Martin Kistell

Now working at EKFB (Kier) as a route wide ecology manager on the HS2 project. EKFB is a joint venture that brings together international, market leading expertise from four leading civil engineering and construction companies: Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall. All four partners bring specialist expertise in the design, construction, operation, financing and maintenance of railway networks, including the construction of one of Europe’s latest high speed rail projects. Previously a seasonal ecologist at WSP, working on both small and large infrastructure projects including high profile rail links. Varied duties included ECoW work on numerous sites, surveying for various species such as bats, badgers, reptiles, hedgerow, phase one habitat surveys and two seasons of GCN including EDNA sampling (currently working towards my license). Previously to this I took the initiative and opportunity to transfer a range of highly transferable skills from a proven successful career in the IT industry at the University of Huddersfield, one of the 32% of UK University’s to win the TFE Gold award. Following this, I completed academic studies at the Open University, then Nottingham Trent University on a BSc (Hons) degree in Environmental Conservation, gaining an excellent understanding of advanced ecology, environmental issues and environmental law. Leaving with a 1st class honors degree and winning two awards for the highest scores on my course and the best dissertation in the sciences division on "The success and failure of gully blocking on deep peat areas".