Who are you?
Shwmae! My name is Joe (he/him), and I’m an ecologist and Rights of Nature campaigner from Mid Wales. I love all nature, but marine and coastal nature are my passions, probably connected to my love of being in/on/near the sea. If I don’t reply to emails or messages, I’m probably out on my paddleboard – although I sometimes will answer when I’m out on my board, and I am known to record the odd “Paddleboard Politics”.
I am a first-language Welsh speaker and enjoy exploring the links between local culture and nature. I will always say yes to a story over a paned and a gluten-free biscuit. Growing up in Mid Wales has made me very aware of the importance of language and culture in conversation and nature restoration, so I take this with me in all of my work. Growing up in Wales also means I love a sing-song, but I apologise to anybody who has heard me attempt to sing some ballads – I’m definitely no songbird!
My day job is working with the incredible West Wales Rivers Trust. I lead our community engagement work in my home county of Ceredigion. I work closely with volunteers, farmers, school groups, sports clubs, and other community groups to train them to become eyes, ears, and voices for local rivers.
Outside of this work, I’m also an advisor to National Trust Cymru and the EU4Ocean Coalition, a volunteer with UK Youth for Nature and GYBN UK, youth representative for the Dyfi Biosphere, an ambassador for Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, and a director/trustee for Reserva: The Youth Land Trust and Small World Theatre.
Who has been your biggest inspiration on your nature journey?
I’ve been very fortunate to work with incredible people across various organisations and spaces. So, I have a very long list of people who have inspired me on my nature journey – one of the main ones being the fantastic community of UK Youth for Nature.
I always like to shout out Dr Jen Horgan, who lived in the same village as me growing up and would come into school to host nature sessions, gardening, and stamp club. She helped nurture my love for nature and was crucial to my early steps into this career.
I know it’s cliche, but I genuinely believe that my biggest inspiration is nature. A big oak tree near my house has grown almost horizontally out of a quarry wall. I often like to visit this tree and just marvel at the resilience and ingenuity of nature in her quest to survive and ideally thrive. And it does genuinely drive me forward!
What is your number one wildlife encounter ever?
As I said before, I’m an ocean boiii. See the line where the sky meets the sea? It really does call me!
So, I think my top wildlife encounters would be the occasions I’ve been lucky enough to see the bottlenose dolphins of Cardigan Bay, especially on a boat. They are just so special and I get excited every.single.time I see them.
I’m also very grateful that I get to help communities find out more about nature close to their homes. One of my favourite activities is kick sampling, where we take a big net into the river and, as the name suggests, kick the river bed to move small invertebrates into the net. The looks on people’s faces when they realise how much life there is between the rocks and in the sand, makes me happy every time. Tiny shrimp, beautiful mayfly and stonefly nymphs, small fish and elver (if lucky). I think it’s just a reminder that there is so much worth fighting for when it comes to rivers and nature in general here in the UK.
And who can ever not get teary at the sight of a kingfisher?!
If you could bring one extinct animal back, what would it be and why?
To be completely honest, I’m not a massive supporter of “de-extinction”. When funding for conservation and research is already limited, I would much rather be directing those funds and resources to conserve and restore what we still have. I don’t want us ever to fall into the trap of thinking, “It’s ok, we can always bring them back”. I think it should be seen as an absolute last line of defence for critically endangered species rather than trying to bring back animals that went extinct millennia ago, which would likely struggle in today’s conditions.
But that being said, I would love to see a triceratops!
Top 3 favourite memes?
Honestly, I think my favourite memes are probably the ones that do less well on social media. I’ve made some real niche memes over the years and absolutely love them! Like ones discussing real nerdy ecological or political topics.
I am trying to find a good balance between memes and more “serious” content on my social media, but memes suit my communication style because they match who I am as a person. I have enjoyed using social media a lot more since working to find my voice rather than trying to replicate what others do. Sometimes things go down well, and sometimes they’re a bit of a flop in terms of interactions, but I think it’s all part of finding that sweet spot for your platform, which will be different for each of us.
What’s the best sandwich you’ve ever eaten?
Now, that is asking a huge question! For those of you who might not know, I host a series on my Instagram called “Sandwich with a View”, which combines two of my loves – sandwiches and nature – to discuss some of the incredible sites and projects across the UK.
I think it’s challenging to pick the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten because it all depends on the vibes. Sometimes you want light and fresh, sometimes something a bit heavier! I make a mean chickpea and pea patty, one of my favourite things to have in a sandwich because it’s light and flavourful but also quite dense, so it fills me up. I also found out last year that I have coeliac disease, so I also like trying different gluten-free breads and recipes. For those of you who are avoiding gluten for any reason, you’ll know how hard it can be! Down with “Big Gluten”, I say!
UK Youth for Nature is a group of like-minded nature lovers who are on a mission to improve the future for wildlife, nature and humans in the UK. If you want to be part of our community, you can find out more here.
