Research examining the environmental impacts of harvesting marram in key coastel areas of the Western Isles

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) intends to award this contract under the conditions of regulation 33.4.b(ii) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) regulations. HES requires a specialist ecological consultant to continue delivery of an existing multi-year research project assessing the environmental and coastal implications of harvesting marram grass in the Western Isles, and determining whether, and how, marram grass can be harvested sustainably for traditional thatching. The project began in 2022 and is due to conclude in 2030. Four years of the eight-year programme have now been completed, including desktop research, baseline survey work, site selection, permissions, development of the trial methodology and initiation of the first year of cutting trials. The remaining work depends on maintaining consistency in methodology, site knowledge, data interpretation and stakeholder relationships across the full study period. The intention is to put in place a contract to allow completion of the research.