Dr Mike Swan, Senior Advisor with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), has had his remarkable dedication to conservation and game management recognized with a double award at the recent Great British Shooting Awards 2022.
Mike, who celebrates 40 years with the GWCT this year, was selected as recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Conservation and the Lifetime Achievement Awards.
In typically modest fashion, he said: “Maybe it’s just a case of sticking it for long enough.”
Mike went on to comment: “My career with the GWCT has been fascinating and I like to think I have helped at least a few people achieve both better shooting, and better conservation from their shoot management.
“In accepting these two awards, I pay tribute to my many GWCT colleagues past and present. My achievements are very much a result of their dedication to the cause of conservation through wise use.”
Mike has been part of the GWCT Advisory Service team since January 1982. As Senior Advisor, he provides game management and conservation advice to gamekeepers, shoot managers, farmers and conservation organisations, mainly in the south of England. For many years Mike led the GWCT education programme, with a particular emphasis on providing an insight into the work of GWCT for tertiary level students.
He writes widely for the sporting press and has been a contributing author to many of the Trust’s publications. Before his appointment with the GWCT, Mike studied insects and pollination for his PhD at University College Swansea.
Dr Roger Draycott, GWCT Director of Advisory and Education said: “Everyone at the GWCT is delighted that Mike's dedication to delivering sound conservation advice to thousands of farmers, game managers, students and policy makers over so many years has been recognised in this way. Mike is very well known and respected across the sector and he is a very worthy winner of these awards.”
Mike lives in Dorset, where he runs a rough shoot on a 1,000-acre mainly arable farm, carrying out a range of conservation measures through Countryside Stewardship and other schemes. With wild pheasants and partridges as the main focus of the shoot, a comprehensive predation control programme is also a key aspect. He also enjoys coastal wildfowling, angling and woodland deer stalking.
Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – providing research-led conservation for a thriving countryside. The GWCT is an independent wildlife conservation charity which has carried out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
For information, contact:
Eleanor Williams
Telephone: 07592 025476
Email: press@gwct.org.uk