Meet the Team

The Great Crane Project only directly employs three staff members, but is managed via various project groups comprising staff from each of the partner organisations, split into areas of work such as communications, implementation, stategy etc....but it also spirals out within each organisation when it needs particular skills or areas of advice.  In particular much external help has been sought from the team at the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve in Brandenburg, from the International Crane Foundation in the States, and from Kranich-schutz Deutschland. 

You can find out about these organisations on the Significant Others page.

Below is a brief explanation of the who is who and who does what within the project... but there are many many more who have been involved in one way or another... the list is pretty endless!

Tim Nevard

Main instigator of the project along with Nigel, and Peter and strategic arm of the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust – a long history working with cranes in various parts of the world.

Baz Hughes

Strategy man and budget holder for WWT – expertise in research and monitoring – current areas of work include scaly-sided merganser and Madagascar pochard conservation and waterfowl satellite tracking.

Andy Evans

RSPB’s budget holder and main overseeing role – history in species recovery – most recently working on the issues over poisoning of vultures in India.

Peter Newbery

Now retired from the GCP, but had a vital role establishing and nuturing the links with the team from the Biosphere Reserve, and with the International Crane Foundation along with Nigel and the key figure in the early stages of the project.

Lisa Nelson

The main contact and link at Viridor Credits Environmental Company...without the funding the project would still be just a twinkle in the eyes of the other partners!

Nigel Jarrett

The lead feathery-fingered expert on the project with a long history of hatching and rearing wildfowl, and saving species from the brink of extinction through captive breeding and rearing programmes.    Nigel has been involved in the project from the start along with Peter and Tim, and is based at WWT Slimbridge. You can follow Nigel on his blog.

Damon Bridge

Damon’s role is to act as the hub of the project -  making sure everyone involved knows what is going on and that it is all running smoothly. He is also responsible for project community awareness work in Somerset, construction of the release enclosure, overseeing the release process and running the post release monitoring work in Somerset.  Damon works alongside the RSPB reserve teams in Somerset, and is one of the three people employed directly through the project.  His background is in wetland habitat management.  You can follow Damon on his blog.

Roland Digby

Crane Dad.  Roland’s role was to rear and nurture the young cranes to adulthood in 2010 and work with the cranes through the release process along with Amy.  Roland has now left the project to work with WWT on Spoonbilled Sandpipers and Madagascan Pochards.  Roland has previously worked on the Cirl bunting reintroduction programme.

Amy King

Crane Mum.  Amy’s role is to rear and nurture the young cranes to adulthood and work with the cranes through the release process along with Roland  - crane Dad.  Amy is one of the three staff employed directly through the project but has previously worked with cranes for WWT – so knows what she is letting herself in for!  You can follow Amy on the Amy and Harry's blog.

Harry Nevard

Harry has joined the team for the 2011 season from North Queensland, Australia, where he has worked monitoring Brolga and Sarus Cranes. He has also worked at Pensthorpe with Crakes and Cranes and is looking forward to his first (non-tropical) winter in the UK.

Richard Archer

Richard’s working relationship with and knowledge of the statutory organisations and NGO’s in Somerset is pivotal in helping to gain the necessary consents and permissions and in smoothing the way for habitat management work for cranes in the future. 
He is the RSPB’s south west regional manager for the project and took his sabbatical in the of Spring of 2010 to help with the collection, incubation and transport of the first year’s eggs.

Paul Pattison

Paul has overseen the construction and fitting out of the purpose-built brand new crane school whilst at the same time, finishing of a masters degree!

Harry Paget-Wilkes

Harry’s role is in the implementation of the project  - particularly once the birds are transferred to Somerset - and his knowledge of the Somerset Levels and Moors habitats is second to none.  He has also been very understanding as the project seems to have taken over the Reserves’ already pretty cramped office!   

Ruth Cromie

Ruth is one of WWT’s animal health experts and her input is vital in ensuring that all the potential disease risks to the chicks are minimised.

Leigh Lock

Leigh has worked on species reintroductions for the RSPB for a number of years, with his experience ranging from white-tailed eagles to cirl buntings....and now cranes.

Michelle O’Brien

Michelle is a vet for WWT, and her experience has been key to ensuring that the crane school, the release enclosure (the crane academy) and the recuperation facilities are all up to scratch.  She also oversees the testing of birds for disease prior to release.

Geoff Hilton

Geoff has put a lot of time and thought into how the project is going to monitor the birds post release –and has designed a really thorough post release monitoring programme, using some of the most up-to-date technology available.

Jane Waghorn

Jane leads on all press and media work for WWT and forms a vital and integral part of the GCP communications group.  Please visit the media page for more details.

Tony Whitehead 

Tony (and Peter below) form the RSPB’s south west media hub...and they are a pivotal part of the GCP communications group. For media contacts please visit the media page.

Peter Exley

Peter manages the RSPB's South West communications team and is a central figure on the partnership's communications group.

Mark Noble

Mark leads on media and communications for the Pensthorpe Trust and has a key role within the GCP communications group. Please visit the media page for more details.

Natasha Cook

Nat sorts out the money!   She leads on fundraising for WWT and the project’s Viridor agreement is maintained and managed through her –she also compiles and sorts out all claims made by WWT staff for the project.  

Ellie Kirby

Ellie has the unenviable job of sorting out the funding claims made from the RSPB partner for the project and compiling all into a form that Natasha will be happy with!