Nature Recovery Team

The conservation team manage habitat restoration projects across the county and advocate for wildlife through a multitude of forums including the Local Nature Partnership and Nutrient Management Board as well as providing advice to landowners.

The reserves team oversee the management of 60 nature reserves, helped in no small part by our work party volunteers and voluntary wardens. As well as practical habitat management to keep our sites in optimum condition, they tussle with Rural Payment Agency funding claims; scheduling in graziers and contractors and keeping sites accessible to the public.

Head of Nature Recovery - Claire Spicer

c.spicer@herefordshirewt.co.uk

Woman stood by gate in field with two brown and white dogs sat by her feet

Nature Recovery Manager - Sarah King

Sarah King (she/her) s.king@herefordshirewt.co.uk 07377 526049

Woman in green coat smiling at camera holding plants — Sarah King - planting day in Lugg Valley

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.

Nature Recovery Officer - Holly Thompson

h.thompson@herefordshirewt.co.uk

Holly Thompson works as a Project Officer undertaking work to fulfil the aims of projects focussed on river health and climate change resilience within the farm landscape. The two current projects are called “Restoring Our Rivers” and “Wye Adapt to Climate Change” which mostly cover the north and west of Herefordshire and combines a mixture of farmer engagement, implementing nature based solutions and community action facilitation. Holly has also worked on the Local Wildlife Site project as part of the “A Wilder Herefordshire” team.

Holly previously worked as a UK Conservation Officer at Bristol Zoological Society, chiefly managing the white-clawed crayfish conservation breeding project. She was also responsible for native species conservation work at Wild Place Project involving protected species such as badgers and great crested newts. Holly enjoys all things outdoors and spring is her favourite season.

Nature Recovery Officer - Toby Fountain

Programme Officer, Wye Adapt to Climate Change? Project - Holly Williams

h.williams@herefordshirewt.co.uk / 07939 973640

Holly Williams, Programme Officer, Wye Adapt to Climate Change? Project

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

Severn Treescapes Woodland Advisor - Charlotte Bell

Nature Reserves Project Manager - David Hutton

Agricultural/Land Manager - Rebecca Meredith

r.meredith@herefordshirewt.co.uk / 07534106815

Woman in a white agricultural coat with a sheep and red rosette

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.

Ecologist - Esther Clarke

e.clarke@herefordshirewt.co.uk

Woman holding binoculars looking at camera

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.