About Us

Amanda Keetley is an environmentalist and marketing expert with 25 years’ experience specialising in strategy and communications. From 2015-2020 she campaigned to reduce plastic pollution globally via her non-profit Less Plastic and her book ‘Plastic Game Changer’.

In 2020, she extended her focus beyond sustainability to nature regeneration, launching Devon Environment Foundation (the first UK branch of the Conservation Collective) to channel funds to local nature restoration projects.

Amanda is excited by the multiple benefits that nature restoration brings and takes every opportunity to showcase uplifting stories from grassroots projects, to amplify their impact and inspire hope and wider action.

She lives in Kingsbridge, South Devon and loves connecting with nature on woodland or coastal walks and sea dips.

Issie is a sustainable development and climate finance professional with over 10 years’ experience supporting high-impact projects that are addressing sustainability challenges in complex environments, both locally and globally.

Issie is dedicated to driving positive environmental change and is passionate about supporting grassroots projects that promote sustainability, regeneration and conservation. Leveraging her expertise, she works to amplify initiatives that create lasting environmental impact and deliver Devon Environment Foundation’s strategic vision.

She lives in Exeter, Devon, and enjoys connecting to nature through woodland and coastal walks, gardening and cooking her home-grown veg.

Tom Amey is a conservationist who has over ten years’ experience working on projects in South Africa, Australia, Indonesia and Devon. Tom’s work has focused on rewilding, endangered species protection and conservation reintroductions, through community centered methods.  

Tom grew up in Totnes, Devon, and after spending six years in Indonesia between 2018 – 2024, he is excited to be re-focusing on Devon based conservation and sustainability efforts.  

Living in Totnes, Tom enjoys making the most of all that Devon has to offer: surfing, Dartmoor and coastal walks, river swims, camping and bird watching. 

Born and raised in Devon, Simon is passionate about sustainability and improving the natural environment.

Simon co-founded and serves as Chairman of the Devon Environment Foundation, where he combines his experience as a renewable energy developer and passion for Devon and the natural environment to channel vital funds, guidance and support to local grassroots nature regeneration
projects.

Olympus Power, a group of renewable energy companies founded by Simon, is his main business endeavour through which he is on track to realise his mission of offsetting 1,000,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2025.

Simon brings almost two decades of experience as an energy developer across the UK, Africa and the Middle East. So far, he has delivered over 3,000MW of power projects.

Beyond championing the natural environment and sustainability, Simon likes nothing better than building magnificent sandcastles with his kids across Devon’s fine beaches.

Though an acclaimed restaurateur, chef and author, Mitch Tonks, most succinctly summed up, has a love of seafood and an insatiable desire to share that passion with others.

Mitch’s prestigious restaurants are International and National multi-award winning, with Rockfish taking repeated awards at the National Seafish awards and The Seahorse being in the Sunday Times Top UK 100 restaurants and in the National Restaurant Awards Top UK 100 restaurants since opening 11 years ago. He has a number of awards to his own name too including Lifetime Achievement award in the Herald Express Hospitality awards in 2018 and received an honorary degree from Plymouth university business department. His book ‘Fresh’ scooped ‘Best Fish Book’ at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Mitch’s desire for sharing wonderful food is in evidence across all the restaurants in his group, from his flagship Seahorse to Rockfishes in Dartmouth, Torquay, Plymouth, Brixham, Exmouth & Exeter with openings in Weymouth by the beach and Poole Quay in Dorset in 2019.

Mitch is committed to constantly giving back to the community, having embarked on an academy scheme to train new chefs in partnership with South Devon College. On matters of UK fishing, sustainability and supply, his is arguably one of the most erudite, passionate and credible voices out there and has been name MSC Chef of the Year, 2018.

Nicci Gratwicke is an accomplished business leader and the Exec Chair and Family Shareholder of PenCarrie Ltd, one of the UK’s leading B2B wholesale distributors of clothing and accessories. Under Nicci’s leadership, PenCarrie has built a strong reputation for quality, reliability, and long-term partnerships, supplying businesses across the UK and Europe.

She brings extensive expertise in building strategic brands, operational excellence, and responsible business practice. Nicci has a keen interest in supporting enterprise, skills development, and sustainable business, and is passionate about creating positive impact through leadership and collaboration.

Ben Goldsmith is a British financier, philanthropist and lifelong nature lover who has been at the forefront of rewilding campaigns across Britain, Europe and beyond. He founded and chairs Conservation Collective, a leading nature restoration charity supporting 22 locally-focused Foundations around the world, from Devon to Sri Lanka.

Ben is the Co-founder of Nattergal Ltd, a natural capital venture which restores nature on a landscape-scale and also a Trustee of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), one of the world’s largest climate change focused philanthropic funds. Ben served from 2018 until 2022 as a Non-Executive Director of the UK Government’s Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Listen to Ben’s nature recovery podcast Rewilding The World here

As a woodsman, avid birder and keen fisherman Robin has spent the last two decades teaching wilderness bushcraft skills and running nature connection courses in Devon. As the co-founder of The Old Way program Robin offers a year long deep nature immersion in the different habitats of Devon, which includes an expedition he runs to the Kalahari desert in Africa to work with, support and learn from the remote San Ju/Hoansi Bushman communities.

When he’s not tracking cheetahs in Africa, he may be mentoring teenagers on the Hunger Games themed camps he founded with WildWise, working with prisoners for the charity Write to Freedom or teaching at Schumacher College.

Though you’re as likely though to find him behind a chainsaw or with a pair of binoculars in hand, as ecological restoration on a landscape scale is his other driving passion. Robin manages a rewilding project on Dartmoor; a 125 acre site of developing wood pasture, wetlands and mature woodland.

Robin is on the Steering Group representing The Frederick Mulder Foundation (FMF) of whom he is a trustee of.

In his spare time (ha ha ha) he lives in the heart of Dartmoor on a smallholding with his family endlessly fixing stuff, dreaming of going fishing and doing the school run!

Chris is Co-Founder of Lightrock Power, an innovative solar farm development company that focusses on maximising the ecological, environmental, and educational opportunities that new solar farms can bring.

Chris’ expertise lies in designing exemplary solar farms in collaboration with wildlife partners to optimise the biodiversity benefits.

Chris lives in Yorkshire, however spends many family holidays in Devon. He enjoys gardening with his young family and cycling in the Peak District National Park.

Galahad comes from a line of Somerset cobblers and grew up spending long barefoot summers (and winters) on the South Coast of Devon.

He soon realised that the polluting and unhealthy shoe industry is part of the problem and after various cobbling adventures (Wu Shoes, Terra Plana and United Nude) and inspired by the book Sustain-Ability he understood that the only excuse for filling the world up with more ‘stuff’ was to make products that make us feel more human, help us connect more to nature and address important environmental and ethical questions. And the most compelling definition of sustainability is that humans and other life can flourish on earth so it dawned on him that sustainable shoemaking ‘is’ barefoot shoe making and since 2012 he has focused his energies on building Vivobarefoot. He is also the founder of Worn Again a green technology business focused on chemical recycling.

He now couldn’t be happier to circle back to Devon, his favourite place in the world and make a small contribution to regenerate the nature and wildlife along with rewilding a few humans along the way.

Galahad will be supported on the DEF Steering Committee by Dulma Clark, Head of Livebarefoot Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm.

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” (T.S Eliot)

James Pike brings a wealth of experience as a senior hospitality leader, with a particular knack for navigating the complexities of multi-faceted businesses. Over the years, he’s played a key role in the success of several high-profile venues across London, helping to drive real, measurable growth. His achievements, including being an Ace Robyn winner and a Catey General Manager nominee reflect the impact he’s had across the industry.

Alongside his operational success, James also contributed to the broader sustainability agenda, working on committees for both ISO 14001 and BREEAM certifications, focused on environmental performance in large, multi-purpose London buildings.

Now based back in Devon, James oversees a group of hospitality and leisure businesses, The Holland Group, based in Dartmouth. He’s committed to making sustainability a core pillar of the group’s work, ensuring their contribution to the wonderful natural environment they’re lucky enough to be part of.

At home, James is raising his children to develop a deep appreciation for nature, encouraging them not just to enjoy the outdoors, but to play an active role in protecting it.

Keld is co-Founder and co-Managing Director of KR1 plc, Europe’s leading digital asset company.

He started as an early web entrepreneur in 1994, specialising in scaling internet start-ups to millions of users.

He first became involved in crypto in 2013 and co-founded KR1 plc in 2016.

Keld has a home in Totnes in South Devon.

He is keen to support local, tangible, environmental initiatives that can be replicated and scaled for maximum impact for nature in Devon.

Kendra is a member of our senior leadership team at our parent charity Conservation Collective, with responsibility for strategy, network development, and the people and culture of our central team and global network. She serves as the key point of contact for all local directors, their teams, and their boards, overseeing the resources, tools, and systems that enable them to operate effectively and share knowledge across the network. 

Kendra brings two decades of experience in environmental investment, social impact, and the not-for-profit sector having previously served as CEO, Chair, trustee, fundraiser, and grant maker for Expert Impact, The Edinburgh Remakery, Balanced Horizon, WHEB Investments and the Family & Parenting Institute. 

Laura has spent much of her career with the non-profit sector predominantly in South Africa. She worked as a grant-maker with Oxfam South Africa and later the Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa, as well as a number of local non-profits.

Since returning to the UK seven years ago Laura has been based in South Devon. Completing an MSc in Sustainable Development and Horticulture at Schumacher College in Dartington, turned a casual interest in farming into a passion for sustainable locally grown food, the importance of agroecology, and the necessity of soil management and working in harmony with the land and nature. She is a founding member of the Halleria Trust, which is growing its focus on supporting food, farming and the environment projects.

Philip is a FMCG sustainability entrepreneur and founder of B Corp Certified Hattiers Rum, a distinguished rum brand which has gained international acclaim and multiple awards for its exceptional blended aged rums.

When Philip arrived in the South Hams a decade ago following a varied career in film and television, publishing, and renewables to start a family business, rum seemed the obvious choice given his passion for racing classic yachts. Hattiers was built from the ground up, with ethical policies and practices always at the forefront and of the utmost importance. As Europe’s first B Corp certified rum, Hattiers have become pioneers and leaders within sustainability, partnering with organisations that share their values and working directly with non profits to deliver a greater impact for people and planet.

Hattiers donates 1% of its revenue through 1% For The Planet and has partnered with Ecologi to create a carbon positive workforce, removing hundreds of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere in the process and fund gold standard certified climate solutions that have an immediate positive impact on the planet.

Finally, Philip is a mentor for The Drinks Trust,  Equal Measures and The Worshipful Company of Distillers, primarily supporting underrepresented individuals entering the drinks industry.  Most recently, he has been co-opted to the board as Co-Chair of the newly launched B Local Devon to bring together fellow B Corps in Devon.

Philip’s downtime consists of spending quality time with his wife, two daughters (one of whom is Hattiers’ namesake), either on the water or exploring local beaches and coastal paths. He has also recently completed the extremely challenging Great Glen Trail in a canoe, covering 60 miles in 5 days from the West to East of Scotland with close friends in aid of Mind to highlight mental health challenges experienced by many men and to encourage them to open up and seek help when they are struggling with their mental health.

Lissa has worked in marine conservation for over 20 years, having originally spent six years working at sea on a research vessel whilst teaching marine biology and dolphin behaviour. In working for Plymouth University, Lissa taught the next generation of conservationists and has run summer school events engaging under-privileged young people and young carers with the natural environment.

She spent 15 years at The Wildlife Trusts, where as Head of Marine Conservation she inspired people to care for and act to protect our seas and sea life, from local events to the halls of Westminster, campaigning for the closure of Lyme Bay Reefs and the protection of our most special places at sea.

Now working as Senior Marine Ecologist at NatureBureau Ltd., she is working across Europe and beyond on various marine and ecological projects.

When not at work she can be found walking the coast path, trekking over Dartmoor, or on Devon’s beaches bodyboarding.

Thomas is an experienced impact consultant, speaker and advocate offering strategic and impact-related consultancy services to purpose-led businesses and investors across sectors and sizes.

A commercial employment lawyer by background, Thomas spent several years running organic food businesses in Devon.

In 2012, Thomas took part in the UK’s first masters-level course on the Circular Economy and developed a passionate belief in the opportunities and benefits of the ‘regenerative’ approach to business.

Thomas is a trained and experienced B Leader and B Corp Ambassador as well as a trustee of the Soil Association and a non-executive director of its trading subsidiary, Soil Association Certification Ltd.

Richard is an environmental scientist and founder of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste at the University of Exeter. His academic work takes a transdisciplinary approach to draw together knowledge from a wide range of fields including hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, soil science, biogeochemistry, environmental social science and economics to understand ways in which we can collectively address problems of land degradation, soil erosion, pollution and flooding/drought.

Over the last 25 years, since his PhD studies at the University of Lancaster, Richard has worked at the Universities of Leicester, Kings College London, Sheffield and now Exeter, publishing over 200 peer-reviewed papers, books and articles that impact the policy and practice of landscape restoration. He has undertaken fieldwork around the world, with an emphasis on desert landscapes, to build understanding of future climates and environmental adaptation that may be necessary in (currently) temperate ecosystems such as the UK.

His work in the area of nature-based solutions over the last 15 years spans species reintroduction (beaver, pine marten, wild cat), habitat restoration (notably peatland restoration, lowland wetland restoration and on-farm mitigation of erosion and diffuse pollution), natural flood management and rewilding. He and his research group deploy a suite of techniques to understand environmental change due to nature-based solutions including the monitoring of environmental structure and functional change, GIS and geospatial mapping and modelling from field to national scales to re-imagine how ecosystems could be, if only we were to prioritise nature.

Richard is a keen climber, biker, walker and swimmer and welcomes the opportunity to meet and discuss environmental issues preferably involving one or more of these activities.

Laurence is the CEO of the Westcountry Rivers Trust and ensures not only the facilitation of strategic projects and national promotion of the Trust but also the welfare and development of all staff. Building on his history at the Trust Laurence knows what aspects are crucial to the running of the organisation as well as delivering catchment scale environmental projects.

Laurence’s specialisms include developing and consulting on the practicalities of Payments for Ecosystem Service schemes, assessing ecosystem services provision and environmental surveying as well as extensive experience monitoring freshwater habitats, lecturing on water resource management and carrying out catchment research through his work with research institutes. Laurence has also bid successfully for local, national and international funds to help carry out and manage several important environmental regeneration projects.

He has 8 years on the ground experience working with farmers to help change their management techniques. Coupled with this, Laurence has experience designing educational tools and interpretation strategies, which has developed out of his background in teaching secondary school science.

Laurence is also connected with multiple partnerships across the region including his roles on both the Cornwall and Devon Local Nature Partnerships, the catchment partnerships (Cornwall, Tamar, East Devon, South Devon and North Devon) and the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. Additionally, Laurence instigated the Devon and Cornwall Soils Alliance, which acts as a non-political, non-lobbying collection of like-minded individuals operating through a myriad of projects and partnerships with an aim to build soils advice capability and capacity across the region.

Silas is a senior policy advisor at Defra where he works on natural flood management. He has seven years of experience in government, working on producer responsibility and as a trade negotiator in the UK’s post-Brexit free trade agreements. Prior to the civil service he had stints in Kenya at the United Nations Environment Programme and in parliament working for a former Totnes MP. He studied governance, economics and development in the Netherlands.

A longstanding interest in land use has seen him at conservation projects in Bolivia, researching and writing about land use on Dartmoor, and studying ecology. While his work is predominantly office-based, he admires and is inspired by those making projects happen on the ground.

He spends his time between Totnes (where he grew up) and London, but dreams of being able to cycle around the world with a paraglider strapped on behind.

Annie has research experience in kelp bed, wetland and coral reef ecosystems and has worked with industry to design programmes of impact reduction and biodiversity recovery. She has taught on marine environmental masters’ programmes at Newcastle, Plymouth and Kingston universities and much enjoys mentoring young scientists and helping them to achieve their career goals – especially in climate change mitigation and ecosystem recovery.

During the recent past, she has focussed on facilitating development of innovative renewable energy research and demonstration projects for the research councils and universities, to develop the technology and tools for optimising environmental and social outcomes. She currently volunteers in the forestry nursery at Dundreggan and for the Woodland Trust, mainly to improve her understanding of the barriers to rewilding and ecosystem recovery in terrestrial ecosystems. She spends as much time as possible walking, pedalling and swimming in Devon and the highlands and islands of Scotland with her family and friends!

Emma is the Head of Communities and Nature for the Duchy of Cornwall, working on Dartmoor. Tasked with delivering an ambitious vision spanning protected habitats, upland livelihoods and innovative delivery mechanisms this work necessitates working in partnership and close collaboration with a wide range of partners. From peatland restoration and upland commons, through ancient oak woodland and highly biodiverse grasslands, via curlew and other upland birds, Emma has practical experience of delivering results on the ground.

Emma has strong experience in catchment management, having worked on hydrological restoration and conservation projects improving condition and extent of priority habitats as well as delivering natural flood management and biodiversity benefits. She has a background in environmental project management weaving in safety, EIA and sustainability expertise but always with a preference for working with natural processes and local communities.

Emma is also a board member for Dart Harbour Navigation Authority helping to drive their stewardship ambitions and supporting delivery of environmental outcomes for the Estuary. A proud Devon resident, Emma loves being outdoors and indulging her passion for our wonderful species, habitats and landscapes. A keen runner, sea swimmer and sailor she quite often sacrifices pace for wildlife spotting in the wonderful places in Devon these sports take her to. As a mum to two young children she especially enjoys seeing the world through their eyes – sharing their wonder and amazement at the beauty of our world.

Naomi Oakley grew up on Dartmoor on a tenanted Duchy of Cornwall farm which she now manages through regenerative practices with her husband.

Challacombe Farm is managed for wildlife, archaeology and people, using high welfare grazing livestock to deliver sustainable management for building soil carbon and improving water quality.

Naomi attended Seale-Hayne Agricultural College and Imperial University, and is just starting a PhD in upland peat, regenerative management and social capital at Newcastle University.

She works for Natural England as a Principal Adviser in the Greener Farming and Fisheries team, and is the lead for peat and upland land management.

Guy is founder and co-director of Wychwood Biodiversity Limited whose mission is creating thriving wildlife in healthy landscapes.

Wychwood works with landowners big and small across the UK. They focus upon restoring habitats on renewable energy sites, which they see as a key way to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.

Guy lives in south Devon with his family, small rewilding project and an ever-expanding collection of animals.

Morven currently leads the marine programme at Esmée Fairbairn Foundation – one of the UK’s largest independent funders. Prior to joining Esmée in 2023, Morven worked for several marine conservation NGOs in the UK, including Blue Marine Foundation where she led the UK team.

Her experience has focused on delivering restoration, marine protected area and fisheries management projects across the UK with a focus on models that work for people and nature.

She lives in Exeter, loves gardening and enjoys swimming off Devon’s southern beaches.

Lisa Schneidau is a professional storyteller, folklorist and environmentalist based in Devon. She seeks out, and shares, traditional stories about the land and our complex relationship with it, and works with creative storytelling as a way of enabling better connection with nature and landscape. She is a founder member of South Devon Storytellers and runs Dartmoor Storytellers. 

Lisa tells stories for all ages at events, nature reserves, arts centres and schools, including performance storytelling and training for adults, story creation and development within education. She is the author of four books: English Folk Tales of Coast and Sea, River Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland, Woodland Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland and Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland (all History Press).

Lisa originally trained as an ecologist. She has worked with nature conservation charities across the UK for twenty five years, in roles as diverse as farm advisor, river surveyor, political lobbyist and conservation director. Her most recent role was manager of the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area and its successor projects, advancing landscape scale and catchment scale habitat restoration. She is a steering group member for Moor Meadows and a core group member of Dartmoor Nature Alliance.

Jessica is a strategic fundraising leader with over 15 years’ experience helping charities and community organisations secure long-term income and deliver lasting social impact. She currently leads Strategic Fundraising at OSCARs charity, where she is delivering a five-year growth strategy and has grown Trusts & Foundations income from £0 to six figures in under two years while working part time. Jessica has a strong track record of winning and managing significant funding, including securing £327,000 in consortium support for a portable MRI scanner and coordinating a £50 million national walking and cycling programme across six UK charities.

Jessica brings deep local knowledge of Devon and a long-standing personal commitment to low-impact living, having been part of a car-free family for almost 20 years. With a practical focus on environmental responsibility at home and in the way she works, she is motivated by enabling place-based organisations to protect nature and strengthen communities, and she actively contributes to the sector by hosting quarterly networking meetings and facilitating monthly creative writing workshops for fundraising professionals.

Jo Royle works to understand complex environmental systems from the inside, designing and delivering pragmatic solutions for people and the sea. She is the founder of Common Seas and has spent the past two decades working across fisheries, marine protection, and plastic pollution – combining lived experience with science, enterprise, and policy to move ideas from evidence into action at scale.

In practice, this work has helped establish marine protected areas, supported governments to reduce plastic pollution at source, and contributed to research that revealed plastic particles in human blood – reinforcing her belief that human health and ocean health are inseparable.

Jo’s approach is shaped by 12 years working at sea, beginning with an apprenticeship sailing with a fisherman from Dartmouth who taught her resilient, practical seamanship. That grounding led to a career as a sponsored ocean racing and expedition sailor, and to a lasting belief that meaningful change requires responsibility, risk, and skin in the game.

Since moving into environmental leadership, she has spent a further 14 years working through a design-led, collaborative approach – co-creating and piloting solutions with scientists, fishers, policymakers, and communities, and adapting them through real-world testing rather than theory alone.

With Lancashire roots that keep her grounded, and the River Dart as home since childhood, while continuing to work on wider systemic change, Jo is now contributing locally, supporting Devon’s environmental initiatives with clarity, care, and a long-term commitment to regeneration.

Will Watson is a regenerative, organic farmer from Totnes, currently working between Devon and Spain.

Following a conventional agricultural training, he was enlightened and inspired after reading George Monbiot’s Feral and learning about the return of beavers to Devon. He has since been working to restore land through regenerative management which he’s convinced is the means of solving many of the world’s problems, whilst procuring healthy produce and making farming fun again!

He believes farmers are in a crucial and privileged position to deliver cost effective conservation and is working to bring wildlife back to our farmland.

He is particularly interested in water cycle restoration and following work on his home farm, is involved in an initiative to fight desertification in southern Europe. He’s a keen member and host of the Devon Swift Project, an initiative to restore our Swift population and engage communities around their conservation.