New director for RSPB England

The RSPB has announced Michael Copleston as its new Director for England. Here he shares his passion for nature conservation, reflects on his 20 years at the charity, and shares his hopes for a world where nature is restored.

Photo above: Michael Copleston in his garden

Having worked in the conservation sector for more than 20 years, from the tip of Cornwall to the Herbridian Islands in Scotland, it’s fair to say I am passionate about wildlife conservation.

The RSPB is Europe’s largest nature conservation charity, dedicated to saving species and habitats, and we remain just as passionate about nature as our founders were almost 135 years ago.

So to now have the opportunity to lead the inspiring RSPB England team of more than 750 staff and 8,000 volunteers is a real privilege as we continue our vital work to make a real difference for nature conservation, especially at a time of such great need.

Photo above: RSPB staff member helps children connect to nature at a family bug hunt by Rosemary Despres (rspb-images.com) 

My career has included a variety of roles, all with nature conservation and people at the heart. There have also been several projects that I’m particularly proud of, which have achieved success thanks to brilliant innovation and effective partnerships:

• Leading a major partnership at Sherwood Forest will forever be a highlight of my career. The area is renowned for its Robin Hood folklore and now, along with RSPB guardianship of the mesmerising ancient oak forest and creation of award winning visitor centre, Sherwood stands out as a key reminder of how important public spaces are for nature and people.
• Our partnership with Tarmac at RSPB Langford Lowfields in Nottingamshire is a fantastic example of bringing wildlife back to the area that had previously been absent for centuries. Working in partnership has allowed us to create a major wetland habitat that forms the largest reed bed in the East Midlands. This partnership underlines the incredible value of working across sectors to deliver nature recovery.
• I’ve also been very lucky to learn and contribute to hard won success working in China on the creation of thousands of hectares of wetlands at Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve in Shanghai. This richly biodiverse nature reserve protects vital coastal habitat from invasive species and is home to birds such as the Spoonbill Sandpiper, Black-faced Spoonbill and Reed Parrotbill. The RSPB worked alongside scientists, engineers, conservationists, and local government, to transform the habitat on an incredible scale, such with fantastic results for wildlife.

Photo above: a former quarry site has been transformed for wildlife at RSPB Langford Lowfields in Nottinghamshire. 

In my new role I’ll be working with colleagues across the many areas of the organisation’s work, from influencing advocacy and policy right through to supporting reserve teams that manage more than 60,000ha of phenomenally important nature reserves across the country, such as RSPB Arne in Dorset, which recently hosted BBC Springwatch.

Photo above: View across RSPB Arne the home of BBC Springwatch 2023 by Rosie Dutton (rspb-images.com) 

I couldn’t be more delighted take up this role and lead an organisation working to make a real difference for nature conservation, especially at a time of such great need for nature.

Achieving a world where nature is restored, rather than declining, is only possible if people can genuinely be connected to it. This spring millions of us were captivated by amazing scenes of UK wildlife through the BBC’s landmark wildlife TV series, Wild Isles, which the RSPB co-produced along with WWF and The Open University. We want to continue building on this vital connection to nature while being truly inclusive and accessible.

Every year we welcome millions of people to our network of RSPB nature reserves across the length and breadth of the UK, as well as working hard to inspire, educate, and support people to take action to help nature thrive. The more people who get involved in and appreciate nature, the more powerful our support for it will be.

Photo above: Residents of the flats in Bristol's Dove street come together to dig holes for the planting of apple and cherry trees, part of the Dove Gardens community garden initiative started by the residents themselves during lockdown, Bristol, March 2022 by Rob Carmier (rspb-images.com)

One of the things I am most proud of, is unlocking species recovery through enduring partnerships. I love to see the big wins for nature like returning iconic species such as Red Kites and Bittern, and there is nothing better than seeing the new connections and joy these recoveries mean to people on their local doorstep too.

Photo above: Bittern wading through a reedbed by Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com) 

The RSPB is at its very best when we play our part, alongside others, to help put nature at the heart of our everyday lives and far-reaching decisions. Whether its industry, water companies, statutory bodies, businesses or local communities, collaboration is vital to unlock recovery for nature.

For instance, we recently announced the fantastic news that the our partnership application for the UK’s east coast wetlands to be added to the UK’s ‘Tentative List’ of World Heritage sites had been successful. This amazing coastal wetland – from the Humber to the Thames - is one of the world’s most important sites for millions of birds every year. Not only that, but along this coast, world-leading projects are also delivering flood defence adaptations and conservation side-by-side. 

Photo above: Aerial image of RSPB Wallasea Island Nature Reserve (part of the East Coast Wetlands) at high tide, Essex, July 2019. © David Wootton (rspb-images.com)

We’ve worked on impactful partnerships like these many times before and we’ll need to do it again, and again. I’m really excited by the challenges and opportunities ahead, and firmly believe it can, and should be, a brighter future for nature and people.

Photo above: Child holding a 'Save Our Planet' placard at the Global Day of Action march during COP26 Climate Summit. By Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com)