Coles Development Consulting Ltd. provides consultancy services in all forms of rural business, community and not-for-proft development. Our Director, Dr. Chris Coles, is a trained ecologist and senior economic and community development practitioner. In autumn 2023, he became a tenant crofter in Gravir, South Lochs, Lewis. He is also a director of the community-owned Pairc Trust and Vice-Chair of the Co-Chomunn na Pairc cooperative trading body that, among other things, operates the community shop and hostel.
During his 20-year career in rural and market development, Chris has worked in Europe, Asia and Africa with individual smallholders and fishers and their organisations, and, at the other extreme, national Governments and organisations such as the EU, World Bank, multinational consulting firms and UN agencies. He has become a senior expert in the “market systems development” approach — which analyses and addresses root causes of observed issues for a more sustainable, impactful and scalable outcome — and authored a book on sustainable, inclusive rural economic development.
Chris holds a PhD in forest and bird ecology and is pioneering the use of drones for agricultural, forestry and biodiversity applications in the Western Isles. Our sectoral expertise also includes agriculture, horticulture, livestock and fisheries (marine, freshwater, capture and farmed), forest and natural products, and non-traditional industries such as infrastructure development, and financial and utilities services.
In addition, we have particular expertise in sustainable, pro-local tourism analysis and development, with deep knowledge of eco-, adventure and special interest tourism products.
If you’d like some support with business strategy, organisation development or tourism, biodiversity and food system related projects, get in touch for a free, no obligation informal chat about how we can help.
We can also supply photography, videography and mapping services through our stock image library or via tailored, commissioned work to meet your imaging needs.