If you wish to contact anyone from the team please email: wales@gwct.org.uk
Lee Oliver
Director, GWCT Wales
Born and brought up on the beautiful Llŷn Peninsula, North Wales, Lee is a first language Welsh speaker and comes from a farming community where his grandfather farmed sheep and beef.
Lee studied Environmental Risk Management at Cardiff UWIC. On graduating, he worked in boatbuilding and then spent time in South Africa working on cattle and game farms.
Lee has been with the trust for nearly 5 years, and has worked on a number of projects involving species such as, Woodcock, Fallow Deer, Curlew and Grey Squirrel. He is also a CAA Drone Pilot and has developed this work within the trust for surveying species.
“Shooting, fishing and particularly deer stalking are an important part of my life. I was brought up to respect any quarry and shooting has always been about providing food for my family. Conservation and environmental management sits alongside this as another passion of mine.”
Sue Evans
Policy Director, GWCT Wales
Owen Williams
GWCT Wales Chair
Owen is a countryman, wildlife artist and writer living in Ceredigion. Being a long-time supporter of the GWCT and its evidence-based approach to land management, his interest in woodcock pushed him to set up the Woodcock Network to encourage more ringing and study of woodcock across the UK. Through this initiative he worked closely with Andrew Hoodless and the GWCT research team, sharing his data and assisting with ringing and tagging of woodcock in Wales for their Woodcock Watch project. He also designed and conducted a scoping study on woodcock and soil health on his ringing sites in West Wales.
It was this experience that gave him an acute understanding of how much effort goes into fieldwork, and the subsequent delivery of peer-reviewed science that convinced him to accept the role of GWCT Welsh Chairman and become a trustee in 2022.
Despite his responsibilities as Welsh Chairman, Owen continues to paint wildlife and ring woodcock, and is spending an increasing amount of time writing on countryside matters, having been asked to be a regular contributor to the online countryside writers platform Scribehound.
Julieanne Quinlan
Project Manager, Curlew Connections
Growing up in Ireland, I gained an immense appreciation for all aspects of nature with all its complexities and knew I wanted to pursue a career in the field. Upon arriving to Wales, I started my career focusing on local nature recovery within the Conwy region. I concentrated my efforts covering a variety of projects from meadow creation, heritage orchard creation and a project supporting the recently Red-List Common Swift.
As Project Manager for the Curlew Connections Project, I strive to make positive impact and a more resilient future for the Eurasian Curlew in Wales.
I started my career in Southern Africa working on Anti-Poaching and Reserve Management before attending Bangor University where I completed my degree BSc Zoology with Animal Behaviour. My research focused on understanding the large game movements in the fire driven biome known as the Fynbos in the Western Cape. Here is where I deepened my passion for Ornithology and Botany.
“My favourite thing about Curlew is the cultural significance that the bird holds across Britain and Ireland. Each nation have their own unique local names and mythologies behind them.”
Katie Appleby
Curlew and People Officer, Curlew Connections
I am currently working across Mid-Wales with over 70 farmers to help protect and better understand Welsh curlew as part of the Curlew Connections Wales Project. Before this, I was part of the Curlew LIFE project in Northern Ireland, where I gained valuable fieldwork experience monitoring curlew and their habitats. I’ve brought those skills back to Wales and continue to build on them through close collaboration with farmers, volunteers, and local communities.
I especially enjoy spending time outdoors monitoring curlew pairs and engaging with schools—it’s always inspiring to teach children about the importance of curlew in our Welsh landscape. They often ask brilliant and thoughtful questions that show just how curious and connected the next generation can be.
Logan Crimp
Agriculture and Conservation Officer, GWCT Wales
I’ve grown up on a shooting estate on Anglesey as the son of a Gamekeeper. This gave me a strong background in game management and wildlife habitat restoration/improvement. While living on the estate I have also worked on other environmental projects such as tree planting, invasive species management and hedge planting/laying.
I graduated from Bangor University with a degree in Environmental Conservation, this strengthened my theoretical knowledge of environmental practices while also giving me a better understanding of how to deal with human-conservation conflicts.
I enjoy being out in all weathers either shooting, beating or working my gun dogs. My true passion is being able to work within countryside and ensure that there is a more resilient and sustainable future. That’s why I am very excited to be joining GWCT Cymru as the Agriculture and Conservation Officer.
Matthew Goodall
Head of Education and Advisor for Wales and NW England
Matt previously worked as an ecological consultant, biodiversity officer and game management lecturer. He joined the GWCT in July 2018 as an advisor and has played a vital role in building the GWCT’s profile in Wales, working on our Welsh projects and undertaking advisory visits, biodiversity assessments, training courses and talks across the country.
Kaylee Fay
Conservation Assistant, GWCT Wales
I moved around quite a lot growing up, but my passion for wildlife and the environments they inhabit has always been a constant. No matter where I was, I found ways to connect with nature – whether it was hiking, sea swimming or other outdoor activities. I am dedicated to learning more about conservation and environmental management, while also contributing fresh ideas and perspectives. I am completing my final year at the University of Gloucestershire studying Ecology and Environmental Science (Hons). After completing my placement year with The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Wales I am honoured to continue working with them as conservation assistant and excited to see what the next year entails.
Rachel Grant
Placement Student, GWCT Wales
The Welsh countryside has always been an integral part of my upbringing from growing up near Wrexham. This has allowed me to truly appreciate the wildlife and landscape we have in this country and why there is a great need to protect and conserve it. This is especially true once I began to see how human practices can have both positive and negative ecological impacts, such as farming on local biodiversity. I developed my interest and curiosity further academically at the University of Sheffield, where I have been studying Ecology and Conservation for the past 2 years.
Although my time at university so far has been deeply rewarding, I’m looking to develop wider context and application of ecological principles and skills I have learnt. This involves integrating social and political aspects and using industry methods and technologies (such as GIS or drone surveying) into projects to answer questions and test hypotheses. Despite honing my interests on botany, mycology and sustainable agriculture at university, I’m just as eager to explore other areas, like ornithology, whilst on placement. I’m excited to gain wider perspectives and experiences that university simply doesn’t offer alone, especially with the expertise of the GWCT team.