Home Search Annual Review / Environment / Natural resource management

Natural resource management

Our experience covers water resource management, biodiversity surveys, wildlife conservation, soil erosion and rural development.

We've worked on natural resource development projects since the construction of the Aswan Dam in the early 20^th century which unlocked Egypt’s agricultural potential. Today, our wide-ranging work – undertaking catchment management in China, biodiversity surveys and planning in post-war Iraq and strategic environmental assessment of fisheries in the UK – means that Mott MacDonald is a key partner for government, development and conservation organisations globally.

Conservation

Growing populations, expanding urban areas and infrastructure networks put pressure on pristine habitats. We have helped government and multinational agencies survey and develop conservation plans for threatened species, such as the Snow Leopard in Mongolia, and habitats such as the Eurasian Steppes in Ukraine, Russia and Moldova.

We also help our customers with solutions where habitats have been affected by over-development or severely damaged by uncontrolled resource exploitation. We prepared, for example, a strategic environmental assessment of near-shore shell fishing in the UK North Sea that the North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority uses to steer sustainable development. In Indonesia, we have developed novel strategies for the restoration of mangrove forests devastated by deforestation, allowing for sustainable economic development by indigenous peoples.

Sustainable resource development

Natural resources provide valuable economic and social benefits when sustainably developed with respect for the environment. We've carried out a ground-breaking strategic biodiversity survey of the main oil-producing areas of Iraq for an oil developer client, with a focus on wetlands and the aquatic environment. We also helped our UK client, Anglian Water, design and build a new bird reserve at Rutland Water to complement its strategic Wing Water Supply Project.

Aquatic environmental management

The aquatic environment is particularly sensitive to harm caused by the growth of urban and agricultural development. Through our work in the UK, we are leaders in relating changes in water abstraction and wastewater discharges to actual impacts on wetlands and surface water ecology. This has helped our water company clients to meet their obligations under European legislation in an evidence-based and cost-effective manner.

Climate change adaptation

Our changing climate adds impacts on natural resources to those of economic development. In the UK, we've advised water companies on long term reductions in water resources, and helped local authorities and environmental regulators plan for increased flooding risks, including from coastal inundation. In Bangladesh, we've increased the resilience of coastal communities to greater flood risks and saline water encroachment into freshwater fisheries. In India, we've advised farmers on adapting agricultural practices to changing climate.

Services

Agricultural and rural development
Catchment management and river basin planning
Climate change adaptation
Coastal and marine environments
Conservation planning
Biodiversity assessment and surveys
Ecological assessment and surveys
Environmental impact assessment
Fish and fisheries
Flood risk management
Mining and mineral extraction
Oil and gas development
Water resources management

Natural resource management

We work in some of the most complex environmental systems on the planet. Natural resources are a source of benefit for communities and economies, but we know they must be developed, conserved and managed sustainably to allow future generations to also benefit.