Meet the CEO - Nic Scothern

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’ve always been incredibly drawn to wildlife, but I grew up in a very urban environment, so that’s the wildlife, and the spaces, that I fell in love with. Parks and little wetlands, not a big, open countryside environment. Nature for me has always been about connecting to spaces, big or small.

I did a degree in Biology, then got a scholarship to do a Masters in Biodiversity and Conservation and realised you can get a job connected to that love of wildlife. I was lucky to get a role working for the RSPB as a Project Officer when I finished at university. It was about habitat creation, connecting people to nature and inspiring them to take action. So that’s how I ended up in a career in conservation.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A vet! I loved science, and animals, and did well in my A levels. But I didn’t get accepted to study veterinary science. I also wanted to be a dancer, but science won out and I went to Leeds to study Biology.

Is there any species in particular you’re interested in?

I’ve always been a generalist. I connect more to spaces. But trees stand out for me. I’ve always felt a deep connection to them. I’ve got a strong memory of walking with my dad to the pub every Sunday, and we’d go through this urban wetland, and I loved seeing Weeping Willows. And I’ve become obsessed with ponds too. I have four water features in my very little Brighton backyard. I like to create homes, and see what happens. I love the invertebrates.

And, of course, I fell in love with birds working with the RSPB back in the day and still have a massive soft spot for them. A lot of pond-related joy comes from watching garden birds, Blackbirds, Sparrows, having a lovely bath.

Which Sussex Wildlife Trust reserve are you most interested in getting to know better?

Pevensey Marshes. It’s the essence of a nature-based solution to climate change - storing water as natural flood management. It’s a beautiful wetland site because of the work we did. The project incorporates restoration for people and wildlife.

Also, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. It’s obviously a standout site, and has the extraordinary Discovery Centre, but the reserve looks insanely beautiful.

What are your priorities in your role as CEO?

We want to build a big, diverse people-powered movement for nature. It’s that simple. Nature is part of everybody and everything. And we need to all work together, across all communities, all individuals, to make a difference. So, our priority is, how to enable more people to fall in love with nature and take action for it, live in harmony with it and be kind to it. To do this, we have to be really inclusive, welcoming and accessible.

And it’s also about creating a happy, healthy workforce of staff and volunteers, who take care of their wellbeing, so we can all take care of nature.

If you could persuade people to do one thing to support wildlife in Sussex, what would it be?

Well, join the Trust for one! But it depends where people are in their lives. It might be a small, practical action. Putting water out for wildlife. Contacting your local politician or councillor to urge them to advocate for nature. You might join a community group in your area or even set one up. If you’re a landowner, you could manage your farm or land in ways that have more impact for wildlife.

But you need to start somewhere that’s easy and accessible. Not everyone who cares about wildlife is out doing conservation volunteering or birdwatching every weekend. Many of us are in a café, in a pub with friends, or out doing a big shop. Let’s start from where people are and work from there.