An important milestone in the plan to help nature recover across Greater Lincolnshire was recently achieved when a Local Nature Recovery Strategy Officer was appointed to help bring that plan to fruition. John Clarkson is working for Lincolnshire County Council, which is the Responsible Authority, for the next two years to help write the local plan for nature recovery in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside colleagues from the Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership, North Lincolnshire Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and Natural England.

John hails from Spalding, in the south of the county, and began his life as a wildlife conservationist on a smallholding in Moulton Eaugate watching the farm’s barn owls and other typical wildlife. Since then he has worked across the UK and abroad in a variety of roles, ranging from wardening a rare species reintroduction to over a decade of lecturing on wildlife conservation, and brings a lot of different experience as a result. His last role was as Head of Conservation for the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, where he worked with colleagues in other organisations to begin the process there of getting ready for writing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

John said’ ‘as a Lincolnshire lad it’s wonderful to be back on home territory and to be part of a really exciting movement of brilliant people and organisations aiming to create a better future for the area’s nature. There’s a lot to do, still, in the next few months to ensure that we create a plan that’s fit for wildlife over the next 5 or more years, and one which is co-written by and brings benefits to the local people. The team who have been working on this have done a fantastic job so far and I really look forward to getting stuck in, hoping to share everyone’s enthusiasm for the area’s amazing wildlife and wild spaces.