| Stuart Crooks retired in August 2008 after 32 years as Director of the Trust. Here he reflects on challenges and achievements and the satisfaction of having played a key role in the Trust's progress in nature conservation.
It was a mysterious and isolated place when I first saw it. Buried deep in the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside it seemed timeless with its old Breck-like fields, its patchwork of woods and heath, and a quaint farmhouse. This was Moor Farm in the early 1970s, which I visited along with a few fellow employees of other Trusts when I was Conservation Officer with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. We were impressed. Few Trusts at that time owned substantial nature reserves, so to find a gem of this kind being looked after by a Trust was an inspiration. Little did I think then that in just a few years I would be living in that quaint farmhouse with my family and helping to shape the future of what was already a successful organisation.
I regarded it as a plum job when I was appointed as the Trust's first manager (known then as Conservator - a cross between a director and a conservation officer). Moor Farm, which was to be my home for two years, still held its mystery and charm, and I relished living in such a wildlife-rich environment. One thing was missing though: there were no woodlarks - a favourite species - despite the habitats having the appearance of being ideal.
As well as experience as an employee of another Trust, I had also been a volunteer, having been a founder member of the Hertfordshire & Middlesex Trust. I served as a trustee there for several years, and became closely involved in nature reserve management and conservation planning work at a time when there were no paid staff. I was at that time already deeply committed to conservation and to the voluntary ethos of the Wildlife Trusts' movement. Among my early inspirational influences was Ted Smith, then the Honorary Secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves, who had been the principal speaker at the inaugural meeting of the Hertfordshire & Middlesex Trust.
So, when I came to Lincolnshire in August 1976 and found myself working with Ted as Chairman of the Trust, I soon discovered that we had similar views about the power of volunteering, a principle which has underpinned all my work for the Trust ever since. And what volunteers! Few organisations could offer a similar range of opportunities: we needed expert naturalists and scientists; legal and managerial knowledge; abilities in retail sales, interpretation and publications; and, of course, all the practical skills that go into nature reserve management. And we needed plenty of help in all these fields, none more so than in managing our expanding suite of nature reserves.
Although the Trust was becoming a powerful voice in commenting on potentially damaging development proposals, and in promoting nature conservation with farmers, land managers and local authorities, it was the establishment and management of nature reserves that was seen as a priority. The expansion which followed in the 1980s would not have been possible without an army of volunteers, including many who were willing to take on responsibilities for individual sites.
Moor Farm House in the mid 1970s
Acquisitions pose challenges
Acquisitions in those years posed many challenges, not least the need to raise the necessary purchase monies. But sources of new funds were opening up - the World Wildlife Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, our own national body (by 1981 transformed into the Royal Society for Nature Conservation) and a range of charitable trusts. So it was that we were able to purchase many important sites: Rigsby Wood in 1980; Ancaster Valley and Kirkby Moor in 1981; Far Ings and Keal Carr in 1983; Frampton Marsh and Silverines Meadow in 1986; and Kingerby Beck Meadows in 1989.
In the following decade we continued to acquire new sites: Sow Dale in 1990; Kirkby Gravel Pit and Roberts Field in 1991; Pasture Wharf in 1992; and Lawn Wood in 1995. But a change in our priorities began to manifest itself: we decided to concentrate on the extension of existing nature reserves by acquiring land where habitats could be re-created. We did not stop acquiring discrete new sites where there were suitable opportunities (later examples are Deeping Lakes in 2002 and Legbourne Wood in 2003) but the emphasis was on extensions. Sites which were greatly expanded in this way included Scotton Common, Red Hill, Gibraltar Point, Saltfleetby, Crowle Moor, Far Ings and Kingerby Beck Meadows. Large area conservation and habitat re-creation is now a major theme for all the Wildlife Trusts under the Living Landscapes banner.
Rigsby Wood
Education and Interpretation
Education and interpretation have always been important activities for the Trust, so that the expansion of this work through the award of grants from the National Lottery and the Regional Development Agencies has been something in which I have taken a special interest. We now have three fine education centres at Whisby, Gibraltar Point and Far Ings. All three do a great deal of work with schools, but work with adults is equally important, not perhaps so much in the way of formal education, but in providing opportunities for more people to experience and enjoy the natural world. Thus we have put a lot of effort into improving access to our nature reserves for the general public as well as members, and - as with the earliest example of Gibraltar Point - we established other sites in partnership with local authorities where access is a priority: notable among these were Snipe Dales Nature Reserve and Country Park, and Whisby Nature Park. Working with local authorities and other agencies to establish these sites has given me considerable job satisfaction. They are places where wildlife is important, but so are people, allowing the Trust to promote ideas for conservation management and to gain public understanding and support for all our work.
During the 1980s and 1990s our membership and income had grown substantially, and we were able to raise funds to match the available grants for land purchase by running special appeals. Greater commitments warranted more staff for promoting conservation in the wider countryside, for administration and, particularly, for nature reserve management. The voluntary input climbed steadily, but more paid staff were needed for keeping up the administration of our estate and for underpinning the volunteer force. Growth in our staff complement has been considerable: I was one of only five or six employees when I first came to Lincolnshire. Now we employ around 60 full-time equivalents. This expansion has, however, always been moderated by the constant background theme of our voluntary ethos which has meant that staff have not been taken on to replace the work of volunteers but to enable volunteers to do even more.
The Look Out at Gibraltar Point
Balancing the books
Balancing the books has always been a challenge in managing the Trust. The potential for what we could possibly achieve; the size and urgency of the task confronting us to rescue Lincolnshire's beleaguered wildlife and wild places; and the great and exciting opportunities, all conspire to stretch ourselves that bit more year by year. Ours is not an organisation which can afford to be static: we have to keep growing in order not to go backwards. But of course, we can only do as much as voluntary and financial resources allow. There have been times when financial conditions have been tough, but I have had amazing support from the two Honorary Treasurers I have worked with - John Keily until 1988, and Bob Prentice from then on, and we have also wisely invested in highly skilled financial staff, so that even in the difficult times we have kept a grip on the situation with good budgeting and financial controls.
In latter years we have been fortunate to enjoy a steady income from legacies which, whilst of course enormously beneficial, bring their own special headaches. Regular legacies, often involving property, and often shared with other charities, bring a need for administration, liaison with executors and solicitors, and dealing with complex property transactions. Interesting work, but time-consuming. An even more challenging issue has been how to deploy our legacy income. In 1984 we established the Conservation Fund to hold a proportion of our legacy receipts in order to generate long-term income - the logic being that a growing estate of nature reserves (which may show as an asset on our balance sheet but is in reality a liability) needs permanent endowment to help with its running costs. We have also sought to put money aside each year for the purchase of nature reserves, and some is spent on general conservation work and supporting our whole range of activities. Deciding on the amounts to be devoted to each of these has caused an on-going and lively debate among senior staff and trustees!
During my time as Director of the Trust I have been able to play a part in our relationships with many organisations, including English Nature (now Natural England), local authorities, regional bodies and many others. Forging partnerships in order to reach collective goals has been something I have placed a great deal of faith in. Joint working in this way helps all those involved to achieve their collective aims, and it helps the Trust to promote itself and its philosophy. Among the partnerships I have worked in none has given so much satisfaction as our national association, the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. The Society has had its ups and downs but now provides a solid platform for all the Wildlife Trusts to work together on common objectives. I have received much support and encouragement from the Directors and trustees of other Wildlife Trusts and I have always tried to set aside a little time to be able to respond in a like manner: this kind of co-operation - offering advice and practical suggestions, has been an important factor in developing the Wildlife Trusts' movement, and I leave my job with very warm feelings towards all those colleagues I have worked with in times thick and thin.
Snipe Dales Nature Reserve
Volunteer/Staff Partnership
The Trust's growth had by the late 1990s caused us to look afresh at our organisational structure. The complexities of our work and the growing responsibility placed on charity trustees meant that amendments to our constitution were needed. So, in 1999 we adopted new Articles of Association which reduced the number of trustees. This helped in concentrating on the policy issues that really mattered. Our two-tier system of Board and Council has served us well in allowing the trustees to take a more active role whilst at the same time keeping and enhancing our democratic structure. At the same time I worked with the trustees to review the way in which we harnessed voluntary expertise. This lead to a decision to replace committees with a series of Teams on which staff and volunteers serve on an equal basis. This has, I believe, been a great success in fostering working partnerships between staff and volunteers, and by focussing more clearly the scope of each Team compared with the former committees has allowed us to involve a greater number of volunteers and to utilise their knowledge more effectively.
Among the Trust's many hundreds of volunteers it would be invidious to single out any for special mention, save for your trustees. In many ways they are the unsung heroes of the movement, handing out as they do, thanks to volunteers and staff, but rarely receiving the accolade they deserve for their dedication, steadfastness, and willingness to shoulder the burden of responsibility that they take on under charity law. It is a remarkable fact that the attendance record for the bi-monthly meetings of the Board of Trustees & Directors has run at a figure well in excess of 90% since the Board was set up in 2000. For many Trustees their attendance record will have been at a similar level for far longer, going back over many years' service on the former Executive Committee. Most Trustees have missed only one or two meetings since 2000 - and one has a 100% attendance record! I have enjoyed a close and constructive working relationship with the Honorary Officers and other Trustees. It has been a fruitful partnership for which I am most thankful. Together we have developed a thriving organisation and made a real difference to the cause of wildlife conservation.
The board of trustees
At times the business of wildlife conservation can seem a bit daunting. New environmental problems such as global warming, and the continued decline in some of our more vulnerable species, present new challenges. Yet we have had many successes, and there is no doubt that without the Trust our county's wildlife would be much the poorer. Crucially, we are providing opportunity and scope for the future, so that populations of species will have the chance to spread. Such flexibility will be an important aspect of our response to climate change.
In writing about my 32 years working for the Trust I have not attempted a complete history: that has been done, in part, elsewhere. Instead I have picked a few themes and events that seem to me to have been significant. From a purely personal point of view, I have derived huge satisfaction and enjoyment from the job, despite the sometimes difficult management decisions that the job entails, and a few setbacks and disappointments: they have been greatly outweighed by the successes and the warmth and enthusiasm of the staff and volunteers I have worked with, for all of whom I record my thanks and best wishes.
None of our achievements would have been possible without members. Not all members can be active volunteers, but their collective support is vital. Members give us a voice, raise our credibility, and demonstrate our grassroots credentials. Many join not just because membership offers good value for money, but because they believe that ours is a cause worth supporting. Members' subscriptions are our largest source of unrestricted income - money that we can redouble by matching it against grants and donations. So, I thank you all for being members and supporting what we do.
I am also deeply grateful for the professionalism, loyalty and friendship of the Trust's staff. There have been many staff changes in my time with the Trust, but we have been fortunate in the skilled people who have worked for us over the years. We have been able to recruit many dedicated people who are devoted to the Trust and its cause. I wish them well for the future. I know that I leave the Trust in very good hands, in the care of its Trustees, staff and volunteers, and my successor, Paul Learoyd, who I know will take the Trust on to ever greater achievements.
One of the greatest pleasures in my career has been to enjoy the fruits of our labours. Visiting the many nature reserves in whose establishment I have played a part is especially rewarding, and gives extra satisfaction where our land management has created conditions that allow lost species to re-colonise. What a wonderful array of sites we have! Each engenders a special sense of place, with wonderful landscapes and a diversity of wildlife. And there is woodlark song to be heard again at Moor Farm.
Woodlark
On 26 November 2008, Stuart Crooks was awarded the Christopher Cadbury medal for services for the advancement of nature conservation in the British Islands.
> Read the press release to find out more.
Stuart Crooks, Director, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust 1976 - 2008
This article first appeared in Lapwings - the magazine for members of the Trust.
See the Membership pages for details of how you can join. Members receive three issues of Lapwings annually, as well as the national Wildlife Trusts magazine Natural World.
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