E79: Debbie Tann

Debbie Tann MBE is the Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.  From humble beginnings and an unconventional background, she has carved out a remarkable career in ecology and nature conservation.  During her 25-years with the Trust, she’s grown the charity into one of the largest of the county wildlife trusts in the UK, now with 150 staff and assets of £25 million.

She has instigated many significant conservation projects over the years including bringing large swathes of MOD land into conservation grazing,  and setting up England’s first nutrient neutrality schemes through buying and rewilding two farms on the Isle of Wight and reducing pollution into the Solent.  She was seconded into Defra in 2010 to help write the groundbreaking Natural Environment White Paper which put into policy the concept of landscape scale nature recovery and was the first publication to recognise the value of natural capital.

Her current projects include working towards a wild release of beavers to the Isle of Wight, developing the local Rewilding Network and delivering further nature-based solutions schemes.  Debbie is also passionate about engaging and connecting people with nature,  and empowering communities to demand a better future for themselves and for wildlife.