Beatrix Oliver GREAT Project Manager Expand Bea is delighted to have joined the team as project manager for the new Gloucestershire Regenerative Environment and Agriculture Transition (GREAT) project. Bea spent the past three years working at DEFRA, where she worked in Farming and ELM teams on social research, innovative evidence dissemination, and Tests and Trials. During that time, she also did an MSc in Food Policy, looking into which policy approaches could champion more types of value in farming, such as by using True Cost Accounting. Bea is delighted to be working in the charity sector, really getting stuff done. She loves leisurely cycling, low-tech camping, and walking, though she spends more time these days with her young daughter at the allotment.
Bel Whitwam Senior Farm Environment Adviser Expand Bel has 25 years experience of working alongside landowners to deliver effective Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship agreements which deliver for wildlife, wildlife habitats, clean water, healthy soils and help to strengthen our well-loved landscapes. She has worked as an adviser on Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship and more recently in Catchment Sensitive Farming and over the years has developed an expert knowledge on hedge and lowland meadow restoration. With FWAGSW she is now delivering advice on Countryside Stewardship schemes, Cross compliance, resource protection and soils advice and is leading on a project to deliver natural flood management in the Upper Coln.
Edward Bonn GREAT Project Manager / Farm Environment Adviser Expand Edward joined FWAG SW in April 2022 and will be managing the GREAT Project as maternity cover, as well as farm advisory provision. He previously ran the Cotswolds National Landscape’s rural skills programme, offering a range of conservation-focussed and traditional land management courses, along with coppicing rotations and charcoal burning in various woodlands. He has an MSc in Countryside Management from Scotland’s Rural College and a real passion for engaging people with the wider countryside.
Elinor Sherlock Farm Environment Adviser Expand Eli joined Gloucestershire FWAG in May 2018, after graduating in Earth and Environmental Science from Cardiff University. With a keen interest in conservation and wildlife, Eli has worked previously completing bat surveys for an ecological consultancy, as well as for the Environment Agency GIS mapping Nitrate Vulnerable Zone boundaries. She continues this at FWAG, providing assistance in Countryside Stewardship, Natural Flood management and Thames Water’s Metaldehyde Scheme, by GIS mapping, soil sampling and ecological surveying
Imogen Young Assistant Farm Environment Adviser Expand After completing a permaculture course and volunteering on various small farms and food projects across the UK, Imogen became inspired by the idea that changes to farming and the wider food system could tackle many of threats imposed by climate change and environmental degradation. This led her to study for a BSc Environmental Science and work for a year at the Countryside and Community Research Institute, to improve her understanding of farming’s place in society and in the natural environment. Imogen is driven by the belief that a transition away from conventional agriculture and towards regenerative systems is possible, and that farmers themselves should be at the centre of this transition. Imogen is excited to bring her interests and experience together as a member of the FWAG SW team.
Jenny Phelps Senior Farm Environment Adviser & Glos Team Leader Expand Jenny has over 30 years’ experience giving on farm advice, the last 10 years of which has been with Gloucestershire FWAG. Jenny leads on many projects including the Upper Thames Catchment Based Approach and Payments for Ecosystem Services Defra pilots. All her projects use the integrated Local Delivery methodology, which aims to value and incorporate the knowledge and needs of land owners, authorities and the local communities.
Joanne Leigh Senior Farm Environment Adviser Expand Joanne has been working with FWAG SouthWest since 2012 and provides land management advice for farmers looking to join environmental stewardship, create and improve wildlife habitats, improve water quality and implement Natural Flood Management. Joanne has been involved in and co-ordinates several projects to improve water quality including the WILD project; organising the agenda for the FWAG volunteers working on the tributaries leading into the Cotswolds Water Park; facilitating the Yellow Fish projects for the River Ray and currently the Coln in Andoversford; working with the Fresh Water Watch group helping local farmers and local communities to monitor water quality. Joanne also facilitates the Carrant Catchment Area Restoration Project near Tewkesbury, helping to improve water quality by implementing Natural Flood Management and link habitat on a landscape scale.
Kate Davidson Assistant Farm Environment Adviser Expand Kate joined FWAG SW in April 2022. With a degree in Zoology, she spent many years working in administration roles before completing an MRes in Biosciences and then a PhD. Her PhD investigated trade-offs in Ecosystem Services of salt marshes, with a particular focus on livestock grazing and an interest in looking at the ways that agriculture can be practiced to minimise the effects on, or enhance, the natural environment. She loves British wildlife and being in the outdoors, so decided to pursue a career that would allow her to spend more time doing what she loves. After the PhD her goal was to do work that would have real applied benefits for wildlife and the environment, and a career with FWAG was the ideal way for her to do this.
Maisie Jepson Farm Environment Adviser Expand Maisie joined FWAG SouthWest in October 2020. She is from a tenanted, mixed farm in Worcestershire and has a degree in Conservation Biology. She has also completed an MSc in Denmark, in Agri-Environmental Management. She has previously worked for ADAS as an Agricultural Consultant, doing nutrient management planning, soil sampling, carbon foot-printing, as well as helping the policy and economics team. She has also worked for the CLA as a Rural Adviser, and now sits on their committee in Gloucestershire.
Patrick Dreyer Farm Environment Adviser Expand Patrick started working for FWAG SW in the Summer of 2015. With over 10 years of practical land management experience he graduated from the RAU in 2014 with a BSc Countryside Management. Originally from West Devon he has a passion for traditional land management coupled with the developing technologies in agriculture. Patrick offers countryside stewardship, cross compliance and general land management advice. He specialises in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), mapping farms and analysing soil and water resources, he also guests lectures at the RAU.
Sarah Wells Senior Farm Environment Adviser Expand Sarah offers on farm advice on a range of topics including Countryside Stewardship schemes, environmental land management such as habitat creation, nutrient management planning (including NVZ regulations), resource protection and soils advice. For the past two years Sarah has also been involved in drawing up environmental plans for farms in order to satisfy environmental obligations set by retailers. She is experienced in a number of survey techniques and in producing digitised maps through the use of GIS software. Sarah coordinates a number of projects including the facilitation of Payments for Ecosystem services projects throughout the Upper Thames catchment, which focusses on responsible pesticide use and minimising the risk of pesticides reaching surface waters; and the Rest Assured project which aims to help farmers struggling with the complexities of regulation, and to help farms to access funding to support the farm business.