Nature Recovery Team

As the Nature Recovery Manager, I oversee a number of our landscape 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.

Having been a passionate naturalist my whole life, I perceive protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of our landscape as the upmost priority of my career and of any work that I engage in. As one of the Trust's primary field ecologists, I pride myself on being a generalist, with an extensive knowledge of birds, botany and butterflies in particular. I believe my generalist ethos enables me to perceive habitats in a multi-dimensional manner and give management advice which benefits biodiversity.

I have put this multi-disciplinary philosophy to good use working as project leader for HWT’s Local Wildlife Site project, as well as in Farming with Nature: HWT’s land advice consultancy. Through these means, I have gained hundreds of hours of experience surveying a wide variety of different habitats in Herefordshire ranging from ancient woodlands, grasslands, orchards and wetlands, giving me a strong insight into the distinctive ecological character of our beautiful county. I have also enjoyed working with a variety of different landowners in the county to achieve the best outcomes for wildlife and farmers who are passionate about our environment.”

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

Rebecca has grown up and runs her own commercial/pedigree sheep farm in the Wye Valley National Landscape. Working in the agricultural advisory and certification sector for the past 15 years, Rebecca has a wealth of knowledge of farming and land practices within the county. Since March 2024 Rebecca has led the Trust's consultancy service ‘Farming with Nature’ aiming to provide realistic and affordable help to farmers and land owners in the local three counties.

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.

Jenny Mottershead joined us from Radnorshire Wildlife Trust in 2024. She leads community engagement for the Restoring Bartonsham Meadows project working with schools, colleges and community groups.