How we are run

Mark lives within the landscape of his upbringing, in Beaminster. Mark became a trustee of Dorset Wildlife Trust in 2016, Vice Chair in 2018 and Chair in December 2020.  He studied chemistry at York, has a PhD in soil science from Aberdeen, an MBA from Cranfield, and is a former President of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers. He has worked in the water industry, the civil service and in environmental consulting, and was Head of Land Quality at the Environment Agency and then Director of the National Soil Resources Institute at Cranfield University, where he is now an Emeritus Professor. He continues to give expert advice on soil resources to a range of governments and international organisations. Mark is a Quaker and a member of Bridport Meeting. His passions are the natural world, sailing and music.

Jo Davies has been engaged in the voluntary sector all her life, starting up charities involved in education and disability. She is still involved with Green Island Holiday Trust started in 1991 and for which she received an MBE in 2002.

She was recruited into Dorset Wildlife Trust by our late President Helen Brotherton to run the fundraising for the purchase of Brooklands Farm, our headquarters. She is currently a Vice Chair having served as Chair for three years and sits on various committees. She has a particular interest in the financial governance of the Trust and the development of our visitor centres.

Jo is passionate about the natural world with a special interest in birds. Her hobbies include cooking, gardening, walking and music. She is also kept busy with ten grandchildren.

Jim graduated in Botany from London University after which he worked in nature conservation for his entire career, including as Conservation Officer for Hampshire Wildlife Trust, and for nearly 30 years with Nature Conservancy Council and English Nature, the latter as Dorset Team Manager. On retiring from EN in 2006 he was elected a Trustee of DWT and has been appointed recently to the post of joint Vice Chairman. He also currently chairs the Dorset AONB Partnership Board and is a regular NT volunteer. Jim is passionate about nature and enjoys sharing this enthusiasm. He was made an MBE in 2008, for services to nature conservation in Dorset.

Giles qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price  Waterhouse in 1992 and has over 25 years’ experience of working at Finance Director level in the charitable, education and health sectors. He has, within these roles, been the Chair of a number of specialist finance member bodies and is currently both the Deputy Director of Education/Finance Director of the Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education and a trustee and Chair of the audit committee of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust. He has a keen interest in nature and conservation and has been a member of DWT since moving to Dorset with his wife and 2 daughters 20 years ago.  He was appointed as a trustee of DWT in 2017, Chairs the Risk & Audit Committee and sits on Finance Committee.

Anne became a Trustee in 2003, when she retired to Dorset. She trained as a statistician and spent the first part of her career in the Government Statistical Service, finally as the Chief Statistician in the Department of Employment responsible for the unemployment figures. She then moved into finance and management roles in DE, was Director of Personnel at HSE between1994-1998 and then, until her retirement, Director of Business Services on the Board of the Valuation Office Agency. Anne became interested in wildlife through visiting wild places, particularly the Arctic, climbing and sea kayaking. Her primary interest is birds, but she aspires to be a competent all-round naturalist. She travels widely in search of wildlife in this country and abroad. Anne currently chairs the Finance Committee and is a member of the Personnel & remuneration Committee and Conservation Committee.

Roger studied History at the University of Reading and went on to do a post-graduate Diploma in Law before qualifying as a solicitor. Based in Weymouth, he now works as a corporate commercial solicitor for a local Dorset and Somerset law firm. Roger has always taken a keen interest in wildlife and spends his spare time going on long walks in Dorset’s beautiful countryside and trying to improve his birding skills along the way!

John has worked in Dorset as a professional conservationist for over 20 years, initially with the Dorset Wildlife Trust and since 1999 with the Government’s statutory conservation body Natural England and its predecessor English Nature. John sits on the Dorset Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) Selection Panel and is a member of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Committee. He brings experience of the planning system and wildlife legislation and is a skilled naturalist with an extensive knowledge of Dorset’s habitats.

Born and raised in Purbeck on a dairy farm, Simon has spent his entire life in Dorset. He and his wife Liz have developed a substantial rural retail business on a former fruit farm which now includes a garden centre, farm shop and café. Simon has always been fascinated by plants, fungi and the rural environment and more recently the fauna it supports. He is now turning the fruit farm into 24 acre public botanic garden and wildlife park.

Following a successful business career in corporate communications in the high-tech sector, I now dedicate my time to environmental, cultural and history projects. Until October 2023 I was a trustee at the Chiltern Society which campaigns, conserves and promotes the Chilterns area, a role which I gave up due to relocation. I chaired the fundraising and awareness committee and contributed to heritage and strategy initiatives. Additionally, I am writing the history of two Lancashire-based suffragettes as well as working on a project for the Soil Association which involves researching and writing the history of a farm as it makes its journey back to sustainable practices. I am a lifelong lover of the countryside and of Dorset in particular.

Leo graduated in Countryside Management BSc from Aberystwyth University and has worked as a professional conservationist for over 20 years. With a diverse background of farming, forestry, conservation and teaching experience, he brings with him a depth of operational experience and strategic planning, accompanied by a passion for Dorset’s nature and wildlife.

Leo currently works as Countryside Manager for the National Trust, leading the Trust’s Countryside teams and strategic planning for nature recovery on National Trust land in north and west Dorset. He has previously worked for Dorset Wildlife Trust, initially as Project Officer on the hugely successful Portland Living Landscapes project and more latterly as Reserves Manager for South and East Dorset until 2020.

Living in north Dorset, Leo spends much of his free time with his family exploring Dorset’s nature rich coast and countryside.

I grew up around Poole Harbour where volunteering on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s area of Brownsea Island was a formative experience in convincing me to pursue a career in conservation. Since graduating as an ecologist I have been a professional conservationist with the bulk of my career spent in Dorset working for a variety of voluntary and public sector organisations. I’m presently employed by Natural England where the bulk of my time is spent plotting and working with partners to deliver nature’s recovery.

Brian has been with Dorset Wildlife Trust since 1998 and since then has held a variety of roles before becoming acting Chief Executive in 2019. His previous role was that of Director of Operations and Development, overseeing and ensuring that key core operational functions including Health and Safety, Human Resources, ICT, resources and infrastructure, were fit for purpose. Brian has also led the development of a number of major projects including the development of the Wild Chesil Centre, The Great Heath initiative and the installation of renewable biomass heating systems at a number of facilities. Brian also represents Dorset Wildlife Trust on a number of external bodies including the Dorset AONB Board, Wessex Angling Trust, Dorset Food and Drink and as Chairman of the Purbeck Heritage Network. A Swanage resident with local roots in the Purbeck stone quarrying industry, Brian enjoys sea angling, photography and exploring local food and drink.

As the Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Sara oversees all our fundraising, membership and communications programmes. Sara joined Dorset Wildlife Trust after working in senior roles in marketing, fundraising and engagement at the University of Southampton and the RNLI. She is also a Director of South West Wildlife Fundraising Limited, a company that provides fundraising services to the seven south west Wildlife Trusts. A Poole resident, Sara has two children who enjoy being outdoors and spending time in nature as much as she does.

Imogen's role and the nature-based solutions team are focussed on Dorset Wildlife Trust's work across our whole area to enable nature to recover, people to connect with and take action for nature in their community and to demonstrate the role nature can play in addressing the climate crisis and other problems. The team work closely with those who manage land and sea as well as community groups and other partnerships and organisations and campaign to give nature a voice and to ensure that decisions that affect Dorset's environment are based on sound evidence. 

Imogen has worked for Dorset Wildlife Trust since 1996. Prior to moving to Dorset she volunteered on nature projects from the age of 17, then gained an environmental science degree and worked as a countryside ranger and botanical surveyor. When not out spotting wildlife of any type, she enjoys cycling and attempting to be self-sufficient in vegetables.  

Sue is a Chartered Accountant and worked in practice in London for a number of years, initially in the corporate sector and latterly specialising in the not-for-profit sector. Clients included overseas aid and grant making charities, various professional institutes and further education establishments. Sue moved to Dorset in 2011 to join Dorset Wildlife Trust having been a keen volunteer with the Kent Wildlife Trust. She is the Company Secretary of Dorset Wildlife Trust and a director of DWT Services Ltd and Dorset Ecology Limited.

Andrew’s role is to help deliver Dorset Wildlife Trust’s strategy by directing existing and developing new initiatives on our land and at our centres. Andrew leads the Nature Recovery Team to ensure our nature reserves are the foundation for nature’s recovery in the wider landscape. The team aims to make more space for nature and provide opportunities through our nature reserves and centres to help people to reconnected with nature.

Andrew has worked for Dorset Wildlife Trust since 2003, when he returned to the county he spent his childhood in. Before starting with the Trust he held posts relating to biodiversity conservation with a number of organisations including Plymouth University, Kent County Council and Somerset Environmental Records Centre. Andrew and his family enjoy all that the greatest county in the world has to offer; whether that’s wildlife watching or kayaking along Dorset’s rich coastline.