Nature Recovery Team

As the Nature Recovery Manager, I oversee our landscape and nature reserve projects, working to restore and connect existing habitats and create new areas for wildlife to thrive. Through these projects I work with a range of partners from other environmental organisations to community groups and from farmers to schools.

My background is in wetland conservation, most recently I was working for Ducks Unlimited Canada and prior to this I worked with landowners to restore and create clean-water ponds for wildlife at Freshwater Habitats Trust. I am interested in how we can find the balance between having a landscape which supports a rich and varied array of wildlife, whilst having productive and sustainable farms and healthy communities, particularly in the face of the current climate crisis.

Holly is currently seconded to the Wye Valley National Landscape Team

Having worked on her family farm in Herefordshire for the past 20 years and within the farm certification and advisory sector, Rebecca has a wealth of on the ground, practical and legislative knowledge of the industry. Rebecca has joined the team to help Farmers discover their potential whilst in tackling the current issues farming and nature recovery faces across the Three Counties. 

Esther manages our team who look after the Nature Reserves. This involves administering projects and agricultural stewardship schemes, overseeing health and safety, regulation and legislation, advising and managing the staff, liaising with neighbouring landowners, graziers, volunteers and other stakeholders and taking the Trust forward with our vision for bigger, better and more joined up areas for wildlife and nature conservation.

Esther has worked in conservation and countryside management for over 20 years during a career that has taken her from Ayrshire to Bedfordshire via Chorley, Horley and Crawley! She has worked at Regional Parks, Country Parks and urban parks as well as Nature Reserves, managing people as well as habitats and even delivering some environmental education on the side. She firmly believes that people matter in conservation and without dedicated volunteers and members, generous funders, graziers who understand our objectives and members of the public who are on our side we can achieve nothing.

I am the Nature Reserves Officer for Queenswood Country Park and Arboretum. My duties include habitat, access, infrastructure and interpretation management, dealing with the public and supporting the work of our engagement team and other project work on the site, both within the arboretum and the wider ancient semi natural woodland. The work is carried out by volunteers, contractors and members of the reserves team. I liaise with the Queenswood Coronation Fund who advise on the care and development of the tree collection.

I particularly enjoy being able to respond directly to issues that arise on the sites, whether it’s a member of the public trying to find an individual adopted tree or organising and carrying out tree work after storm damage.