ experience working as a technical lead and project manager within a range of hydrological, hydraulic and sediment transport projects across the UK. This work has included surveying, monitoring, modelling across high and low flows as well as delivering on a wide range of environmental assessments for a variety of development types. Most recently his work has focussed on water resource and drought planning for Welsh Water.

Prior to joining MacArthur Green, Rob spent several years working on water resource studies for water utility companies including a period seconded to Scottish Water as the leading Hydrologist for Drought Planning of Scottish water resources. Driven by the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, he also led a team of hydrologist assessing yield and water resource abstraction throughout Scotland. This work led to the development in the understanding of low flow modelling and assessments for Scottish ground and surface water courses.

Rob has a BSc (Hons) in Geography (Earth Studies) and a PhD entitled 'Monitoring and Modelling Flow and Suspended Sediment Transport Processes in Abandoned Channels' from the University of Exeter.

Victoria Houston

Invoicing and Database Manager

Vicki joins the MacArthur Green team as an experienced financial administrator, with a strong technical skillset and genuine enthusiasm for data and systems.  A rare find, Vicki operates our time recording software with a smile, and brings her flair for problem solving and analytical thinking to any tricky problem.

Aside from all this, Vicki happens to be the proud owners of an MSc in Mobile Web Development (with Distinction) from the University of West of Scotland, and a BSc in Internet Technologies (with Distinction) from the University of Paisley

Hannah Coburn

Field Surveyor (Ornithology & Ecology)

Hannah is a Field Surveyor (Ornithology & Ecology) with the MacArthur Green team. Her role involves carrying out surveys of flight activity, breeding birds, and black grouse, as well as some ecological fieldwork.

Hannah recently graduated with a first in BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Ecology) at the University of Edinburgh. She has a range of ornithological experience, including farmland bird, breeding bird and wetland bird surveys with the BTO and RSPB, as well as volunteering at various bird observatories. She has previously been employed as a seasonal ecologist, during which she carried out dawn and dusk bat surveys. Hannah is also a keen birder and a trainee bird ringer.

Dr Nicola Goodship

Senior Ornithologist

Nicola’s role at MacArthur Green involves project management, technical input and consultation to successfully deliver environmental assessments for a range of onshore and offshore developments.

With over ten years of ornithology experience in the consultancy sector, Nicola has specialised in projects involving estuarine and marine birds. Prior to joining MacArthur Green, Nicola held various roles as an ornithologist including project manager, data analyst and surveyor and has contributed to a broad range of schemes from offshore renewable projects (wind, wave and tidal power development) to onshore energy projects and transport infrastructure. Nicola has been involved in various technical ornithological work including calculating population estimates, Distance density analysis and GIS spatial analysis. She has also authored and contributed to a range of reports including baseline reports, Habitats Regulations Assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments.

Nicola graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a BSc in Zoology and an MRes with Distinction in Animal Physiology / Energetics. Her PhD at Cardiff University in Animal Behaviour and Endocrinology was titled ‘Endocrine control of nestling begging behaviour in the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)’.

Flora Gillies

Consultant Ecologist

Flora manages the bat projects within MacArthur Green and conducts a wide range of field surveys including protected species, peat and National Vegetation Classification (NVC) surveys. Flora also carried out data analysis and reporting.

Prior to joining MacArthur Green, Flora worked for a couple of consultancies, primarily conducting dawn and dusk bat surveys as a seasonal ecologist. Having a keen interest in the outdoors and wildlife, she also volunteered with the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel Project for SWT, The Borders Forest Trust and the Tweed Valley Osprey Project.

Flora holds a BSc (Hons) in Animal Biology from Edinburgh Napier University.