How we are run

Group of swallows

Alan Price/Gatehouse Studio

About us

How we are run

Working together for wildlife

Ulster Wildlife is a registered charity set up by volunteers and supporters to help champion native wildlife in Northern Ireland. We believe that, by working together, people can change the natural world for the better.

We are governed by a Board of Trustees, a group of volunteers who direct, guide and support all aspects of our work. Ultimately, they have financial and legal responsibility for everything we do.

The Trustees appoint the CEO who leads the staff towards achieving our vision and strategy. We are supported by around 100 volunteers and 40 members of staff who carry out our day-to-day work looking after Northern Ireland’s wildlife and wild places and bringing people closer to nature.

Although we are an independent charity, we are one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working together across the UK with a shared vision of people close to nature, with land and seas rich in wildlife. 

Meet our Trustees

Our 15 Trustees bring a wide range of professional skills, experience and expertise to the charity in areas including finance, conservation and ecology (both terrestrial and marine), human resources, farming, youth engagement, media, communications, PR, charity governance and business management. 

John Witchell (Chair)

John Witchell

John Witchell 

Both John’s professional and private lives revolve around his love of the countryside. John was 'born to farm' on a traditional mixed family farm although, with the onset of intensification it was converted to a dairy farm and later extensified to an organic deer farm.  He graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Land Economy before studying Advanced Farm Management at the RAU Cirencester.  He also has an MBA in Real Estate from Reading University.  His career in farming and rural estate management in Northern Ireland spans over forty years, managing and advising farms and estates with a combined area of over ten thousand acres. He has a great interest in conservation and is a former Chairman of The Conservation Volunteers and President of the Ulster Beekeepers Association. He was a member of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group for six years, followed by the Council of Conservation and the Countryside for three years. John has been a member of the Board of Governors of Kilcooley School since 1982 and is currently Chairman. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for Co Down, a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies.

Stephen Aston (Vice Chair)

Stephen Aston

Stephen Aston 

Stephen joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service as a senior advisor on environmental matters after completing a commission as a pilot in the Royal Navy and having worked for a number of local authorities as an Environmental Health specialist. He was appointed to establish and lead Land & Resource Management in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and was subsequently elected as the national president of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management. He was also nominated as a trustee of CLAIRE - Contaminated Land in Real Environments. He acted as an independent auditor on the DVLA Audit Committee from 2009 – 2015 and was the Director of Strategy & Innovation for the NIEA from 2011- 2015, where he led the review and reform of Regional Operations and produced Northern Ireland’s first State of the Environment report. He is now a Director on the Board of Northern Ireland Environment Link.

 

Sir David Sterling KCB (Vice Chair)

David Sterling

David retired as Head of the NI Civil Service in 2020, a post he held since 2017. Prior to this he was Permanent Secretary, Department of Finance (2014 – 2017). David was Permanent Secretary in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) (2009 – 2014) where he was responsible for policy on economic and business development, tourism, telecommunications, energy, business regulation, geological survey, trading standards and the Insolvency Service. Previously David was responsible for strategy and policy on economic and business development, tourism, telecommunications and energy at DETI and also worked at the Department of Regional Development (DRD) and in the Central Finance Group of the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) where he was part of a team responsible for the oversight and approval of expenditure of the Northern Ireland departments during the first period of devolution.

David was educated at RBAI and Ulster University and his interests are golf, cycling, walking and the environment.  He is a member of Ulster Wildlife, the National Trust and RSPB. David was awarded a Knighthood in the 2020 Birthday Honours.

David Hendron (Treasurer)

David Hendron

David Hendron

David is a CIMA member and has worked in finance for over 38 years. He was initially in the shipbuilding sector moving to aerospace in 1988. His last role was leading the finance team in Bombardier Aerospace and Engineering Services which has sites in Montreal, Belfast , Mexico and Morocco. He has served previously on a number of boards most recently Short Brothers plc.

Kate Thompson (Company Secretary)

Kate Thompson

Kate Thompson has been Director for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Northern Ireland for almost ten years.  A Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award holder, she has strategically developed the DofE in Northern Ireland to be more inclusive through the Joint Award Initiative with Gaisce – The President’s Award and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.  

Kate has considerable high-level leadership and senior management experience in the Not-for-Profit, public, voluntary and private sectors.  She has extensive experience in business development, relationship management, stakeholder engagement, managing and developing teams of staff, communications, media, marketing, event management and fundraising. 

She is a former private sector Board Director responsible for managing strategic relations with Veolia Water UK, Thames Water, M&S, Phoenix Gas, Calor Gas, Toyota, BMW and other blue-chip companies. 

In her spare time, Kate is a very keen photographer achieving her Licentiate with both the Royal Photographic Society and the Irish Photographic Federation.  She enjoys travelling, canoeing and hill walking.

Seamus McKee

Seamus McKee

Seamus McKee is a journalist and broadcaster. He has presented programmes on radio and television across a number of areas including current affairs, the arts, education and religion. He's possibly best known for having presented Good Morning Ulster and, more recently, Evening Extra on BBC Radio Ulster. He has also hosted Spotlight and Hearts and Minds on television as well as providing commentary on major events such as the televised commemorations of the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme, both in 2016. He has interviewed leading politicians and public figures over many years and has covered the twists and turns of our recent history, including the tragedies that have marked so many years of conflict. He has twice won the IMRO Irish Radio Award for News Broadcaster of the Year.                                                                         

                                 

Fiona Davey

Fiona Davey

Fiona Davey

Fiona has 27 years’ experience as an HR practitioner in Bombardier Aerostructures and Engineering Services (Short Bros plc) where she is Manager of Human Resources Business Partners and Equal Opportunities. She has extensive experience in a large multi-unionised aerospace manufacturer and has faced the varying challenges of the business cycle from a significant upturn to significant downsizing. She leads a team of HR Professionals who advise management on the full range of HR activities, and design and implement HR processes that support strategic business aims.

Edward Wright

Ed Wright

Ed Wright

Edward has nearly 20 years’ experience working professionally as an environmentalist, currently within the agri-food sector. Previous to this he was an environmental consultant to both the public and private sector and was Sustainability Director of Business in the Community/ARENA Network. He has a particular interest in supporting business to ensure it makes a positive contribution to protecting and enhancing our natural environment.

 

Dr Bob Brown OBE

Bob Brown

Bob is a marine biologist with an interest in birds, as well as many other aspects of wildlife, and has been involved with research and wildlife conservation for nearly 50 years.  He has worked with the National Trust on Strangford Lough, and as Director of RSPB's Northern Ireland operations.  He previously chaired the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group (NIBG) and was a member of the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside from 2000 to 2009.  For six years he was a member of the Northern Ireland Committee of Heritage Lottery Fund.  Bob was also a member of the Biodiversity Working Group of the European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Council on behalf of CNCC.  From 2009 – 17 he was an independent member of the UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and chaired their Marine Protected Areas sub-group for most of that time, notably during a period of intense MPA designation work in the UK.  Bob has previously served terms on Ulster Wildlife’s Council and is currently a co-opted member of its Environment Committee.  When not working on conservation issues at home, Bob gives lectures and wildlife excursions from expedition ships in the Arctic and Antarctic.  In 2004 he was awarded an OBE for services to nature conservation.

Anna Barclay

Anna Barclay

Anna Barclay

Anna has worked at the Rainbow Rehoming Shelter for the past two years while also volunteering with Cats Protection, North West Red Squirrel Group and is an active member with Zero Waste North West. She has travelled extensively throughout central and south America volunteering and learning about permaculture, rewilding and conservation, working with a range of organisations including the Organisation of the Conservation of Cetaceans, Uruguay. Anna holds a BSc in Podiatric Medicine from Glasgow Caledonian University, she was selected to represent the department at a conference in Helsinki and during her studies she was awarded the Magnus Magnusson award where she travelled to Peru to work at the Amazon Shelter, rehabilitating Howler monkeys, sloths and various other animals including many species of birds. She is passionate about conservation, connecting people, particularly the youth to nature and promoting a healthy life for all on the planet. 

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith is Managing Director of Lighthouse Communications. With over 25 years’ media and marketing/PR experience, he leads one of Northern Ireland’s leading communications consultancies, advising directors and boards of blue-chip, SME and third sector clients. Stephen has recently completed a Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction with the Institute of Directors.

Joe Breen OBE

Joe Breen

After graduating from Queens University with a BSc Honours in Zoology, Joe worked for three years in the Ulster Museum as a Scientist/Diver working on The Northern Ireland Sub-littoral survey with Bernard Picton and  former Ulster Wildlife Chairman David Erwin. His next role was Deputy Manager for 3 years in the Northern Ireland Aquarium (now Exploris).  After Exploris Joe joined Marenco, a QUB marine consultancy working on contracts for Government and Civil Engineering Consultancies conducting littoral and sub-littoral field surveys and writing Environmental Impact Statements.  Joe was recruited into the Northern Ireland Civil Service in 1992 to head up the Industrial Research and Technology Unit Water Quality Team, delivering an extensive monitoring programme for the Department of the Environment.  During his 30 years in the NICS Joe headed up many teams including the Natural Heritage Research Team, Marine Conservation Team, Marine Protected Area Team and the Marine Strategy & Licencing Team.  During this time Joe was appointed to head up a new marine team to investigate issues around the condition and management of the Strangford Lough Horse Mussel Beds working closely with Ulster Wildlife, QUB and the European Commission. Joe also provided the underpinning science for the designation of Skerries & Causeway SAC, Maidens SAC and Red Bay SAC as well as all of NI’s MCZ’s. As well as delivering an operational laboratory/field role, Joe also represented the Department on an exhaustive list of working groups, committees, steering groups and research liaison groups.  He was especially proud to represent the Department on the JNCC Chief Scientist Group. On 5th November 2021 Joe retired from the Marine & Fisheries Division.

Joe originally joined Ulster Wildlife in 1982 but felt obliged to step down when he became DOE Research Officer due to a perceived conflict of interest. Now he is retired he has re-joined Ulster Wildlife.

Joes interests include Diving, underwater videography, sailing, powerboating, photography and motorhoming.  Qualifications include RYA Yacht-master Offshore, RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor, BSAC 1st Class Diver, Advanced Instructor, QUB Honorary Research Fellow, First Aider.  Former RNLI Lifeboat Helmsman, Coastguard and founder member of the Community Rescue Service.

Extensive publication list, presented at numerous national and international conferences and multiple TV and Radio interviews (Newsline, The One Show, Countryfile, Springwatch and scientific advisor on BBC NI Waterworld).

Richard Buchanan

Richard Buchanan

Richard is a former civil servant with a career in various Whitehall departments in London, Belfast and elsewhere, including a two year attachment to the Australian government, and some years with the Hong Kong government prior to the handover to China.   Roles have ranged across many departments including some of the UK’s more interesting foreign policy areas, serious crime, HR and administration, and work in Northern Ireland over much of his civil service time.   The roles he most enjoyed were those looking at the more strategic picture, and politics whether local or international.     

He became involved with local charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI (LLNI) some years ago, after the loss of his teenage daughter Catherine to leukaemia and has been chair since 2016.   During this time, the charity has modernised, grown and raised significantly more money locally to fund blood cancer research, mainly in Belfast at Queen's University. Richard has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has in recent years done a number of Open University units on climate change and earth science.  He is passionate about the need to encourage governments to do more to tackle climate change, along with the associated issues such as more environmentally friendly farming, greener power generation, effective recycling and sustainable transport, all to preserve our environment for future generations.    He is a keen walker in the Mournes and elsewhere, and dedicated fan of all of our local wildlife.

Chloe Craig

Chloe Craig

Chloe has an academic background in animal science with a BSc (Hons) in Veterinary Biosciences from the University of Glasgow and an MSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare from Queens University Belfast. During her master’s she completed a work placement with Ulster Wildlife running hedgehog surveys in volunteer gardens, assisting with other species surveys such as barn owl, red squirrel, and pine marten, and helping with educational outreach across the country. She currently works as a Consultant Ecologist in Belfast, regularly carrying out field work and report writing for protected and priority species such as bat roost potential and activity, badger, otter, raptor, breeding bird, over wintering bird, common lizard, and smooth newt. She also carries out Biodiversity checklists, Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA), Phase 1 Habitat Surveys, Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA), Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA), Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW), and habitat management and mitigation. As an ecologist she works to safeguard protected species, habitats, and sensitive sites (Natura 2000; SAC, SPA, ASSI etc.) through any development proposals which could impact them, avoiding, mitigating, and compensating for risk where appropriate. Chloe holds Qualifying Membership with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and is working toward achieving Associate within the next year. She regularly seeks opportunities to volunteer such as working with ARGUK on their Dragons in the Hills project, routinely attending conferences such as “The Future of Nature Conservation” hosted by The Mammal Society and an invertebrate conservation workshop with CIEEM at Lagan Meadows.

Ciaran Ferrin

Ciaran Ferrin

Ciaran is currently working as the Sustainability and Social Value Officer at Lagan Specialist Contracting Group. In his volunteering work he is a Partnership Funding Officer with the Young European Leadership, an EU organisation. Ciaran is Chair of the Youth Climate Commission (formerly the Belfast Climate Commission's Youth Working Group), Ambassador of the One Young World program recently representing Ireland in Belfast. He is alumni of the 30 Under 30 Climate Change-makers programme at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, and as a result started his own social enterprise called Vacan. He is also a representative of many other environmental organisations, such as the Climate Action Group at QUBSU which he helped get accepted into the Climate Coalition NI. His work with Ulster Wildlife's Youth Forum started during the lockdown where he would participate in a plethora of activities relating to the charity. His main interests included chairing meetings, attending events, organising campaigns and raising awareness about his views on solving some of the environmental problems in society, especially relating to young people. Ciaran's education includes a BSc in Chemistry, a MSc in Leadership for Sustainable Development and 2 DegreePlus awards alongside both degrees. He has travelled to various countries for varying periods of time working on all sorts of projects. For example, he conducted his own agronomy and soil chemistry projects in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil and is conversationally fluent in Portuguese and he taught English in Colombia within camps, schools and universities in different parts of the country.

Joe Furphy OBE (Honorary President)

Joe Furphy

Joe Furphy

Joe Furphy was the first local person to work in nature conservation in Northern Ireland in 1965, and spent 32 years in what is now NIEA. Since retirement, he has been involved in several voluntary organisations and was awarded both an OBE and the Christopher Cadbury medal for his efforts. He is a founder member of Ulster Wildlife and past chairman. He also served on the Council of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts for four years. For relaxation, he participates in choral singing, plays the organ, bird watches and is keen on Irish railway history. Joe was appointed Ulster Wildlife’s first president at the 2015 AGM.

How to become a trustee

Any member of UIster Wildlife may apply to become a Trustee, provided they are eligible to stand for election under both company and charity law. No fixed qualifications are needed, but a wide range of skills and experience are required in order for our Board of Trustees to be effective. Trustees are elected at our Annual General Meeting, held each autumn.

 

Meet our Senior Management Team

Jennifer Fulton, Chief Executive Officer

Jennifer Fulton

Jennifer Fulton 

Jennifer took up the post of Chief Executive Officer at Ulster Wildlife in Spring 2012. Jennifer has an extensive and relevant background. Having begun her career in the Department of Agriculture on the delivery of agri-environment schemes and associated training programmes, she worked as a consultant on EU interstate projects. Subsequently, she managed a range of voluntary bodies and recently consulted on aspects of the reform of local government for three district councils.