Farmers and land managers have a huge influence on Britain’s rural environment, but there is only so much that an individual, acting in isolation, can achieve on their own. By working together, aided by an advisor or ‘facilitator’, farmers and land managers can work more cohesively together in their locality. This enables them to collectively deliver greater benefits for soil, water and wildlife at a landscape scale.

Our speaker, Teresa Dent, has been working with farmer groups to improve wildlife and environmental outcomes since 2013, when she helped set up the first Farmer Cluster. She will discuss her experiences of working with voluntary farmer groups, how they approach river restoration, and what scope there is to make farmer groups a key part of river restoration.

Our speaker

Teresa Dent CBE, Previously CEO, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)

Originally a farming consultant with Strutt & Parker, Teresa was CEO of GWCT 2001-2025 and still works for GWCT as a coordinator for area-based conservation projects like the Environmental Farmer Groups (EFG) & Farmer Clusters. Teresa was made a CBE for services to wildlife conservation in 2015; is a Fellow of RASE; was board member of NE (2014-2020); chaired the Marlborough Downs Nature Improvement Area; is a director of various farmer groups; a founder member of Curlew Recovery Partnership; and an honorary member of National Gamekeepers Association & Grasshoppers Farmer Group.