About Wildbanks Conservation

Mick Smith BSc (Hons) - Director, Principal Ecologist

Mick has been working to conserve wildlife and habitats for over 24 years. He started out working for the North Wales Wildlife Trust and for Flintshire County Council as a Countryside Ranger and then managed a river restoration project on the River Colne in Huddersfield. With wife Clare, they Started Wildbanks Conservation in 2007 from a mid terraced house and garden shed.

His practical experience and project management skills, plus his adaptability and innovation, coupled with his amazing colleagues have enabled Wildbanks Conservation to grow into a sector leading Company. Mick holds NPTC certificates in chainsaw operation (CS30, CS31 & CS36 and CS32), tree climbing, pesticide application (PA1, PA6, PAW), brushcutter and woodchipper as well as Streetworks, First Aid At Work (4days) and Asbestos Awareness (Cat A) to name a few. He is also skilled at Excavator driving having NPORS qualifications of using below and above 10t diggers.

Mick is skilled in a variety of ecological survey techniques and holds a CL18 (class level 2) Natural England bat licence and a Natural Resources Wales bat licence, he also holds a GCN licence for Natural England & Natural Resources Wales and has held multiple Bat Mitigation licences for a range of species. His tree climbing skills allow him to carry out aerial tree inspections for bats.

He can also make a great loaf of bread and pizzas, enjoys carpentry and wishes he had the time to learn to paint.

Clare Smith BSc (Hons) - Director

Clare first pursued her career in nature conservation in 1998, moving to Edinburgh to volunteer for the Scottish Wildlife Trust where she discovered her passion for Botany. Drawn back to her home of North Wales she volunteered at Greenfield Valley Country Park where she met Mick assisting on the Natterjack toad reintroduction programme at Talacre Dunes SSSI in 1999. Clare then worked for three years on a Great Crested Newt community project in Flintshire and then ran an environmental community project in Huddersfield for local volunteers. Clare is a skilled botanist and holds a Natural England & Natural Resources Wales GCN licence.

Now more office based, Clare helps to keep the business running smoothly but can now and then be seen out on site when an extra pair of hands is needed and if it’s not raining! Her happy place is pottering in her greenhouse, sowing seeds for her vegetable garden and propagating plants to make nectar beds for bees and butterflies.

Clare and Mick have two girls aged 12 and 10, both of which can already identify many British butterflies, bees and birds.

Chris Gosset BSc (Hons) MSc - Conservation Ranger

Chris used to work on his uncle’s organic beef farm and is adept at working in the natural environment whether its driving a tractor or clearing scrub from a bog. Since graduating in 2011 from Aberystwyth University, Chris has pursued a career in conservation where he developed a particular interest in bats. Culminating in obtaining a Masters in the effects of habitat management on bats and attaining his bat licence.

Whether in the field with his weather writer, or knee deep in mud knocking in plastic piling dams, Chris is an all rounder with a varied wealth of experience who thrives on the challenges of working in nature conservation. Chris holds qualifications in a wide range of practical skills including excavator driving where he excels and is an excellent digger driver with huge experience of wetland and peatland restoration projects. That is his happy place.

Chris is adept at a wide range of survey techniques (bats, GCN, Phase 1, otter, water vole, badger) and holds a Natural England GCN License and Bat License class 2.

Chris is currently in the process of designing and making his own board games and uses the team as his guinea pigs to test out his games whenever we stay overnight on projects.

Jack Halpin BSc (Hons) - Team Leader

Jack has 7 years experience working on various environmental projects and since starting with us in 2017, he has worked hard to become Team Leader and now leads the team on practical and ecological projects.

With a degree in Zoology from Aberdeen University and a natural aptitude for practical countryside management work as well as a detailed interest in protected species, he is an integral member of the team. Always enthusiastic, Jack enjoys the diversity of the projects we throw at him and enjoys learning new skills and encouraging his team to achieve his high standards in all they are doing. Jack holds NPTC certificates in chainsaw operation (CS30, CS31 & CS36), pesticide application (PA1, PA6, PAW), brushcutter, woodchipper and excavator (below and above 10t) as well as First Aid at Work + Forestry (2 day).

Jack holds a NE Great Crested Newts licence and is working towards his NRW bat licence. He is an excellent bat ecologist with bat sound analysis training and is a tree climber and enjoys days at the top of a tree searching for nesting birds or bats. Jack is also adept at GIS and is developing his skills under the BNG format to deliver projects where this is required.

Jack can’t seem to get enough of work and turns up at the workshop on his days off to build wardrobes for his house and borrow strimmers to maintain the wildflower meadow in his garden.

Tanya Cobb BSc (Hon) - Conservation Ranger

Tanya started with us in April 2022 after an 8-month practical conservation traineeship with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Tanya had been volunteering with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and leading a conservation volunteer group since completing her Zoology degree at Exeter University Penryn Campus in 2017.

Tanya relishes the challenges of each new project. With a key eye for detail and aptitude for ecological projects she has become an integral member of the team. Her bat call id skills are excellent and her Report writing is helping the team deliver a wide range of projects.

She holds NPTC certificates in chainsaw operation (CS30 & CS31), pesticide application (PA1, PA6, PAW), brushcutter and a LANTRA certificate for woodchipper, as well as First Aid at Work + Forestry (2 day).

Tanya is gained a BTO bird ringing licence with the Shropshire Ringing Group and has been riding horses for almost 20 years, even riding abroad on holidays to countries such as the US and Cambodia.

Tony Medcalf - Conservation Ranger

Tony joined us in September 2023 but has been working in conservation and land management since 2005.

Tony has a National Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture, a Level 3 Diploma in Environmental Conservation. He holds NPTC certificates in chainsaw operation (CS30, CS31, CS32 & CS34), pesticide application (PA1, PA6, PAW), brushcutter and clearing saw, tree climbing and aerial rescue, and sit-in ATV. Tony also holds a CPCS ticket for excavator use, and LANTRA certificates for woodchipper, tractor and felling trees over 380mm.

Tony has experience working with invasive species, and on a huge range of mitigation projects and habitat enhancement for GCN, Badgers, Reptiles, and Bats. Developing a keen interest in bat conservation; he holds an NRW bat licence and regularly volunteers with Clwyd Bat Group.

Tony likes to spend his spare time mountain biking or dog training and is currently learning Welsh.

Joe Carroll - Assistant Conservation Ranger

Joe has been working for Wildbanks Conservation since October 2023. Prior to this, Joe delivered environmental protection and mitigation for development sites and carried out BS5837 Tree Surveys.

Joe has a Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Management degree from Harper Adams University. As part of his degree, he worked as a volunteer ranger for the National Trust, so Joe joined us with experience working on habitat management and environmental mitigation across a broad range of sites.

He holds NPTC certificates in brushcutter and woodchipper, and LANTRA certificates in chainsaw operation, felling trees up to 200m and Basic Tree Survey and Inspection. Joe also holds a certificate for excavator (up to 5 tn) and dumper use, and First Aid at Work + Forestry.

In his spare time, Joe is an avid rock climber and model maker.