The Natural History of Yorkshire in 100 Species

Deborah’s chosen species is the beautiful and delicate Meadow Saxifrage Saxifraga granulata.

Deborah studied dairying and worked in microbiology labs for ten years before abandoning lab work for a more outdoor life. She has a wealth of experience in botany and beyond, and has worked on meadow monitoring and surveying in the Pennine Dales, as BSBI VC65 recorder, and founder trustee of the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust.

Dan’s chosen species is the Giant Horntail Urocerus gigas, joined by its parasite the Sabre Wasp Rhyssa persuasoria, two species with a remarkable parasite-host relationship.

Dan works as a senior ecologist at Wold Ecology and co-recorder for reptiles and amphibians for the YNU. Dan’s passion for conservation has also seen him volunteer with Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire, The North York Moors, RSPCA, Flamborough Bird Observatory and Natural England through various stages of his career. 

Sam’s chosen species is the Small Eggar moth Eriogaster lanestris, a species known for its impressive larval webs.

Sam Newton is Woodland Creation Officer at the North York Moors National Park where he has been responsible for delivering the Authorities Woodland Creation Grant Scheme since 2020. Outside of work, Sam is a Yorkshire Butterfly Conservation practical volunteer leader and committee member.

Mark’s chosen species - just in time for Hallowe’en! - is the Scarlet Caterpillar Club Fungi Cordyceps militaris.

Mark has been with NEYEDC for nearly 20 years and has played a key role in the evolution of NEYEDC from the days of 7-day turnarounds for enquiries involving photocopying records and target notes to be sent out by post, through to the current system of online interactive mapping delivering our services within a matter of hours!

Dwayne's chosen species is one of our wonderful native trees, the Alder Alnus glutinosa.

Dwayen is a Project Assistant with the Wild Ingleborough project, supporting the program on the ground and on reserves, including dry stone walling, fencing, tree planting and leading volunteers on practical conservation tasks.

Rob's chosen species is the beautiful perennial peatland plant Cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus.

Rob works at NEYEDC as an Assistant Ecological Data Officer. In this one-year trainee role he is currently involved in running data search requests, the revision of the Ancient Woodland Inventory and UAV (drone) surveying alongside other projects.

Richard's chosen species is one of Yorkshire's most iconic birds, the Curlew Numenius arquata.

Rich Bunce is a professional photographer and workshop leader with over 15 years of commercial experience. In recent years his photography work has moved towards conservation commissions, working with a variety conservation charities and rewilding projects, including several commissions for Curlew Action.

Matthew's chosen species is the beautiful Barn Owl Tyto alba.

Matthew is currently a PhD researcher at the University of Hull, investigating the value of urban blue spaces from ecological and social perspectives as part of the Rewild Research Cluster. Matthew is passionate about the benefits of urban biodiversity for society and a is keen naturalist, spending a lot of his spare time photographing wildlife, particularly wildlife within the urban environment.

Lucy’s chosen species is the inquisitive and impressive Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, the UK’s smallest whale.

Lucy started working at NEYEDC around 3 years ago, joining the organisation as an Ecological Data Officer and now working as Ecological Information Officer. Before joining NEYEDC, Lucy studied for an MSc in Marine Conservation and spent several years volunteering for marine conservation organisations, including managing data, training survey volunteers, and surveying from land and boat in the north-east and Scotland.

Nabil’s chosen species is Ragged Robin Silene flos-cuculiI, a charismatic flower of wetland habitats.

Nabil Abbas has spent 3 years working as the Project Manager for the Skell Valley Project, a landscape-scale project working across 12 miles of this North Yorkshire river valley: Skell Valley Project - Nidderdale AONB. His background is in ecology and conservation, having spent most of his career working in nature conservation.

Vaughan’s chosen species is the Little Egret Egretta garzetta, a small heron whose population has expanded rapidly in Yorkshire over the last 30 years.

Vaughan grew up in East Yorkshire and first became interested in birds as a young teenager on family holidays to the Yorkshire coast. He has had an extensive career in conservation, including taking up the post of Biodiversity Officer in East Riding Council in 2010. He chaired the East Riding Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) panel from 2014 until his retirement in September 2023 but continues to sit on the panel.

Hannah’s chosen species is a distinctive feature of our natural landscape, Hazel Corylus avellana.

Hannah works as an Ecological Data Officer here at NEYEDC, with her work focusing on updating the Ancient Woodland Inventory. Hannah has also worked as a volunteer at various nature reserves, surveying birds and managing habitat, and has spent some enjoyable days coppicing Hazel in ancient woodland.

Ana’s chosen species is the often overlooked and underappreciated Common Limpet Patella vulgata.

Ana is the Marine Pollution Officer at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust which includes running events like beach cleans, managing a team of brilliant volunteers who do various roles on the Trusts behalf, and collecting a suite of datasets that shape the organisation’s marine programme.

Derek’s chosen species is the stunning Mountain Hare Lepus timidus.

Derek Whiteley got involved in natural history 54 years ago through the “boot camp” of the Sorby Natural History Society in Sheffield. Over the years he has been Sorby President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Mammal Group Secretary, Sorby Invertebrate Group Secretary, and edited the Sorby Record journal for 49 years. He is currently President-elect for the YNU.

Elizabeth’s chosen species is the scarce and beautiful Bird’s-eye Primrose Primula farinosa.

Elizabeth is an ecologist, working for the National Trust in the Yorkshire Dales. Elizabeth works alongside colleagues and volunteers to record and monitor flora and fauna, develop management plans, and get involved in a range of projects.

Alex’s chosen species are two iconic species of Yorkshire’s peatlands, Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia and the sphagnum moss Sphagnum medium.

Alex joined Yorkshire peat partnership as a Peat Project Intern in April 2023. During her traineeship, she has spent her time learning about peatlands and their restoration.

Phil’s chosen species is one of our most-loved mammals, the Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus.

Phil currently volunteers with the National Trust at Nostell, and has led parkland, butterfly and dawn chorus walks there. He records data for several organisations including the British Trust for Ornithology and People’s Trust for Endangered Species, and he carries out hedgehog releases for two local rescues.

Jim’s chosen species is Berosus signaticollis, a water beetle species of the lowlands, often in ditches and pools in the Humberhead Levels.

Jim works on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves in South Yorkshire, but grew up in the North near Skipton. He currently manages a wide range of sites, mostly in the lowlands, with a mix of grassland, heath, wetland, and woodland.

Vicki’s chosen species is our only native species of freshwater crayfish, the White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes.

Vicki Bartlett is the Rivers and Wetlands trainee at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT), who works closely with Vanessa Barlow, YWT’s Crayfish Stakeholder Officer.

Matt’s chosen species is the Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus.

Matt is the founder of Yorkshire Seal Group and has spent over 15 years working in conservation roles with a variety of environmental and animal welfare NGOs. Matt co manages a close-knit team of 40 seal stewards, researchers and educators on the Yorkshire coast to help protect our iconic seals, educate coastal visitors and promote a peaceful coexistence between the two.