[The Woodman]

Hi Holly Tree

I set up my own business seven years ago and the company three years ago. What started out as a passionate interest has now developed into a full time job with wildlife. I deal mainly with bats and planning applications for development, wind turbine apps and management plans for amenity woodland areas. I am also involved with training, both professionally and as a volunteer for the BCT (bat detectors), mammals (badgers and pine martens) and deer management. Canada Goose management is looming in two months. If you want any more help, please PM me.

After 25 years in Fisheries, my other interests were taking up every other hour in the day so I decided to throw the towel in and work for myself. I still have many contacts in the EA and have kept my hand in with some sub contract work surveying fisheries for proposed hydroelectric schemes.

The great thing about changing the job was getting away from four days a week doing administrative tasks e.g. collating weekly reports, allocating every 30 minutes worked to time codes etc. Once upon a time I was outside on the river bank day and night loving every minute of it but the last few years were beginning to guide me into an office clerks seat. There's still a report to write after every survey and quotes to prepare but now I'm master of my own destiny. It's not easy work but the challenge is and that's what keeps me on my toes.