Adam Lockyear Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Adam has been a farm conservation adviser for 8 years. He has worked on many stewardship agreements and climate change issues. Adam works on the Value of Working Wetlands Project covering the Somerset Levels and Moors working with farmers managing wet grassland habitats. He also runs a dairy goat farm for a cheese maker in Somerset.
Angelique McBride Assistant Resource Protection Adviser Expand Angelique joined FWAG SW in 2017 as an Assistant Resource Protection Adviser and has been providing GIS mapping and other support to the FWAG SW Hills to Levels Project team. Graduating from the University of Exeter with a degree in Physical Geography, Angelique is eager to put her knowledge and skills to effective use within FWAG SW.
Ann Langdon Senior Resource Protection and Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Ann has worked for FWAG for the last 14 years. Her experience ranges from advising on and preparing agri-environment schemes to providing more specialist soil, water and grassland management advice. Recent work includes working on reducing flooding and diffuse pollution in Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire as well as managing projects like the EU funded Triple C project and the Stour Headwater Multi-benefit project
Ben Thorne Senior Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Ben has over 25 years’ experience working with farmers in Somerset and has recently led on the delivery of the land management workstream of the Somerset 20 Year Flood Action Plan – including heading up the Hills to Levels program. Ben specialises in agri-environment schemes, making the environment relevant for every farmer and Natural Flood Management. Ben also acts as Team Leader in Somerset.
James Maben Somerset Catchment Partnership Coordinator Expand James co-ordinates the Somerset Catchment Partnership which works collaboratively to drive forward improvements to the catchments of the Rivers Parrett, Tone, Axe and Brue, and the West Somerset Streams under the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA). James has a broad background from working on a range of recreation, wildlife, nature conservation and natural heritage projects including river habitat and water quality improvement projects.
Jo Oborn Farm Conservation Adviser and region wide Resource Protection Specialist Expand Jo has worked with farmers in the Somerset area, and beyond in Devon and Dorset, for more than 25 years. She is a qualified crop agronomist and specialises in practical advice on soils, nutrients, manures and sustainable crop rotations.
Joanna Uglow Resource Protection Adviser Expand Joanna works on the Hills to Levels project offering advice on natural flood management (NFM) and soil management. Joanna also specialises in mapping using Geographical Information Systems and has modelled flow pathways for river catchments in Somerset, as well as using mapping techniques to design NFM interventions. Before joining FWAG SW in 2015, Joanna worked in soil science consultancy and has carried out many soil surveys across the UK to provide soil management advice in a number of situations. Joanna’s love for the environment goes beyond her work, and she can often be found walking or white water kayaking on Dartmoor.
John Rowlands Water Management Adviser Expand John Rowlands is a Water Management Advisor on the Adapting The Levels project, working with farmers to increase their business resilience in the face of climate unpredictability. A recent addition to FWAG, he has over 40 years’ experience in the Water Industry starting with water companies, National Rivers Authority and Environment Agency including 20 years specialising in water management on the Somerset Levels and Moors.
Lauren Clarke Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Lauren joined FWAG SW in 2012. Lauren’s role includes advising farmers and landowners on Mid Tier and Hedgerow and Boundary Grants under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and completing relevant applications. On top of this Lauren organises the annual Farm Plastic Recycling Scheme, which enables farmers to recycle their plastic at 15 sites across Devon, Dorset and Somerset.
Merle Brown Assistant Resource Protection Adviser Expand Merle joined the FWAG team in 2020 and provides GIS mapping and other support to the FWAG SW Hills to Levels Project team in Somerset as an Assistant Resource Protection Adviser. Prior to FWAG SouthWest Merle spent six years employed as a Consultant Ecologist working with developers to provide ecological advise and support during planning applications. She holds a class licence to survey and handle great crested newts and has experience surveying and designing mitigation for this species along with bats, dormice, water voles and reptiles.
Oliver Edmonds Assistant Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Olly has recently joined FWAG SW as an assistant farm conservation adviser (maternity cover) . Olly principally works across Exmoor helping to deliver the Headwaters of the Exe project and the organisation of the Exmoor Coastal Streams Facilitation Fund group. Other work includes supporting senior advisers in delivering Countryside Stewardship and farm benchmarking workshops. Before joining FWAG SW, Olly worked as an ecologist undertaking habitat and species surveys across the south of England and Wales. He has worked in local and central government on agri-environment schemes in both delivery and policy roles.
Oliver Maskrey GIS & Advisory Support Officer Expand Oliver joined FWAG SW as a GIS and Advisory Support Officer in 2020 to provide mapping assistance across the region. After graduating from the University of Exeter with a degree in Zoology and a Masters in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, Oliver spent three years working in various roles across the food and farming sectors. He is now keen to put his accumulated skills and knowledge to good use within FWAG SW.
Rachel Leonard Farm Liaison Officer Expand Rachel is a Farm Liaison Officer on the Adapting The Levels project, working with farmers to increase their business resilience in the face of climate unpredictability. She has previous experience in the delivery of agri-environment schemes and farms 200 beef cattle in North Devon.
Rebecca Mills Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Rebecca is an experienced adviser and has been delivering environmental advice to farmers with FWAG SW for over 15 years. She has a sound working knowledge of agri-environment schemes and the environmental aspects of Cross Compliance. Rebecca has been involved in various projects based around species and habitat conservation and protected landscapes as well as working with farmer producer groups to help them meet their environmental obligations. She benefits from a strong farming background, farming beef cattle and sheep with her husband in the Brendon Hills.
Roy Hayes Senior Resource Protection Adviser Expand Roy works on the Hills to Levels project advising farmers and landowners on water management and water quality including design and location of Natural Flood Management (NFM) schemes to reduce localised flooding. Roy can also give advice about farm infrastructure and land management changes.
Sabine McEwan Resource Protection Adviser Expand Sabine joined FWAG in 2014 as a Resource Protection Adviser. She offers farm advice on natural flood management, soil management, diffuse pollution issues, regulation compliance and agri-environment schemes. She is mostly working on the Hills to Levels approach in Somerset, but is also delivering Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship workshops in South Devon. Sabine is coordinating the Multiple Benefits Project, which is part of the Hills to Levels approach and involves holistic catchment management. Sabine gained extensive experience with monitoring throughout her PhD, when she was researching the effects of different grassland management on soil and water quality with the University of Exeter and Rothamsted Research (North Wyke Farm Platform).
Thomas Mansfield Farm Conservation Adviser Expand Tom joined FWAG South West at the start of 2016 as an Assistant Farm Conservation Adviser. He has been working on a wide range of projects, surveys and mapping tasks over the last few years with an emphasis on woodland creation, management and wildlife surveys. Tom is an enthusiastic naturalist and can often be found undertaking breeding bird, small mammal or botanical surveys throughout Somerset, holding both a hazel dormouse and great crested newt handling licence. Tom has a particular interest in woodland management and landscape scale conservation projects, incorporating these interests into his work.
Victoria Munday Assistant Resource Protection Adviser Expand Vicky provides GIS mapping and other support to the FWAG SW Hills to Levels Project team in Somerset, as an Assistant Resource Protection Adviser. With a degree in Physical Geography and a Masters in Environmental Management, Vicky has previously worked in environmental sustainability, so is keen to put her knowledge of environmental best practice to effective use with FWAG SW.
Will Barnard Farm Liaison Officer Expand Will has been closely involved with the grass-fed movement for more than five years and was an early director of the Pasture Fed Lovestock Association, overseeing development of their groundbreaking animal traceability software. To spread the word about the benefits of grass-fed foods he set up the company GrassRoots Food in association with Graham Harvey, and published the book The Carbon Fields. Having transitioned the family farm into a hub for a novel, collaborative land management system on a SSSI near the the mouth of the river Parrett, he is now working to facilitate others who are interested in the opportunities afforded by similar ideas, across the Somerset Levels and Moors within the Co-Adapt project.