Meet the team
Carol Donaldson ACIEEM
Carol has worked in wildlife conservation for 20 years with organisations such as the RSPB, Kent County Council and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers.
Carol studied for a Postgraduate diploma in Countryside Management at Birkbeck College at the University of London and undertook a year long study of water voles on the River Ingrebourne as part of her dissertation project.
She has extensive experience of water vole surveys and trapping, working with Derek Gow Consultancy. She has designed and implemented a seven year survey programme of watercourses for the River Stour Internal Drainage Board and has also designed and implemented a number of wetland and river restoration projects. She runs the North Kent Marshes Breeding Wader Project on behalf of the RSPB and Natural England.
Carol is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Managers and a passionate advocate for protecting our countryside and wildlife. She is an award winning travel and nature writer. She was BBC Wildlife Magazines Travel Writer of the Year in 2011 and has recently published her first book, On the Marshes.
Meet the team
John is a consultant ecologist, accomplished and experienced bird surveyor, with a background in information technology. He has 32 years of ornithological experience, including breeding and winter bird surveys using BTO methodologies. He also has experience of conducting winter bird surveys to support work associated with Habitat Regulation Assessments. John specialises in terrestrial and marine mammal ecology and he is the Kent Mammal Recorder. John was part of the team that published the Mammals of Kent book. John has a great crested newt survey licence and conducts reptile survey and mitigation work.
He is part of the team undertaking the North Kent Breeding Wader project surveying birds on farms across the Hoo Peninsula and the Isle of Sheppey.
Josh is our tree and woodland man. He studied arboriculture at Sparsholt College in Hampshire and is Tree and Woodland Manager for The Bay Trust. He is an experienced tree surgeon and a keen botanist. Josh has worked on a number of projects with Carol Donaldson including water vole and river surveys and advised on mature tree management for the River Stour Internal Drainage Board.
Josh spent his childhood messing about in rivers and designing water mills. He is a born river engineer and keen to get involved in restoration projects.
Matthew recently gained a distinction in his Level 3 Diploma in Combined Science at West Kent College as a mature student and is currently studying towards a Foundation Degree in Countryside Management at Hadlow College. Having travelled to South Africa on multiple occasions, visiting and engaging with rescue and rehabilitation wildlife organisations, this experience inspired him to develop his passion for nature and the countryside. He has spent, and continues to spend, time volunteering with various projects on behalf of organisations such as Kent Wildlife Trust and West Kent Downs Charitable Trust, gaining valuable knowledge and experience.