Large parts of the Heartlands / Polkemmet reclamation scheme were derelict for years but the area contains areas of ecological and wildlife interest. Within the site area around 83 hectares (ha) is bog land and where previously, a long time ago, this bog land was just one part of a much larger area it has been split up by argriculture, forestry and mining. The remaining bog has also been changed by drainage and peat extraction. What is predominantly left within the site is at Polkemmet Moor which is roughly 44 ha in area. The development work within the site will eat into this by about 12 ha leaving around 32 ha. However, the 12 ha lost will be replaced by the creation of nearly 25 ha of upland heath and wetland elsewhere within the site..

The Heartlands development includes additional land to the north and east which is dominated by improved grassland with smaller areas of arable, broad leaved woodland and a short length of hedgerow. Habitat loss will largely be restricted to improved grassland and arable, both of which are of low nature conservation value and the loss will therefore not be significant. With the exception of very short stretches where burn crossings will be constructed, all watercourses outwith the Polkemmet reclamation scheme will be retained. Woodland areas will also be largely protected and retained as part of the development.
The most important species present at the site is the humble little water vole, the largest community of which are downstream of the Polkemmet reclamation scheme around the Cultrig Burn. Water voles are also present along Bickerton Burn. All of the best water vole habitat will be protected and retained as part of the development with a wildlife corridor up to 60 metres wide established along the Cultrig Burn through the development areas. This will extend from the A706, upstream along the existing and diverted sections of the burn within the Polkemmet reclamation scheme, to its source within Polkemmet Moor. This corridor, together with the replacement channels of the Bickerton Burn within the golf courses, will incorporate additional water vole habitat that will link with the existing and retained habitats. In the future, therefore, it is anticipated that the development will have a positive effect on water voles, although there will be some temporary disturbance to these animals as a result of the construction work. However, the disturbance should not last that long and the water vole population eventually have an ideal environment in which to flourish.

In 2006 some migrant Sand Martins (Riparia riparia) nested in one of the working faces of the old bings. Apparently disturbed from somewhere else in West Lothian they made their temporary home on the Heartlands site. Ecosse Regeneration Ltd place great importance on the local habitat and are keen to ensure that existing homes of all sorts of creatures such as water voles are retained or new ones created. With this in mind the operations in the area where the Sand Martins had nested was stopped until the birds had migrated south for winter. Nesting boxes were created and placed at the side of the water feature beside hole 7 of the Donald Ross Memorial Course (West) away from all the excavation and mining. While the boxes are only a temporary solution it is hoped that if the Sand Martins return they will have somewhere safe and secure to nest and breed and become another member of the growing wildlifefamily being nurtured by Ecosse through careful habitat management. Very agile fliers, Sand martins are the smallest European hirundines (martins and swallows) and are usually found along rivers and other water bodies feeding mainly over water and will perch on overhead wires or branches. Increasingly they are beginning to habitat man made areas. Artificial nesting banks or boxes such as shown below are being created all over the country for this beautiful species which sadly seem to be reducing due to drought in the birds’ African wintering grounds. It is estimated that there are only now 160,000 UK breeding pairs. They have dark brown upper parts and dark under wings contrasting with otherwise pale under parts divided by a distinctive dark chest bar and more information can be found at http://www.sandmartintrust.org.uk/index.html