AGM 2023

Trustee

Born and bred near Eastwood on the edge of the Erewash Valley in west Nottinghamshire, I first became interested in the natural environment whilst studying for my A levels. I soon joined the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust in 1987 and went on to study environmental management at university.  It was a placement working on a bird-rich wetland nature reserve in southern Germany that really cemented my interest in pursuing a career in nature conservation.

After taking a post-graduate course in conservation management, I briefly worked for the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and the Countryside Council for Wales before joining English Nature as a conservation officer for Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire in 1996. It was during this time that I was involved in the protection and notification of new Sites of Special Scientific Interest (including the Trust’s Misson Carr and Besthorpe nature reserves) and the designation of the Charnwood Lodge and Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserves.  For the past 10 years I have worked for Natural England’s national Protected Sites Team as a senior regulation and enforcement specialist adviser.

Now residing in Calverton with my wife Vicky and my 13-year-old twins, when I have the time and energy I enjoy keeping fit, playing six-a-side football badly, live music, hillwalking, birdwatching and following the trials and tribulations of Notts County football club.

I’m the CEO of It’s in Nottingham, an independent not-for-profit organisation with the primary purpose of supporting and collaborating with retail, hospitality, leisure, and office sector businesses to achieve economic growth across Nottingham city centre.

As part of our overall strategy for the city, It’s in Nottingham focus a significant amount of resource into achieving a green and healthy living city, a strategy which is very close to my heart. As well as enjoying the wellness benefits of the city's green spaces, I live close to Cotgrave Country Park in Nottinghamshire and I feel very fortunate to have Nottinghamshire’s open countryside on my doorstep.

Prior to this role, my career has been focused on managing major leisure and tourism assets both in the UK and Australia.  This includes full accountability for the management of a pristine 365ha Alpine Village and Ski Resort in the Victoria Alps.  

Outside of work I have a lifelong passion for adventure sports, especially in an alpine environment.  This interest has given me the unique opportunity to appreciate the importance of conservation and visit some very remote areas around the world.

I look forward to supporting the NWT team as a trustee.  A key focus for me will be to positively encourage as many people as possible to take action to support nature in their respective local communities.  

Hello, I am Ruben Borsje, and I am a co-opted Trustee for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.  

I was born and raised in the Netherlands but in 2019 I exchanged the low-lying polders of Holland for the rolling hills of Nottinghamshire. I now live in Keyworth with my wife, Lisa, and our cat, Kiki.   

Before moving here, I accomplished a BSc degree in Civil Engineering and a MSc degree in Coastal Engineering. I spent time in rural Indonesia for my dissertation and subsequently spent time working in Lagos, Nigeria. I am now working as a senior consultant with Royal HaskoningDHV, focused on the resilience of coastal communities and mitigating the impact of climate change, with projects ranging from local engineering schemes to nationwide policy and management studies. I have a keen interest in natural flood and erosion management: in my opinion, we cannot solve society’s engineering challenges without making the natural system an integral part of it. On a day-to-day basis, my profession exposes me to the effects of climate change, and I therefore have a thorough understanding of the impact of the climate crisis on both our society and the natural world.  

Moving to England has ignited my love for the outdoors and in my free time I like hiking and going on camping trips. One of my personal highlights since moving here is trekking with Lisa along the Pennine Way from Edale in Derbyshire to Middleton-in-Teesdale, experiencing all the landscapes that England has to offer. I love travelling and exploring new places and cultures; I have been lucky enough to visit so many beautiful places in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America - most recently Malaysian Borneo. It is these experiences that have driven me to take up a Trustee role with NWT: truly wild places are disappearing at an alarming rate and if we don’t act now, not many will survive. Where better to start than on my own doorstep? I’m looking forward supporting the Trust’s ambitions for a Wilder Nottinghamshire to be enjoyed by everyone, and to give something back to the city and community that I now call my home. 

I was born and bred in a small village on the Lincolnshire coast. Historically, our family has always been involved in/ran various horticulture and agricultural businesses, which helped cultivate a huge appreciation for the great outdoors.

After completing my studies in Business at the University of Lincoln, I spent time working within the motor industry, then in various business development roles across Lincolnshire, Cornwall and Buckinghamshire, before settling in Nottingham in 2014.

The majority of my career has been within the construction industry, working with various sectors such as warehousing, residential, education, health and leisure.

Outside of work, I enjoy an active lifestyle and love being out and about in nature. This ranges from exploring coastal walks around Lincolnshire and Cornwall along with regular family visits to the likes of Attenborough Nature Reserve and the Derbyshire Dales. Other passions include various sports, going to the gym, and live music. 

The opportunity to become a trustee is a privilege and gives me the chance to be involved in protecting our local wildlife, whilst helping ensure the public can continue to enjoy the benefits of having natural spaces local to them. 
 

Hi, I’m Graham.

Originally from the South-East of England, I first moved to Nottinghamshire to undertake my BSc in Environmental Science at the University of Nottingham in 2004.

After a brief ‘experience’ of sheep farming in New Zealand, I returned back to the University of Nottingham to complete my master’s in Environmental Law.

In my pursuit of a ‘real job’ I then found myself entering the Water Industry, and working for Thames Water for 6 years, mainly in Environmental Protection.

However, the draw back to the home of Robin Hood (excuse the archery pun!) was too strong, and I found myself back and living in the county, having found my forever home in the east of the county, near Newark.

I am now the Principal Ecologist for Severn Trent, where my work focuses on restoring nature across the Severn Trent region, which includes Nottinghamshire - what’s good for nature is good for water.

With a pair of active children, my spare time is often spent transporting them between sports/activities, cheering them along on the sidelines, and coaching them rugby.

I am extremely passionate about the environment and feel that by contributing to the Wildlife Trust as a Trustee I can help to ensure we return the places we live to the future generations who we borrowed it from in a better condition.

I am excited to become one of the Trustees for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and am thrilled to be able to join in on the journey that I can already see is well underway in the county.

Hello, my name is Lauren Moore and I am a co-opted trustee of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Nature has been rooted in my passions, career and hobbies for as long as I can remember. I have completed a BSc, MSc, and PhD in wildlife conservation and management, the latter bringing me to Nottingham several years ago. I've been lucky to work on conservation projects around the world, such as Brazil and Madagascar, but felt most at home when working with and for Nottinghamshire's communities and wildlife during my PhD. Currently I work on a national wildlife monitoring programme to assess the status of species amidst the current ecological crisis and help prioritise national conservation action. Alongside this, I work as an adviser to organisations such as the IUCN and Natural England to develop conservation strategies for vulnerable species such as hedgehogs.

During my 12 year career in conservation (and counting!) and previous roles within the Scottish Wildlife Trust, RSPB, and an ecological consultancy, I've seen first hand the value of stakeholder engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration for assessing environmental issues and devising appropriate solutions. I'm also an avid science communicator and advocate of outreach for a range of audiences, having delivered talks and workshops at the Natural History Museum in Wollaton, primary schools, University of the 3rd Age (u3a) and more, even appearing on national TV and radio! For me, the power of nature conservation lies in people's hands; I'm keen to work with people from all walks of life to help build a bigger and bolder movement for nature.

Outside of work, I enjoy sailing on the River Trent, hiking, attending to my wildlife-friendly garden, going to live music, and dancing (everything from ballet to the Jive!).

I believe that the protection of the natural world relies on collaboration. I'm hopeful that with a united effort, we can safeguard the environment for generations to come. Now as a Trustee for NWT, I look forward to driving forward the Trust's strategy and making positive changes for Nottinghamshire's environment.

Hello, my name is Billy Howard, and I am a co-opted Youth Trustee for the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

I am a PhD candidate at Nottingham Trent University, researching the behavioural ecology and ecological impacts of beavers in the Idle Valley Nature Reserve.

I have always been passionate about animals and nature. My passion for animals and nature led me to pursue a conservation and ecosystem restoration career. I started volunteering in conservation when I was 16, getting on a plane two days after my last GCSE exam. I earned my undergraduate degree in International Wildlife Biology at the University of South Wales, which allowed me to study wildlife ecology in many countries, including the UK, Borneo, Mexico, and South Africa. These experiences shaped my understanding of ecology and the natural world, particularly the role of keystone species in shaping landscapes and supporting biodiversity.

Seeing the abundance and diversity of wildlife in landscapes shaped by humans and keystone species inspired me to focus on restoring British nature. I pursued this goal by earning a Master of Research in Endangered Species Recovery at Nottingham Trent University. My research project involved working with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to conduct baseline surveys and habitat suitability analysis for the beaver reintroduction at the Idle Valley Nature Reserve. During this project, I identified gaps in understanding that would be valuable to aid conservationists, which led to my current PhD research.

I am excited to be involved in a broader range of conservation and restoration projects as a trustee for the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading a good book, making good food, exercising and doing martial arts. However, my favourite way to unwind is still immersing myself in nature.