Alan Preece

Experience

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  A Rocha

  Dec 2000 - Dec 2001

  Assistant Warden - Portugal

  Assisted the running of an international field study centre.Led research into sustainable shellfish harvesting within the estuary.Created conservation management plans for Portuguese and French centres.

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  Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

  Apr 2002 - Apr 2004

  Reserve Development Officer

  Worked within the Reserves Team managing c50 nature reserves.Led the recruitment and retention of conservation volunteers.

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  London Borough of Hillingdon

  Apr 2004 - Nov 2006

  Nature Conservation Officer - Greenspaces

  Managing c50 nature rich open spaces including two country parks. Helped raise several sites to Green Flag status including one of the above Country Parks.Established and led volunteers work parties.

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  Green Flag Award

  May 2006 - now

  Green Flag Judge

  Assessing greenspaces against national standards for management, sustainability and community engagement.

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  Dudley MBC

  Nov 2006 - Dec 2022

  Overseeing and delivering the management of a c100ha UNESCO award winning urban nature reserve in the heart of the Black Country. Responsible for a small team of staff and large numbers of volunteers. Role requires accountability for both capital and revenue budgets from various central and external sources.Site includes a Natiinal Nature Reserve, two geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, ancient woodland, wetland, large areas of Local Nature Reserve and grazing urban grassland and heathland with rare breed ponies.Ongoing partnership working with many community stakeholders is essential for the success of both strategic and day to day progress. Show less Sole specialist for creating and implementing nature conservation planning policy within a busy urban local planning authority. Policy creation from inception, through consultation and examination in public to adoption. This including leading on specialist elements of a subregional Core Strategy, three Area Action Plans and numerous Supplimentary Planning Documents.Advising on all stages of planning applications including pre-application discussions, application, writing and discharging conditions and written, informal and formal appeals. Constructive dialogue with applicants often resulted in mutually beneficial outcomes for both the developer and local environment.Created innovative nature conservation enhancement policy and a strategic framework for integrated delivery of practical and policy based landscape scale nature conservation.Technical work included writing both screening and Appropriate Assessment stages of a Habitat Regulations Assessment for a number of associated planning documents. Show less

  • Senior Warden - Saltwells National Nature Reserve

    Nov 2012 - Dec 2022

  • Acting Countryside Manager

    Jan 2016 - Apr 2016

  • Nature Conservation Officer - Planning Policy

    Nov 2006 - Nov 2012
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  Lane Green First School

  Nov 2012 - May 2014

  Chair of Governors for Curriculum Committee

  Parent Governor of School since September 2011. Chair of Curriculum Committee.Member of Finance Committee.Link Governor for Key Stage 1, Sustainability and Art.

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  Wightwick and Cherry Trees Schools Federation

  Mar 2014 - Mar 2018

  Governor

  Link Governor for:ICTScienceHealth and Safety

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  Apios Institute

  Apr 2014 - Aug 2014

  Contributor

  Provide information to subscribers and other contributors on species, polycultures and forest gardens in temporate climates through primary research and desk study reviews.

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  Countryside Management Association

  Jun 2014 - now

  Setting up policies and protocols for social media.Promoting information dissemination, discussion and debate around current issues and research in the countryside management profession.Managing requests for membership.Resolving conflict and preempting issues amongst members.Promoting the organisation, its activities, principles and benefits of membership.Providing a conduit between Facebook members and the national committee. A member of the board of directors for the Countryside Management Association.

  • Facebook Group Administrator

    May 2015 - now

  • Director

    Jun 2016 - now

  • Treasurer

    Jun 2016 - now

  • Regional Chair for West Midlands

    Jun 2014 - Aug 2022
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  Ryhill Pits Wood Nature Reserve

  Dec 2015 - now

  Owner Manager

  Owner and manager of Ryhill Pits Wood, a nine acre semi natural oak dominated woodland. Located next to Wintersett Reservoir and connected by wildlife sites to nearby Walton Hall, the world's first nature reserve.Currently liaising with local stakeholders and gathering information to write the site's first management plan. Primary objectives are to understand the natural, historical and social importance of this nature reserve and set out actions to sensitively conserve and enhance them.

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  South Staffordshire Nature Therapy

  Sept 2018 - now

  Small Business Owner

  Designing and leading forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and walking meditation (Kinhin) activities, out in the natural environment, to deliver tangible wellbeing benefits, through this principle before profit organisation.

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  Telford & Wrekin Council

  Dec 2022 - now

  Ecology and Green Infrastructure Specialist

  Planning ecology and green infrastructure into developments to benefit communities and the environment.