Ann Cantrell has worked in the world of science for 15 years, spending the first 8 years of her career as a research chemist before switching to work in the environmental sector 7 years ago. Passionate about the environment and especially interested in plant ecology, her work has led her to become involved in projects advising farmers how to manage their land to benefit wildlife. She has extensive experience in undertaking botanical and habitat surveys using both extended Phase One and National Vegetation Classification (NVC) methodologies. She has also been involved with carrying out surveys for small mammals, great-crested newt and white-clawed crayfish.

For the past 3 years she has been an Agri-environment Scheme Consultant, carrying out botanical surveys, Farm Environment Plans and project managing the introduction of locally harvested wildflower seed onto farm land to create and restore species-rich habitats. She has developed an interest in landscape ecology, a branch of ecology which formulates ways to spatially target conservation resources.

A landscape, ecosystem-based approach, with an holistic view of biodiversity, is the most recent development in Conservation Biology and is the latest method to be employed to combat biodiversity losses in the UK. This requires a joined up approach which can reconnect fragmented and isolated habitats, and allow species to permeate the land and become more resilient in the face of new challenges, such as climate change. This approach is as pertinent to our towns and cities as it is to rural landscapes. Environmental Stewardship Schemes, administered by Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales, are applying this approach in rural areas but creating wildlife-rich green spaces in our local communities can also contribute a great deal to wildlife and people.

We have experience in surveying thousands of hectares of land, covering a whole myriad of habitat types, from woodland to fen and calcareous grassland. We have advised hundreds of farmers about managing their land to benefit wildlife in upland & lowland areas.