It is this basic team that assists on each project. We then have a close association with various other professional consulting professionals, who we exclusively utilise on specific projects. Lastly, we have a large data-base of professionals or consultants who we call on, on a tender basis. The complexity of the project determines the composition of the final team.
Gavin Hellström
Gavin graduated from Rhodes University with Hons. in Botany and Geography (Plant Ecology, Surface Water Hydrology, Biogeography and GIS), a MSc in Environmental Impact Assessments, Coastal & Dune Ecology & Planning, & a Higher Diploma in Journalism. In 1992 he took up a position with Cape Nature Conservation, and in 1998 left the department as a Principle Nature Conservation Scientist. Work there included evaluating development applications & environmental planning. He joined HilLand Associates, as a partner, to assist the rapidly growing consultancy in facilitating development proposals, spatial & environmental planning and co-ordination of international projects in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania and Seychelles.
Permanent Staff
Our permanent staff consists of environmental consultants, support staff, private assistants and administrative staff.
Environmental Consultants
The environmental consultants have a wide range of training and experience in nature conservation, conservation ecology, zoology, botany, resource management and fresh water management. All the environmental consultants are practicing Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAP’s) with extensive Basic Assessment Reporting skills - in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) - with extensive experience in environmental control, monitoring and auditing. They all undertake general mapping, computer aided mapping and use geographical information systems (GIS).
Some specialist fields of the consultants include;
forest and woodland ecology,
silviculture,
fire ecology,
woodland ecology and community forestry,
terrestrial and aquatic ecology,
zoology, entomology and botany,
environmental management,
landscape planning,
aquatic parasitology and biodiversity,
geology and geography,
microscopy .
They undertake project management of the environmental process in terms of NEMA, facilitation of environmental authorisation processes, on site monitoring & environmental control,(ECO), environmental assessment & site evaluation, environmental compliance monitoring, damage assessments, development of environmental management plans & systems, environmental auditing and application for Outeniqua Sensitive Coastal Area Applications.
PA's and Admin Staff
Private assistants and administrative staff assist in communications, accounting, debtors / creditors, business administration and management, and legal administration - specifically ensuring meticulous record keeping in terms of the Environmental Regulations of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and other legislative requirements . Their extensive computer knowledge, good organisational abilities and skills enables the consultancy to function extremely efficiently, allowing the members to focus on the consultancy. They also undertake general record keeping allowing the consultants to focus on their specific projects.
Support Staff
The support staff assist the environmental consultants in carrying out detailed environmental specifications. These may include the clearing or removal of alien invasive plant and animal species, rehabilitation of degraded environments, maintenance of rehabilitated areas and construction activities.
Associates
During the 18 years HilLand Associates has been consulting we have developed a wide range of associates that we can rely on to assist us with any component of a project. The are projects that require specialist input - such as a Lepidopterist, Ground Water Hydrologist, Agronomist, Town Planner, Surveyer, Legal experts, Archaeologist and Sociologist - the expertice which we do not have in-house.
